Colorado's Hardest Fighting Fish by: Troy Coburn   6/7/2009

I’m just curious what people think is the hardest fighting fish in Colorado.  I know many of you think that I am an “elitist” when it comes to bass fishing being as that is what I do 95% of the time.  The fact of the matter is that I like anything that stretches my string!  The harder the fight, the more fun the fishing. 

I have caught, at one time or another, just about everything that swims in Colorado.  Pound for pound, I think (and this is only MY personal opinion) that smallmouth bass give me the biggest bang for my buck.  They will crush topwater baits or fast moving crankbaits and leave you feeling violated when they are done with you.  They are acrobatic leapers sometimes jumping three feet out of the water several times then they put their nose down and barrel off to deep water while making your reel scream like a Banshee.  My second favorite fish is the Largemouth Bass (big surprise).  They are not quite as feisty as the smallies, but I love the techniques for catching these bruisers.  My favorite way to fish for the “buckets” is to flip a jig into heavy cover.  I get my kicks from watching the jig disappear into the thickest stuff you can find and waiting for the “tick”.  Then the fight is on baby!!  Hookset, turn their head quick and get them out or they will burry you alive.  I love the power of a 7 foot heavy action rod, 20 lb fluorocarbon, swing away, drive that hook home and winch that fish out of the jungle.  Power fishing at its best; gotta love it!

As for just plain strong fish, carp and catfish are a pretty amazing specimen of pure power.  They will start heading off to the depths as you watch your spool spinning and the line reserves dwindle rather quickly.  The only thing that you don’t get is the bursts of breakneck speed and aeronautical stunts that you do with smallies and largies.

Trout…   well… you all know how I LOVE trout.  Actually, without trout my bass would not be nearly as big as they are.  All kidding aside, I do enjoy a good tussle with larger trout on occasion; it’s just the little pecking 8 to 12 inchers that I really don’t like.  I will target trout on Aurora in mid to late October for a couple weeks as the 3 to 5 pounders move up into the shallows to gorge themselves on small crayfish.  Stick a hook in their face in shallow water and it’s like the fourth of July; flashes of silver, pink and blue shooting up out of the water like a Trident missile.

Bluegill are amazingly strong for their size and on light tackle, they can be a handful.  The only thing they lack is size, but for nonstop action, bronco gills are hard to beat.

Pike and Tiger Musky are a blast.  Hard, jerk the rod out of your hand strikes followed by reel smoking bursts of speed and awe inspiring leaps into the wild blue yonder.  But it has always been my experience that they wear out rather quickly and the fight only lasts a few minutes.
  
Wipers!  What more do I need to say.  These things are just plain freakishly amazing.  They are the closest thing we have to a saltwater fish here in Colorado.  I have been targeting wipers for the last couple weeks at Aurora.  I have only caught a handful but it has been well worth the effort!  They have a fantastic attitude with the shoulders to back it up.  Upon hookset, the first 3 minutes is just holding on for dear life (and hope you have enough line on your spool).  Then its gain 20 feet, lose 30 feet for the next 5 to 10 minutes.  Then you gain enough ground to get them to the boat and its a couple more 30 to 40 foot bursts of rod bending, line stretching energy that leaves your wrist feeling like you just arm wrestled King Kong.  Once you get them tired, they turn that big flat sided body perpendicular to you and make you feel like you are reeling in a barn door.  When you finally get one of those double digit fish in the boat, you realize just how big they are.  These fish are tanks and when you stick one you’ll swear you just hooked a Burlington Northern freight train bound for Kansas City.  Solid, thick, strong bodies; they are absolute powerhouses!  If they jumped or resided in thick cover, they would top my list.

One fish I have never put a hook in is a Mackinaw.  I have heard that they are a riot to fish for and can get pretty big so they are on the to-do list.  Hopefully I’ll be able to get up with Bernie and put that notch in my belt soon.

So what do you all think?  I would love to hear some input on the who, what and why of Colorado fish species.  The one conclusion I have come to on this subject is everyone’s opinion is correct; it’s whatever floats your boat.  

   

Member comments

by: Walleyeone on 6/7/2009 12:57:21 PM
Wiper,smallie,pike,big trout,largemouth.carp, is my order of fighters for fresh water. JD

 

by: FearNOfish on 6/7/2009 2:54:09 PM
I've never caught a SMB or a whiper (YET) so I have to go with LMB. But heard that those two can put up a great fight, maybe I should actually target these fish soon... FnF

 

by: Tmmytomato on 6/7/2009 2:54:20 PM
Best fighters? An ex-girlfriend...ooops. Bluegill, Carp, catfish, Wiper, Ky. Spotted Bass, Smallmouth, Largemouth, Trout, Pike,

 

by: Walleyeone on 6/7/2009 6:07:29 PM
I forgot Lakers

 

by: gatorjoe on 6/7/2009 9:31:54 PM
Pound for Pound? Bluegill or green sunfish! but since they don't get very big, Wiper, Carp, Smallies

 

by: never summer on 6/7/2009 10:03:35 PM
YOUR HOLDING IT. Wiper or smallmouths wich ever one is biting the most.

 

by: FishDr on 6/7/2009 11:23:10 PM
Wiper, carp, smallies

 

by: Coyute on 6/8/2009 8:25:17 AM
Smallmouth and then Largemouth. Although I mostly luck into catching them when going for bass - Catfish. Fat Bluegill on an UL is a blast. I have never caught a decent wiper but I hope to some day.

 

by: ToonFishR on 6/8/2009 8:57:57 AM
Wiper hands down-although I do give full credit to pike and bass.

 

by: fom on 6/8/2009 10:12:48 AM
wipers , carp , big musky, smallies, large trout on flyrod .each has it's own amazing way to fight , They are all wonderfully created.

 

by: Ptarmigan on 6/8/2009 10:45:58 AM
WIPER!!!

 

by: Matt on 6/8/2009 11:15:42 AM
You know my fav - wiper! Nice fish Troy! And although I love tigers, I agree completely with your assessment on the fight. Pound for pound? Wiper still.

 

by: FFB on 6/8/2009 2:17:49 PM
Wiper without a doubt then a nice sized catfish

 

by: jamesavp on 6/8/2009 11:03:58 PM
Largie, Smallie, Bluegill, I have never caught a wiper yet but I am sure he is on the top of my list, If bluegill could get to 10 lbs then they would be number 1

 

by: The_Mad_Catter on 6/9/2009 11:44:17 PM
Wiper are out of control all across the board. When they decide to charge the shore or the boat sometimes you just cant keep up. Smallies are a good fight just because they give ya good runs and if you cant keep em down and they tail dance ya you better be ready. I like Laregemouth a lot just because of how nasty the bigger ones are....its not so much how hard they fight, its how hard they try and rid their mouths of your hook

 

by: Fishinbud on 6/14/2009 9:30:17 AM
I guess he asked for the hardest fighting "fish", hands down, wiper for sure, it really isn't even close.

 

by: TELE-CASTER on 6/18/2009 11:34:15 PM
I know the Pike and Muskee will put up a good tug, but the Smallmouth and Largemouth lb. for lb. pull pretty well. As for the wipers my only experience with them was a guy @ B.C. Lake who got two from the shore in thirty minutes off of worms on the bottom (right in front of my own eyes). About 15 inches each and he didn't even know what they were. They fought for about 2 minutes and sorta gave up. I couldn't believe it so I looked up the pics online to double-check what kind of fish they were. I'm certain they were small wipers