Smallie -vs- Wiper?

I can think of one advantage the smallie has. It can jump!

Catching wipers is mostly a case of being in the right place at the right time. If they are boiling in the area, they will hit just about anything. Others may disagree but I think large smallies reguire more skill and knowledge to catch than a large wiper. Wipers though pull harder pound for pound than any other fresh water fish I have caught. They're both great fish to catch-I just think with smallies you can always fish main lake points and rock rubble and catch some, with wipers its really hit or miss. But for pure pulling power, the nod would have to go to wipers. Ed

Ed Marcol said:

Catching wipers is mostly a case of being in the right place at the right time.  I think large smallies reguire more skill and knowledge to catch than a large wiper.  Wipers though pull harder pound for pound than any other fresh water fish I have caught.  with wipers its really hit or miss.  But for pure pulling power, the nod would have to go to wipers.  Ed

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I agree

What about a Kokanee salmon. I swear those things are huge when they hit and then you get them to the boat and they are barely bigger than the dodger.

the wiper definetly fight harder than the smallys.the smallys kick a** though their little pit bulls

A 15lb wiper will make your head spin like no other freshwater fish.

The wiper may be the hardest fighting fish in a lake, but a 15 lb river trout would destroy a 15 lb. wiper any day. Of course, this is a smallie and a wiper comparison and I've never caught a wiper... but I have caught stripers which probably fight the same as a wiper. Smallies fight nice though, but nothing like a trout of equal size as long as the trout is wild and from a river. Just my 2 cents.

You can't really compare warm water fish to Salmonoids? You have to use much more lighter line for big trout! If you could lay to wood to a trout with 20 lb test it would be a whole different ball game!

Pure bread Stripers are a salt water fish, they can hang with any trout! I am not bashing big trout I love them!

Neal/CO said:

You can't really compare warm water fish to Salmonoids? You have to use much more lighter line for big trout! If you could lay to wood to a trout with 20 lb test it would be a whole different ball game!

Pure bread Stripers are a salt water fish,  they can hang with any trout! I am not bashing big trout I love them!

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What about a 4,000 lb. Ski Boat? I've never been able to get one of those reeled in even with 10 lb test and a big casting reel.

I think I would have to go with the smallie. When comparring equal sized fish of both species I've caught, I have found the smallies to be more agressive.

Dan

Or a Jet ski :'(

I like smaiiles the best. I fish Kansas alot znd there are times you can really get into big wipers and it is very addictive.

Wipers and stripers are great fighters, and to me they fight much like large catfish. However they are no match pound for pound for a smallie. You can hook an 11" smallie and think he's a big fish till you see him. They can pull and bulldog as strong as any striper and they can tailwalk across the surface like a rainbow or brown. While they don't slice through the water like a hot knife through butter like a big trout or pike does, they are very scrappy and no fish fights harder for it's size except a bluegill or green sunfish. Pound for pound the best fighter is the green sunfish. Pound for pound lakers are the weakest and walleye right there.

TroutFishingBear said:

The wiper may be the hardest fighting fish in a lake, but a 15 lb river trout would destroy a 15 lb. wiper any day. Of course, this is a smallie and a wiper comparison and I've never caught a wiper... but I have caught stripers which probably fight the same as a wiper. Smallies fight nice though, but nothing like a trout of equal size as long as the trout is wild and from a river. Just my 2 cents.

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I think if a 15 lb. trout was taking your drag downstream, then yeah, it would feel like it was stronger, other than that, wiper takes it all the way!
If a smallie grew to 20 lbs., I think it would be a close call!

I'd have to give the best fight to the wiper. Smallies fight like brutes as well, and once they decide they want a lure or bait fish they'll slam it four of five times until they're satisfied.

But the wiper is one bad mama-jamma!