Lb for Lb Whose the Better Fighter 2025

jusanuthabass reply :

I heard that Smallmouth bass fight harder than Largemouth bass.Being from Ms I have never caught a smallmouth. I don't think we have Smallmouth around here.

Tin reply :

That is not even a question. Smallies hands down.

brgbassmaster reply :

smallies by far it doesnt matter if you catch a 14inch largemouth and a 10 inch smallie the smallie will fight harder,,, or if you catch a 4lb smallie and a 4lb largemouth once again the smallie.

BassNub reply :

a 2 pound smallie would probably feel like a 3-4 pound LMB

thetr20one reply :

Smallies are more "athletic" and will run and jump like crazy. Largemouth are less so, jumping some but just running down or away. I really am starting to believe the depth of the water has something to do with it too.

thetr20one reply :

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a 2 pound smallie would probably feel like a 3-4 pound LMB

A 2lb smallie will feel like a 2lb smallie. It is a completely different fight!

MNGeorge reply :

Smallies, without any doubt, and river Smallies are the hardest fighting Smallies of all. Quit is just not in their vocabulary.

jusanuthabass reply :

Whoa !!!!! i didn't know it was that big of differance. i'm going to have to go fish for some smallies. Where do yall think the closest place for me to find some from newton county, ms

DADto4 reply :

Smallies for sure

bigfruits reply :

agree with the answers above.

ive read that they are harder to catch than LMs but in the rivers i fish they seem way more aggressive and easier to catch than the green ones.

find some good SM waters and bring a med or med light spinning outfit. a 3lb smallie will feel like monster largemouth on speed with lighter tackle.

to find SM in your area i suggest you post in the "Fishing Locations" forum under your region.

MaxumBass reply :

Given a choice of which species to fish for, smallies wins every time in my book! I love how they fight when they see the boat. No quit in em' That said , I like shallow water fishing better, which means more Bigmouths. So in other words, I guess I like BOTH! ;D

Fishing Rhino reply :

Right after they are hooked, largemouths put up a good fight. I believe the difference is the largemouth gives up, or tires, much quicker.

My favorite pond that once held only smallmouth of the bass species now has only largemouth. Apparently someone introduced them into the pond during my forty year hiatus from freshwater fishing.

In the spring, when they were on the beds, we'd catch smallmouth up to five pounds. One Saturday in May, we caught four or five of them.

We were "sportsmen" back then using four pound test line. It would take nearly thirty minutes to bring a five pound smallie to boat.

roadwarrior reply :

Quote
Whoa !!!!! i didn't know it was that big of differance. i'm going to have to go fish for some smallies. Where do yall think the closest place for me to find some from newton county, ms

All of the Tennessee River reservoirs, but especially below the dams:

Guntersville, Wheeler, Wilson, Pickwick and Kentucky Lake.

8-)

Peter E. reply :

My vote is for spotted bass.

fishinfiend reply :

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My vote is for spotted bass.

I love Coosa river spots.

What about a spot v smallmouth?

roadwarrior reply :

"Which is a better fighter?"

If a smallmouth is a 10,

Largemouth: 5

Spot: 7

8-)

Joel W reply :

lb for lb a SM will outfight a LM. They just don't know what quit means. The problem with Smallies here on the NYC reservoirs is that the smallies become much harder to target once the summer season gets here as they go deep, suspend in very deep water, while the LM are much more predictable in their seasonal movements.

Matt 825 reply :

I echo all the responses above. A Smallmouth fight puts a largemouth fight to shame.

Tokyo Tony reply :

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Smallies are more "athletic" and will run and jump like crazy. Largemouth are less so, jumping some but just running down or away. I really am starting to believe the depth of the water has something to do with it too.

A good LMB fight is more of a solid weight with headshakes. I absolutely love that type of fight when they get up to 4 lb +. The ones you can't waterski in (without huge tackle).

A good smallmouth fight is definitely more intense and exciting though. It's not so much of a solid weight, but a lot of direcional changes, and ridiculous acrobatics. I love when they see the boat and just beeline downwards.

I agree though, totally different sensations fighing LMB and smallies.

Also, I think LMB that are caught 10 ft + down fight much better than their friends who hang out in the shallows.

roadwarrior reply :

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It's not so much of a solid weight...

The question is "pound for pound". I assure you, a five or six lb

smallmouth is more "solid weight" than a comparable green fish.

8-)

HopelesslyAddicted reply :

BLUEGILL! lol

thetr20one reply :

Quote

Quote
It's not so much of a solid weight...

The question is "pound for pound". I assure you, a five or six lb

smallmouth is more "solid weight" than a comparable green fish.

8-)

I think what Tony is meaning is that largemouth tend to bulldog more and smallies will not always keep tension on your line. Seems to me that green fish just want to escape without putting on a show, while the smallmouth are like "check this out" while jumping and running around. I catch fair numbers of both every year and they are just different. That being said has anyone ever caught a MEANMOUTH? I believe it is a smallie spot hybrid. Now that is what I would think to be a fighter!! We catch spots in the Ohio river but, I have never had one over two pounds.

J Francho reply :

Pound for Pound? Smallmouth bass, dinner plate bluegill, steelhead, and Chinook salmon come to mind as the strongest fighting fish in FW. Some, like drum, carp, bowfin, and northerns pull pretty hard, but landing them isn't as hopeless as some of the aforementioned species make it seem. the main challenge with Largemouth bass is choosing the right gear and developing the skill to overcome their choice of domain.

MALTESE FALCON reply :

I love to catch them both, however, if given the choice, I'll take the brown bass.

Falcon

BirdNestBen reply :

no doubt a smallmouth and I'm from Texas........ the initial force and power of a huge largemouth is overwhelming, but they don't have the stamina........ a smallie like everyone says just don't give up......

having said all that it is much harder to land a huge bigmouth than a smallmouth....... they are much more craftier in the art of getting off de hook........

Ky_Lake_Dude reply :

Them ol Brownfish

guitarkid reply :

Quote
I heard that Smallmouth bass fight harder than Largemouth bass.Being from Ms I have never caught a smallmouth. I don't think we have Smallmouth around here.

Mike Tyson beats eats them both

tumnus

natanestaban reply :

DON'T FORGET SPOTTED BASS. A 5LB SPOT WILL MAKE YOU THINK YOUVE HOOKED A 25LB STRIPER.

ROLL TIDE

NATE

.dsaavedra. reply :

pound for pound, chain pickerel fight harder than both of them

GRIZZ reply :

HANDS DOWN

fats69 reply :

Smallmouth hands down!!!!!!!

Fatman

mayassa reply :

I agree, SMB fight so much better.

Bassboss reply :

When I was younger, I visited my grandma in Wisconsin, me and my pops went fishing, I hooked into a small, smallie! Me and my pa both thought it would be bigger than 8", ;D

Paul Roberts reply :

Man...the simple answer? lb for lb, rod for rod: Smallmouth.

Largemouths in most places we catch them do not have the speed, quickness, or stamina. Nor do they leap as willingly, high, or often.

But...

I've found largemouth's that could almost compare to smallmouths, and they were caught in cover-free water in the mid to upper 70s water temps. Such fish, (out of several different water bodies) have shocked me with there near-smallmouth stamina, and their ability/willingness to jump up to 4 times. The cover-free part is important: LMs head for cover when in danger. They are notorious to fisheries workers using seines -LMs being nearly unseine-able. I've had LM's swim into not only weeds and wood, but muskrat holes too! If want one in the boat, keep it's head up.

But notice I said "almost compare" and "near-smallmouth". A smallie in prime conditions is a bear to get a thumb on. They can wear you down. Ask Rick Clunn!

I think smallies can throw a bait as easily as a largemouth, but are often less apt to because, I believe, they often bite down on a bait when they leap. Their leaps are more a flip or catapult into the air, rather than the slow, wide-gaped head thrashing of LM.

Quote
pound for pound, chain pickerel fight harder than both of them

Not sure if they are really comparable. Pickeral are spectacular fighters and are near the top of my list. But, being so narrow in body depth, they need to be caught on light tackle (soft rod/light line) to experience what they can do. They are mighty fast! Small northern pike can be almost as spectacular on appropriate tackle. Hybrid pike/musky ("norlunge") can be spectacular. I've had some jump high, wildly, and repeatedly like a smallmouth. But most do not.

Not counting SW fish, I'd easily put bright fresh-run steelhead in the top spot. They are simply ungodly fast, jump higher and with more abandon than anything I've tied into. Bright fresh coho salmon are next. Chinooks are down on my list -they are big and fast, but rarely spectacular. In fact, they all do pretty much the same thing. Big striped bass are similar I've found.

Big Tom reply :

I have caught 4 pounders in both species in a relatively close time frame. They both fought much different.

The LMB sort of rolled lazily on the top for a spill and then started diving hard at the boat. After a couple of good runs he gave up pretty easily.

The SMB was a different experience all together. The fish inhaled the grub in ten foot of water. Not even two seconds after I set the hook it had swam straight up and was actually about three feet out of the water. When it wasn't in the air it was diving and running everywhere. Such a fun fish.

JL Zingg reply :

I'll tell ya, I've caught many perch out of the potomac and chopawamsic rivers, and boy ARE THEY SURPRISING. On many occassions a perch will out pull a bigger largemouth.

farmpond1 reply :

To make it nearly unanimous, I vote smallmouth. They don't even quit when you're releasing them. I've had numerous smallmouth give me a defiant splash on their way back down.

Sadly, it was a rough year for smallmouth in central Illinois. The early spring flooding and higher than average rainfall this summer made things difficult. Even Canada produced only very small ones for me. Oh well, there's always next year!

Rich K reply :

Smallies go ballastic! Seems like their will to live is that much stronger. Every one I have hooked into, I almost unconsciously say out loud, "this fish really does not want to be hooked!"

Since, I have small kids and have seen "Finding Nemo" about 1000 times, the thought of Nemo saying, "swim down" also comes to mind. If you cannot get their heads turned, they do just that and will try to wrap you around stuff and break you off. And if you do get their heads turned, be prepared for some awesome acrobatics! Make sure you are keeping pressure on them when they jump - they will shake your lure otherwise.

Great fighters!

Rich K reply :

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Oh well, there's always next year!

This year is not even close to being over!

I am so looking forward to catching the big ones that are fattening up for the winter here up North. I am sure you must have a longer season down there by you. I know there are some parts of Illinois where some bodies of water never see ice.

farmpond1 reply :

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Quote
Oh well, there's always next year!

This year is not even close to being over!

I am so looking forward to catching the big ones that are fattening up for the winter here up North. I am sure you must have a longer season down there by you. I know there are some parts of Illinois where some bodies of water never see ice.

True. Just don't know if I'll have the chance to make it out or not. The Kankakee river is awfully tempting but it's a drive.

11130

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