# Most Sporting Fish?



## Garbo (Oct 2, 2007)

My neighbor came over last night and we set on the porch and watch the water rise. We had a conversation about the fish that was most fun to catch. To me the fish that I enjoy trying to catch most is Permit via Flyrod. My neighbor claimed that Blue Marlin were far more sporting (although he has never tried to catch a shallow water Permit with a Flyrod). I have had more shots than I care to tell, and I have a total of 5actually caught. Granted the type of fishing my neighbor does vs what I do is very different in nature, but it really made me think, what is the most sporting fish to try to catch??? Curious to anyone's thoughts????


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## nb&twil (Oct 2, 2007)

any fish that triples the line size 

i.e. a bull red over 24lbs on 8lb test

or a 60lb king or amberjack on 20 spinning tackle

my favorite is a fish that will run well enough that im scared ill get spooled, but i cant lock down on him because my line is too light... thats when im having a good time

although i havent done much of it (none in salt water, only a few times in fresh) fly fishing seems to be the most "sporting" id love to wrestle with a strong saltwater fish one day on flytackle

garbo, check your pms.


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## User1265 (Oct 15, 2007)

Good question, I really think it is subjective. I personally enjoy light tackle and I would have to say Jack Crevalle are an absolute blast on light tackle. But if you are talking bigger game I would say wahoo really tickled my fancy. Never caught bill fish so can't comment on that. I really think it is subjective though.


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## Halfmoon (Oct 3, 2007)

Any Fish for me. Its the hunt, the chase, the fight, that excites me. Out smarting nature for a split second.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

any big fish on light line.


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## konz (Oct 1, 2007)

That is a pretty good question, I don't have any experience with the offshore species. So I would have to say sharks on light tackle from shore.....and by light I mean 15lb line. I love catching a 4-5 foot blacktip on 15lb. It's such a great fight! People always look at me funny when I'm tying on a 100lb steel leader and using 15lb line.....but dang it it's fun! Bull reds on 10lb test, negotiating bridge pilings is a close second!

I'm looking forward to having a chance at them hoos, dolphin, and tuna one day!!! It's just not in the budget at this point


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## mudskipper (Oct 3, 2007)

i love mahi on spinning gear


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## Xanadu (Oct 1, 2007)

Nothing compares to Blue Marlin. Think bullfighting with a string if you want, but catching something big enough to eat a child or even kill you is the key. Plus, its a team affair as opposed to light tackle fishing. Of course, its great fun to catch a 30# permit on a flyrod, but IMHO there is no comparison to a 600# blue eating an 18" lure right off the transom and then freight training 400 yds across the surface in 30 seconds! Green water coming over the transom, buckets floating everywhere, people screaming and that constant sound of a tiny chainsaw as the line screams out - that there is fun!



All the rest is just finger food helping you kill time.


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## Travis Gill (Oct 6, 2007)

I agree with Xanadu Blue Marlin, or I suppose a Black. Tarpon and Swordfish are a close second.


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## JLMass (Oct 1, 2007)

im going to try to catch a winter Bonita with a push button reel this winter i think that will be very sporting


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

I'm with JLMass... Bonita on a Zebco 33 would be extreme!!


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## HighCotton (Oct 2, 2007)

'nother vote for Blue Marlin.


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## true-king (Oct 2, 2007)

blue marlin

i caught about a 375 pounder this past summer. longest continuous screaming drag i've ever heard, did about a450 yard run without letting up! what an experience 

i can't imagine a 600+ pounder!


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## Josey Wales (Oct 19, 2007)

Grouper on a cane pole. The raw pelican is dead long live josey wales


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## talleyban (Sep 28, 2007)

I would have to say the mako shark. A mako will sky like a marlin but is more dangerous. If you have ever caught a mako you will agree they are a much more sporting fish than a marlin.


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## bajafisherman (Oct 8, 2007)

i agree with the Marlin.....they are amazing fish, but i also like tuna.....its a toss up...altough i grew up in central oregon i have to give the stealhead big props cause they fight like hell on light gear and they have to be netted in oregon....so even more of a battle


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## Downtime2 (Sep 27, 2007)

_I gotta go with Blue Marlin here. I have gone from cat napping on the couch to hitting the deck wide open in about 3 seconds. A big girl tearing off line at astronomical speed and the clicker screaming. The crew hits the deck clearing lines, teasers, getting rods clear, getting the camera going, plus several other things. Glove up and get ready to tag. That is, if Hal can hold the fish close enough....._


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## Xanadu (Oct 1, 2007)

> *Downtime2 (10/19/2007)*_IGlove up and get ready to tag. That is, if Hal can hold the fish close enough....._






I always get her close enough to tag. Maybe you need a longer stick!


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## Downtime2 (Sep 27, 2007)

My stick is plenty long and hard enough....thank you.....


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## Xanadu (Oct 1, 2007)

Well, it isn't like your hair is in the way!


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## jigslinger (Sep 30, 2007)

Any fish that gets on my line.


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## flats stalker (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Xanadu (10/19/2007)*Well, it isn't like your hair is in the way!


thats just too damn funny.


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## BlueWater2 (Sep 27, 2007)

Swordfish over 150 to 250 is a hell of a fight. And makes for some great eating !!!!!!


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## Downtime2 (Sep 27, 2007)

> *flats stalker (10/19/2007)*
> 
> 
> > *Xanadu (10/19/2007)*Well, it isn't like your hair is in the way!
> ...


Have you seen my stick???


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## Lil' Scout (Oct 1, 2007)

> *Downtime2 (10/19/2007)*
> 
> 
> > *flats stalker (10/19/2007)*
> ...


Bet you won't be making offers like that when this cold front rolls in. oke


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## Angler Management (Oct 15, 2007)

So far Tarpon are my favorite, never caught a billfish but been close a couple times so I'll see how that goes when the time comes.


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

mmm.. a hardtail at the rigs on 2lb test!.

tarpon on spinning gear.

jack crevalle on topwater.

YFT on spinning gear.

never caught a billfish.


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## Hand Reel (Oct 2, 2007)

Monster Stingrays on 20lb spinning gear from a kayak. You will be looking forward to at least 90 minute fight and a long paddle back against current!:hotsun


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## Tyler Massey (Oct 2, 2007)

The most spoting fish i have caught is a tarpoon off the pier, they are amazing fish making the jumps and screaming 300 yards of line like its nothing.


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## surfstryker (Sep 28, 2007)

Big sharks from shore (any tackle that will work) I also think bass fishing is very sporting because you use lures. Fool em with a piece of plastic.


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## Magic236 (Oct 1, 2007)

Blue Marlin - - they will fight you to their death, wiring a green one puts the wireman's life in peril, they can tear up the best tackle, they have speed, make long runs,jump, sound -they do it all.

Agree - it's subjective. I've caught most all Atlantic Offshore Gamefish w/ the exception of a Bluefin, butmy vote is the Blue. 

Garbo, great questions

High Cotton - if your Avatar is part of your crew I want to sign up!


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## MR.STAAL (Oct 22, 2007)

TARPON,COBIA,(SLOT)REDS,POMPS,MAHI'S,TROUT

I NEED TO GO OFF SHORE!


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## BLKFLYZ (Sep 30, 2007)

Im gonna have to go with any marlin species. Like a few others have mentioned when fishing for marlin it takes a well rounded crew to be successful. Ive spent hours upon hours staring at the spread watching for anything out of the ordinary then in a matter of milla seconds to see a big girl come up and start slapping at a bait then run across the spread and hammer another one and in a matter of seconds peel off a spool on a 80w!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow I haven't found a better rush! Once the fish is hooked its up to the Capt then the angler and finally the deck crew to wire and tag the fish. Once all that happens its great feeling of success to watch such a magnificent creature swim away to fight another day!! 

Marlin it is!!


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## ninesanuf (Oct 2, 2007)

Mine was a 85 lb ling on 20 lb mono, 1hr 30min fight and a hole lot of excitement at the gaff.I'll never forget that day.


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## Deeplines (Sep 28, 2007)

Bass.


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## Fuhrer48 (Oct 2, 2007)

I went to school in PA and I fished for small mouth in small streams and rivers with ultralites 4lb test line or on afly rodwith very small heddon torpedos and Pop-R. They are a GREAT fighting fish that will dazzle youwith some arial displays. Ive never caught a bill fishand Ive had a tarpon look at a bait thats about it. But im sure they are a blast!!!


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Xanadu (10/19/2007)*catching something big enough to eat a child or even kill you is the key. Plus, its a team affair as opposed to light tackle fishing.All the rest is just finger food helping you kill time.


gonna have to agree with alot of what you said right there. however, because i have never caught (i have wired a few though) a blue, i'm gonna have to go with a yellerfin tuna...at least one that definately does NOT want to be caught. a solid bruiser yellerfin will wear 99% of anglers out. any lesser man passes the rod off. they're so much fun on spinning tackle as well. and i like the team effort you mentioned on the blues (and tuna), makes ALL inshore fish look like a bunch of pansies. that's what the rush is all about-strapped to a fish that is 10fold more stronger than you, and can straight up drown you if you were in the water with him. or kill you with his damn bill.

I personally have the biggest vendetta against inshore species. Sure, they can be VERY challenging to catch. Hell, I have sat off my dock on Ono every weekend for about 9 weekends now and caught ZERO of the hundreds of speckled trout we have swimming under our lights. Clear water, dirty water, it doesn't matter. Now I haven't used live shrimp yet, and I heard that is the ticket, but now we're derailing the thread a bit. There is just NO fight in inshore species at all. I've caught bull reds and most other inshore species and it's just straight up boring to fight them. Tarpon are ok on spinning tackle, but still no damn yellerfin.


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## Travis Gill (Oct 6, 2007)

I would rather catch a tarpon than a tuna anyday. Yellowfin fight real hard but are very predictable, tarpon are unpredictable and fight real hard as well. That is just my personal opinion though.


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## floridays (Oct 2, 2007)

Offshore i'd say Yellowfin Tuna that do not give an inch and then all of a sudden go crazy.Large swordfish can be really fun too after their initial run for the top.Inshore i'll say Jack Crevelle on really light tackle just as the sun is coming up. I missed a lot of first periods at school because of Jacks. Down on the railroad tracks behind Jerry's Drive in and over in Hoffman Bayou in Gulf Breeze. It was hard to make up an excuseschool would believewith wet clothes and a john boat in the back of your truck.:toast


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## reefdonkey (Sep 30, 2007)

Amberjacks on medium action spinning using 15-pound test. All you can do is hold on........


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## Hook (Oct 2, 2007)

Big Bull Mahi Mahi or 100 lb Sail fish on spinning rods. Costa Rica. Only trouble using light tackle on ALL fish is the build up of Latic Acid in the fish.:banghead


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I don't think I can come up with one species I'd call most sporting. Tarpon are crazy and unpredictable, billfish are extremely fast and offer explosive action, and then there are the tunas that make your arms feel like rubber when they are done with you. So the only thing I can come up with is three species that offer every kind of challenge and excitement that I believe you can find in this sport.

Giant bluefin tuna-Brute strength, by far the most powerful fish I've come across so far. They are also very fast for their tremendous size.Not to mention they areone of the largest species of fish capable of being caught on rod and reel.

Mako Shark- Speed,aggression, and the fact that they can jump 20 feet out of the water. They have been known to take three baits at once and swim straight to the boat for more. They either don't fight at all until they get to the boat or they do a dozen cartwheels and rip off 500 yds of line. They have that dangerous unpredictability like a tarpon only much worse. They are delicious too!

Swordfish- They have it all in my opinion, They are tough, fast, jump and need more finesse and specialized rigging than other big game species. You can reel one to the boat in 5 minutes from 300 feet and it will turn around and run off 300 yards against the full drag of a 50 wide. They are also the best eating fish in the ocean in my opinion.

I realize these are not the most accessible fish to everyone but that wasn't the question.


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## wirenut (Sep 30, 2007)

Typicaly the one on the end of my line. :letsdrink


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## Garbo (Oct 2, 2007)

I'm ashamed to tell this, but for many years have made trips to the keys to look for Bonefish, Tarpon and Permit, and I have had way too many shots at Permit to only landed Five. I will do my best to put into words what I feel standing on the bow of a flats boat during one of these trips. 

All three are very sporty fish. Upon hooking a Bonefish, anyone would be impressed by the sheer speed the fish can produce leaving a flat. They are awesome. They are not too terriably hard to fool, and anyone should be able to land a few on a good day. 

Tarpon during the right time of year are very reliable. All things Normal, May and June is as good as it gets. To see a pod of Tarpon coming down the edge of a Channel in less than 6' of water and get a shot well out in front of them is about perfect. You watch the pod aproach as your fly sinks, and as they approach, you pull the fly away from them, as if it were trying to excape. Short and slow strips, trying to keep the fly at the same level as the Tarpon. Seeing one fish turn toward the fly, you continue to make it look as if it is making an excape and the 6 foot Tarpon moves closer. Now the Tarpon is right on the fly and you have to call on all your nerves to continue to strip the fly short and slowly. Stripping the flyline in your left hand, IT STOPS, and as the Tarpon turns to return to the pod, flyline is sliding thru your left hand and the Tarpon has taken. If you get this far, the Hookset is usaully as good as any entertainment as you could pay for, all things normal the Tarpon is going to go absolutely nuts. Tarpon on fly is a very sporty deal. 

Permit in less than 6feet of water are the most paranoid fish in the water. Most of the time the smaller fish will be in schools varying in number from small to huge. Larger fish (over 30lbs) can be seen in couples or pods of 3 or 4 but are normally alone. Getting close enough for a good shot with a flyrod is very difficult. They can be caught easily over wrecks offshore or sometimes over reefs in open water, kinda like a Jack Creavelle, but in shallow water, they are freaks. In my experience to get one to take a fly, you have to get close enough to land the fly almost on the Permits head and not spook it in the process. The favorite food of Permit is Crab, and when a crab is in danger it most often makes an angled dive to find cover and this is what the fly should imitate. 99% of the fish I have gottena shot at left for Cuba when my fly hit the water, the other 1% is the ones that keep me coming back. IF, the fish doesn't spook, you have a chance. First he has got to see the fly, and when he shows interest he will usually follow slowly, sometimes even noseing the fly as if to test it. Stripping slightly in order to maket he fly look alive, and hopefully keep the Permits interest, he follows in a very sceptical way, observing way too much. It is now clear to you that he will not eat unless he is convinced that it is real, and here is where half of the 1% that don't spook are lost. You strip the fly in a long strip and stop, the fly moves 3feet and up in the water, ther fish follows and as the fly again falls the Permit goes head down on it, and as he does his tail comes out of the water, being careful not to attempt to set up on him too early you wait to feel the take. As you feel a slight weight on the fly, you fimly hold the flyline in your left hand and pull into you as you lift your rod. The Permit is going to deeper water very fastand all you can do is follow. If you make it to the edge of the flat before he gets you around an obstruction the rest of the fight is pretty much Jack Creavelle Tug-of-War. It is the most Sporting fish I have yet to try to catch, mainly because it is so hard to fool one, and if you do, it is something you will not soon forget.


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## Baitcaster (Oct 4, 2007)

Bluefish on a top-water plug (so far)


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## Freddie Jr (Oct 4, 2007)

Blue marlin and tuna. Tuna gave a better fight than the blue. Blue wasn't real big though.


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## getbent (Oct 2, 2007)

remora from the pier!!!


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## fish hook (Oct 22, 2007)

great question, for my pick ther is only one fish they call the KING. that would be the allmighty tarpon. when they are hooked they will head staight to Cuba mostly in the air. by the way hello Wade its your favorite ups man


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## Deeplines (Sep 28, 2007)

I must have misunderstood your ? curtis......

I thought you said SPORTING? Not many dead bass come back to the weigh in oke

As far as fun, all I can say is a big AJ. Never caught a YFT or a Billfish but sure would love to. :angel

I know a lot of folks catch bills and doesn't enter tournys but that is why I said bass plus I think they are hard to catch on UNKNOWN waters. 

I'm with everyone else though it all depends. A bonita on a 2lb test would be fun and sporting. From all the answers I guess I just misunderstood your ?


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## Danno (Oct 17, 2007)

I'll have to agree with Halfmoon, its all about the hunt. Tying a fly, rigging a new rig, its its all of about the preparation and the hunt, knowing that what you put together worked and the spot you picked to try it in was the right place. 

"There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot."(S Wright)


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## J.Sharit (Oct 3, 2007)

for me it's always been the one I did'nt see that got away! Big jacks and any tuna family seem to be the best fighters pound for pound. Just another opinion, like asses everybody has one and they all stink:shedevil


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## Garbo (Oct 2, 2007)

> *tunapopper (10/22/2007)*I don't think I can come up with one species I'd call most sporting. Tarpon are crazy and unpredictable, billfish are extremely fast and offer explosive action, and then there are the tunas that make your arms feel like rubber when they are done with you. So the only thing I can come up with is three species that offer every kind of challenge and excitement that I believe you can find in this sport.
> 
> Giant bluefin tuna-Brute strength, by far the most powerful fish I've come across so far. They are also very fast for their tremendous size.Not to mention they areone of the largest species of fish capable of being caught on rod and reel.
> 
> ...


*Great Answer.*


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## dbyrd2100 (Jun 21, 2008)

I grew up stalking and sight casting reds on ultra light tackle and that will always be special to me. Although they are not difficult to find and catch, I literally get shaky on the cast and through the fight with one on light tackle. With that being said,since moving uphere,I'm finding that 30lb test on a bottom fishing rod feels like light tackle on the amberjack up here. That fishing isn't sporting to find and hook, but it damn sure is giving you a hell of a fight til its in the boat.


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## Pier#r (Oct 2, 2007)

One THE most <U>SPORTING</U> fish I catch is any sheepshead over 2# on UL (4#) spinning tackle.

Just fer kicks do it on a pier or jetty ;-)


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## John B. (Oct 2, 2007)

now that i look back, re-read all the posts, and think about all the fish that i've ever caught, there are only TWO that really got the adrenaline pumping... that would be cobia, and king mackerel (over 40lbs) .... i rememer when i caught my first cobia off the pier, 47lbs.... my legs were shaking like no other.... man, after i caught it, and held her up... i think i walked up and down the pier like 5 times..... gosh that was fun...

there has only been a few other times that i've felt that feeling, one of which was hooking a 46lb king and watching 400 yards of 20lb sufix get dumped on a 250 staal.... i had abot 10 wraps left and turned the fish... very intense.

those are the two most sporting fish i have caught on a somewhat regular basis, (tarpon are a close third), they are by no means difficult to catch, but damn, they get me excited.


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## Jack Hexter (Oct 2, 2007)

The title of the thread is "*Most Sporting Fish*", _not_ "*Most difficult to catch fish.*" In that light, I'd say *Swordfish.* They are relatively easy to get to bite, fight hard, jump, do everything a fish is supposed to do in trying to get away or get rid of the hook, and taste good.



Marlin, while they do most of the above, are extremely hard to find and get on the end of a line. I've fished for them, sometimes intensively, for over 30 years and only had 3 on the line, and still don't have one to the boat.



Permit, on the flats, on a fly are hard to get to bite, not quite as hard as a marlin. Once on the line, you have the challenge of avoiding the seafans and other assorted potential obstructions you find on a flat in order to land one. You don't find as many obstructions in the blue water when marlin fishing.



Now, IMHO, the most fun fish to catch are dolphin. School dolphin, up to say 20# on 10# spin or fly, and larger dolphin on 20# tackle are a blast.


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## Chris Hood (Mar 13, 2008)

I would say no question Blue Marlin(caught about a 350 last summer on a 30 wide)....although a 100 pound plus yellowfin on a spinner using a popper plug is pretty damn hard to beat.


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## grouper1963 (Feb 28, 2008)

Haven't had the privilege of a billfish yet socan only talk about my limited exposure...

Mahi Mahi...they are agressive and put on a great show


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## daddytime (Oct 1, 2007)

20# king at asea bouy doing laps around the boat with one of my 11 year olds on the other end of a spinning rod...

30# AJ beating my wife against the gunnel while she screams about the line being caught in the props...

and pretty much any other fish that gets hooked up and causes every kid on the boat to pile to one side:usaflag


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## Emerald Ghost (Mar 11, 2008)

The feel of a big snook on a medium action spinning rod after nailing a chartreuse long a magnum bomber.


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## Garbo (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Patman (7/10/2008)*The feel of a big snook on a medium action spinning rod after nailing a chartreuse long a magnum bomber.


*I have hooked big snook and they are extremely powerful. I the largest I have ever hooked was in the everglades he jumped twice and went to visit his buddys in the mangroves. My buddy and I guessed him around 30, but he pulled like he was 300. You ever caught a real big one? *


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## ElJay (Oct 1, 2007)

Its hard to compare as pound for pound some of the smaller fish can go well,kind of makes you wonder what it would be like at 200 or 500 lbs.

Like Jacks/AJ's, I think a 500lb one of either would put me in hospital or just bust me up so as i would never even see it.Swordfish are awesomebut they are big too. Barramundi are like snook (also nice to catch) on crack but not that big compared to swords. I also hate to think of a 200lb barra.

A shellcracker or bluegill would be killer at 10lbs and at 100stunning. Personal most memorable fight was a Red Steenbras about 110 lbs on 20# mono. They also get big enough to eat people, not by mistake, they seem to like doing it. The Birkenhead in WW2 that was torpedoed and went down lost a few hundred folks to a pack of them on the Aghulas reef.


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## RiverGulfFshr (Oct 2, 2007)

40# Flathead Catfish, at night, hauling his azz out of a tree top in 50' of rippen river current. That to me is like nothing else in the world.


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## Emerald Ghost (Mar 11, 2008)

I have hooked big snook and they are extremely powerful. I the largest I have ever hooked was in the everglades he jumped twice and went to visit his buddys in the mangroves. My buddy and I guessed him around 30, but he pulled like he was 300. You ever caught a real big one? 



Garbo,

We drove down to the jettys at Ft. Pierce one night in "hot pursuit" of Mr. Snook. By midnight all of the locals had given up and gone home, but around 2:00 a.m. near the end of the outgoing tide they turned on. In an hour and a half I caught and released 12 snook up to 18 pounds, one nice cuda and also lost 2 tarpon. My chartreuse long a magnum bomber needed to go to glamour shots to be restored.

You just don't forget trips like that.



websters definition:

snook - largemouth bass on angel dust


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## Garbo (Oct 2, 2007)

Cool Read. 

Ihave never seen,sleeping until I get a bite, all that sporting.

If you consider the pursuit of any gamefish part of the sport as I do, how difficult the species you are pursuing has to be part of how sporting the fish is. That is why Shallow Water Permit on fly get my vote. After you hook one up the most difficult part is done, as with most other highly sporting species of fish. To me the most sporting part is the pursuit of the species of choice, so to me, the level of sport continues to go up until I have convenced the very species I have targeted to take a bait or imitation, and the take would be the pinnacle of how sporting the event was to me.

Way Cool Read, Enjoyed Your Thoughts.


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## asago (Nov 11, 2008)

I agree about the pursuit... One thing I really miss about the mountains was chasing spring pre-spawn striper up the shallow rivers. While I had more than quite a few close calls, it sure was fun. There's nothing like going up a river no more than 10 feet wide and just a couple inches deep in a shallow running jet boat. And when you finally get to your "spot" you're rewarded by having the whole darn place to yourself and fish everywhere (simply because no one else can, or is crazy enough, to get there).


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