The better fighting fish?

[fenitbob]

Always thought bass were much better... Then I caught a pollock off brandon head that nearly pulled me off the boat.

Caught a good number of pollock spinning and have had them come to the surface quietly. whereas any Bass I've caught have given a good account of themselves running over and back. And they are silver.

[PMU]

have yet to catch a bass,had one slash at a Toby
as I lifted it out at clogher head!
best pollock,15lbs in 220ft at achill head on a redgill,
skipper said I was snagged,wanted to pull for a break!
took ages to get it to the surface,dived 4 or 5 times
early on.
best pollock session;dawn,warm august morning,ventry,
8 in 9 casts on rappala, to4-5lbs,then broke top of spinning rod
and had to go home!!!!!!
Pat

[bigcol]

I have caught bass and pollack to 10 lb and have to give the fighting award to the pollack.It might only give 3 or 4 dives but they really strip some line.

[gearoid mc s.]

the fast fights of bass and pollack are descent alrite but try catchin an angry conger down the side of a pier with a boat rod built for mackerel! that is a good fight. maybe not a fast fish but awesome power.

[drseafish]

I am afraid I have never caught a pollock over 3lb and therefore cannot say what a decent one fights like but I once had a 14lb Bass. Its over 10 years ago and it will always stay with me as I am unlikely to beat it. It was on a open surf beach on a french boom with a size 6 stainless steel (not joking) hook as I was after dabs, but did have a lot of lug up the line. About 10 mins into the cast it started to hail big time and I decided to leave the rod rest and walk the 20 yards back up to the sandhills to get some cover, when I turned the rod was on the ground and moving towards the sea. At first I thought the wind/tide then ran like hell picked it up and nothing. I reeled in the slack and hit it then was pulled along the beach for about 20 yards. I thought a I was caught in a surfer who was about 50 yards to my right but well out. I was about to tell him where to go when line started to strip of the reel again but he wasn't moving. Then I thought Jesus I've hooked a seal. After 20 mins of slowing gaining feet after feet I could see it in the last surf table. Well I nearly wet myself and was unsure what to do. I beached it and dropped the rod pick it up inboth arms and ran up the beach, I payed by getting some deep cuts on my forearms and one finger. I hadn't been fishing that long and had only flounder, dabs and sea-trout to experience before it. At this moment I became serious about angling and love it since. My only problem is getting the time to enjoy it and off never having another angling experience to compare to it, but who knows..........

[squalus]

I was fortunate to see a 22lb halibut caughtin 50 metres of water and have never seen a fish fight like it, both in the sea and in a boat.
Its little wonder the big ones from the Pacific have to be shot before they are brought aboard.

[lumpy]

pollack by far. try stopping a 6-7lb pollack from diving on a 10wt fly rod, not easy. bass just role round in the surf. had a 8 pounder on the same fly rod, fought like a 3 pound pollack.

[Chris Mc]

I find both fish mentioned fight differently. Pollock dive deep and hard but tire themselves out quickly. Bass run up and down constantly and fight right to the shore. But my personal favourite has to be mullet on the fly. I always seem to end up running up and down the rocks or through the surf just to stop from running out of backing. I can just imagine anyone looking on thinking come on children lets leave the mad man alone. :D