Pound for Pound Fight Rating System

Many people ask which fish fight the hardest.  The answer depends on exactly what is meant by the question.  Does it mean which fish pull the hardest?  Which fish pull the longest?  Which are most likely to break you off?  Which jump a lot and have a high chance of throwing the hook?  Different people will disagree on how to evaluate these things, but I decided to come up with my own 10- point rating system that unscientifically takes into account all those factors.  These are just my subjective evaluations based on my personal experience with each species.  Obviously your experiences may differ.

1-4:  Do not pull especially hard for their size on a relative basis to other gamefish.  Unlikely to pull your line into cover and break off or jump and shake off the hook.  Can generally be landed on relatively light tackle.

5-7:  Solid fighters for their size.  Some chance they will pull you into cover and break off or jump and shake off the hook.  Require good tackle to land; may be landed on light tackle if conditions are right.

8-10:  The toughest gamefish to land.  They pull extremely hard for their size and there is a decent chance they will spool you, break you off in cover, or otherwise gain their freedom during the fight.  Light tackle generally not recommended, although if all conditions line up you may be able to land one on light tackle with some luck.  Disproportionately heavy tackle relative to their size is recommended.

I have separated freshwater and saltwater fighting scales as saltwater fish are generally on a different level in terms of strength.  Click the links to learn more about each fish.

Freshwater Winner:  Rainbow Bass Saltwater Winner:  Blue and Black Marlin

Freshwater Top Ten Pound for Pound Fighting Fish

10 - Rainbow Bass
Extremely strong for its relatively small size, lives in heavy cover and very adept and getting back in and breaking you off.

9.5 - Payara
Has a bony, toothy mouth that is hard to get a hook into, jumps repeatedly and is good at throwing the hook, lives in fast currents and is very strong.

9 - Wolf Fish
Hard bony mouth that is hard to penetrate. Jumps repeatedly and spins its body to throw the hook.

9 - Peacock Bass
Possibly the pound for pound strongest freshwater fish. Sometimes found deep in cover and will bend hooks and break lines trying to get back in. Jumps repeatedly and shakes its head quickly to throw the hook.

8 - African Tigerfish
Has a bony, toothy mouth that is hard to set a hook into. Often hits at full speed going towards you which makes hooksets challenging. Jumps repeatedly and is good at throwing hooks. 

7 - Sardinata
Lives in current and is quite strong. Bony mouth that can make it hard to hook well. Jumps repeatedly to throw the hook.

7 - Central American Cichlids
Small, but very strong for their size.

7 - Redtail Catfish
Big, beefy fish that hits like a freight train. Will break you off in structure if given a chance.

7 - Arowana
Bony mouth that sheds hooks, and jumps like crazy when hooked.

7 - Vundu Catfish
Lives in current and is very strong, and very good and heading to structure and breaking you off.

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Saltwater Top Ten Pound for Pound Fighting Fish

10 - Blue and Black Marlin
Have a hard mouth that is hard to get a hook into, and jump repeatedly to throw the hook. Huge fish that possess a lot of stamina, causing some fights to last for hours.

10 - Cubera Snapper
Rarely venture far from rocks, and when hooked will make an incredibly powerful run right back into them. Heavy gear that is disproportionate to their size is needed to consistently land them, and no matter what you will get broken off sometimes. If you get them away from the rocks the fight isn't long, but sometimes that is a big "if".

9.5 - Goliath Grouper
They live in structure and as soon as they are hooked they head right back into it to break you off. They don't have a lot of stamina, but no matter what gear you use some of them will break you off. Attain massive sizes that are almost too big for conventional gear. Probably not technically a "pound for pound" top rated fighter, but they break off so many people I had to rank them up here.

9.5 - Dogtooth Tuna
They have the all-muscle Tuna body, but live near reefs and are very good at heading back into them and breaking you off. They can go on long runs that are difficult to stop; sometimes you just have to pray they head for deeper water rather than rocks. Capable of spooling you even when not hooked near structure.

9.5 - Giant Trevally
The beefy bullies of tropical reefs, they are tough adversaries that often head back to the reef and break you off. You need high quality gear with no weak points to have a chance.

8 - Barred Pargo
Like all Pargo, they are strong for their size, and they are adept and powering back to their rocky homes when hooked.

8 - Mullet Snapper
One of the strongest pound for pound snappers, and attain large sizes.

8 - Leopard Grouper
One of the most powerful groupers pound for pound, and they tend to inhabit shallow, rocky areas which makes it difficult to avoid getting broken off.

8 - Bonefish
They don't look like much, but they are surprisingly strong, They go on long runs and sometimes manage to find a rock and snap you off. I've only been spooled by a couple of fish, and this is one of them.