Pound for pound
I would rate them as.......
Native Head
SRC
Chrome Satsop Chum
I caught Bass........so what....any fish you can pick up by the lips...is a Pussy......Os

bonefish baby.....i've had 8lb bones spool 250 yds of 12lb super mono....pound for pound they are THE best....ain't no 8lb bass gonna spool you....ain't no 8 lb steelie gonna do that either....

I'm sure you were being serious and all, but damn that is a funny read! Now were these "stock" smallmouth and "stock" steelhead before he tied them bumper to bumper?

Now my next question is where in the hell did he obtain these fish, and evenmoreso, where did he perform these tests again? I thought the bios. for the most part were divided into different categories: warmwater, shellfish, saltwater, etc.? Oh, I get it. He must have performed this test on his own time.

My vote goes to Native summer runs. They are one of those fish you just describe as mean . Becarefull of catchin them there bass ya can't get the stench out of your boat after they've been in it :p

Sounds like I gotta catch me some of them Kasilof Reds.I was planning to go anyway whats the best time?BTW what's a SRC?

S-ea
R-un
C-utthroat

so your the one who caught robofish???

I've caught those smallmouth in Lake Whatcom and you can have them. All they do is flop a couple of times and you reel them to the boat like an old boot. LB for LB it has got to be a native steelhead, although I haven't caught a bone fish and from the people I've talked to that have caught them they give steelhead a run for their money.

In the peramiters mentioned previously I would have to go with the AK sockeye.But,lb. for lb. over tuna,bonefish,marlin,etc. conventional tackle or flyrod ya gotta go yellowtail.

Pound for Pound I vote for big fresh chums. They are just plain potent.

Bass fight?hmmm. Must have been a sick 10 lb. I caught. Small mouth. Yes i have caught a few of those. Still prefer a 3 lb. wild trout to a 3 lb. smally.

First choice gotta be chrome steel. Next would have to be chrome chum.

Carp fight better than bass.

If it's pound for pound I'd say a native spring chinook followed closely by a native Summer run steelhead.

Fresh sealiced chinook top of tidewater on any small river such as the Humptulips. At least 30 pounds and you fishing medium weight gear 15 pd test. Enough structure to provide handicaps but aenough room to play. Fight is gonna be brutal....no quarter asked and none given. Your gear choice better be the best because big pig is at his best and pissed. A few of these and your rod arm is gonna be permanently in salute position for a couple of days...hooyah!

gooose

S.E. AkKings, these are prime condition fish that still have along way to go to get to there native rivers, most are as chrome as a new dime and very aggressive. I have, on many occasions been fooled by 20/25 lbs. fish, fighting them hard for 10-15 min. expecting to see a 40+ lb. fish come to the surface only to find a 25 pound fish had just about kicked my a*s. I have caught hundreds of kings both salt and freshwater here in Wa. and they don't compare, these fish are near the end of there journey, they may be bright, but they are also tired.
I won't give a salmon in a river near as much credit/respect, fight wise, as an ocean fish, take those so called "bright" river fish out of any current and there like bringing in a boot.

Pound for pound of the northwest sport fish I'd have to say

1.Kenai Redds (don't know what makes them different, but they are)
2.Summer run wild Steelhead
3.Winter run wild Steelhead
4.Blackmouth
5.Chums
But pound for pound the Bonito has the biggest balls in the sea. These little 3 to 5# fish have kicked my butt time after time. My downrigger rod has tamed many large salmon,but it's not enough for these little scrappers.

Pound for pound.....sockeye.
I never fished for them until a couple years ago in Canada. They are crazier than a summer-run steelhead. We were trolling flies, with no barbs. There's a thump on the bow of the boat ( the fish hit the fly and shot ahead of the boat, jumping under the bow ) the rod goes down; zig-zag running and rolling like a cat in a ziplock-baggie. Of course with no barbs we don't have a snowballs chance....
And that was just the first one. We never did land one, and the only sockeye we ate was the one swapped to a Canadian commercial seiner for a glass of good whiskey.

Second best? I think I'd say marlin, but it might be biased because the hook up and tailwalk is so impressive. But I found that the next 2 fought just like the first one, so it became predictable. First they fight on top and then they sound, and for a very long time. Anyway you look at it, if you like to fish.....make the marlin trip at least once in your life.
diana

Early summer run hatchery steelhead. Jumpin jack flash its a gas! Are the mayflowers in bloom yet?
Wild and broodstock winter steelies can put up a big fight. Haven't hooked a big nate (winter or summer) yet.
Haven't hooked a springer or a king yet.
I was very impressed with a pink I caught that was being chased by a seal.
Summer chum are very powerful.
Coho in a small river.

If we limit the discussion to anadramous (sp) fish here is my list, and remember endurance counts:

1. AK Sockeye
2. Nice bright chum
3. Coastal river salt fresh springers
4. Nate steelhead over 15 lbs

Okay, it's been 2 days since my last post on this topic and have had an opportunity to reflect on some of the other kinds of fish I have caught that at least need to be mentioned as lb. for lb. strongest fighters in the sea.Here it goes permit,bonito,jack crevalle,and hammerhead sharks! Now I have been very fortunate to have caught at least 1 trophy size fish of every fish previously mentioned on pages 1 and 2 and have come to the conclusion that I need to withdraw my last post(yellowtail) as if it was some kind of definitive answer. Hopefully, I have not offended any of you with my previous post and if I have than I do apologize. This topic is too subjective to any 1 correct answer and so with that said I will gracefully bow out. Tight lines!

Imagine if bluegills got to 15lbs!!!