I remember some heated discussions among family and neighbors when I was growing up (back in the dark ages) about whether a three pound channel cat fought harder than a smallmouth,  Ahhhhhhhhhh, I left out  I don't know about that one, but I do know that if a bluegill could grow to that size, a new king would be crowned. 

I didn't include all the bass species, or the saugeye, but feel free to add any species you feel can dethrone the smallmouth.

Coosa/Alabama Spotted Bass

 

Meanest fish I've ever seen in either fresh or saltwater.  

 

 

Bluegills.

Peacock bass! 

I have caught catfish, smallmouth, largemouth, and peacock.  Peas are pound for pound the hardest fighting freshwater fish.  Living in south Florida we catch them all the time.  The pit bulls of fresh water.

I can’t believe the musky wasn’t added. Personally I think most times the fight is exaggerated. Musky on bass gear yeah feel insane. Musky on real musky gear generally aren’t that impressive. I think the thrill of it’s a musky overtakes what is going on. This also crosses over to channels on bass gear vs catfish gear. River smallies on bass gear I would say are the most impressive.

Shoal bass are pretty close to a river smallie in terms of fight, imho.

White bass fight harder than smallmouth around here.  

7 hours ago, CrashVector said:

Bluegills.

I’ll say this: if anyone ever set the hook on a 6 lb. bluegill, they’d have the fight of their lives! They are tenacious! 

I'd say striper.

Warmouth! Those little things have a major attitude and the strength of a Clydesdale.

2 hours ago, Jig Man said:

White bass fight harder than smallmouth around here.  

White bass around 13-14” will put quite a bend in my spinnerbait rod, a heavy, here

Another fish comes to mind pound for pound.....Rock bass.

Some people refer to them as goggle eye and red eye.

52 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Warmouth! Those little things have a major attitude and the strength of a Clydesdale.

 

I've often said if those things grew to 7 or 8 lbs it would be dangerous to go in the water. 

1 hour ago, 12poundbass said:

Warmouth! Those little things have a major attitude and the strength of a Clydesdale.

No doubt, if these fish had any size to them, they'd take over fisheries.   

8 hours ago, geo g said:

I have caught catfish, smallmouth, largemouth, and peacock.  Peas are pound for pound the hardest fighting freshwater fish.  Living in south Florida we catch them all the time.  The pit bulls of fresh water.

 

Living in South Florida for 2/3s of my life, I've caught just about everything that swims down there.  Peacocks are hard fighters, but I don't consider them as true Florida fresh water fish.  They are exotic transplants native to South America.  The Game Commission started stocking them in South Florida Canals around 1984.  They are popular mainly because they are easier to catch than black bass.  Weekend fishermen complained about poor bass fishing, so they stocked fish they can catch. The same thing happened in Central Florida with Hybrid Stripers.  This is not a knock on Peacocks or weekend fishermen, but it is accurate.   Truth be known, the hardest fighting freshwater fish in South Florida is a landlocked Snook or Tarpon.

12 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

I don't know about that one, but I do know that if a bluegill could grow to that size, a new king would be crowned. 

 

I'm trying to imagine an 11 pound bluegill...

Nothing fights like a giant channel catfish.  If it don't break you off it'll peel your drag a few times before you get it in.  Even on heavier bass gear.

 

I fished lake Huron and st Clair for smallies plenty growing up and getting a LMB to bite is my passion but a cat fights like it's out for blood.

30 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

Nothing fights like a giant channel catfish.  If it don't break you off it'll peel your drag a few times before you get it in.  Even on heavier bass gear.

 

I fished lake Huron and st Clair for smallies plenty growing up and getting a LMB to bite is my passion but a cat fights like it's out for blood.

All I know is that once Channels get to be close or over 10lbs, they are absolute escape/break off artists even on Bass gear.     

 

On my big swimbait setup I've muscled a 9lb+ in easily, but anything else is 50/50.   They stole about about $40 in JDM cranks from me last Fall...12lb Fluoro and 14lb mono.  Ironically I got a 10+ last Fall on 8lb stren and a spinning setup fishing for Crappie ?

 

My problem is that I don't recognize them being Cats quick enough, and if there is a single log, laydown, rock, anything.....that Channel is 100% of the time running for it.  They are really smart in this regard.  

 

Pound for pound the strongest fighting fish are Smallies out of the Delware river.

5 hours ago, Bird said:

Another fish comes to mind pound for pound.....Rock bass.

Some people refer to them as goggle eye and red eye.

 

I caught at least 80 of em last week on beetle spins.  They're like bluegills who are going through a divorce while on pcp.

3 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

Nothing fights like a giant channel catfish.  If it don't break you off it'll peel your drag a few times before you get it in.  Even on heavier bass gear.

 

I fished lake Huron and st Clair for smallies plenty growing up and getting a LMB to bite is my passion but a cat fights like it's out for blood.

 

I hauled in a 57lb channel cat on an Abu Garcia silver max combo last year lol

 

Course, it was loaded with 20lb BigGame, so it was just a matter of reeling him in.

Not sure how a walleye even made the voting list. They fight like a wet sock.

 

I presume we’re specifically just referring to freshwater fish here too.

21 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Not sure how a walleye even made the voting list. They fight like a wet sock.

Ya - jeez - bullheads fight harder than walleyes...

Funny I see this after this morning. Prior to today, I would have said the SM. But today, the LM were angry! My buddy and I caught 70+ together and commented many times how much angrier the LM were than the SM.  So, I would have to say it varies day to day...water to water.

Don't think you could put a blanket answer on it.

River Smallies