Describe the greatest battle

I've had many battles with all sorts of species in my life but the one that stands out most of all took place on a large high altitude lake near a village called Rosetta in the Natal Drakensberg district of South Africa.

I was boat fishing with fly tackle using an 8 weight rod, matching shooting head, 8lbs leader and a size 8 fly similar to Bob Churches "Appetiser" which tends to suggest a small minnow type fish.

I was using a medium sinking line, cast out and retrieved quite fast over about 12 feet of water.

I sensed a take, struck and the fish came towards me quite easily at first.

Then the rod was wrenched down to the horizontal and the reel screamed out like a stuck pig as backing was removed at an incredible rate. I distictly remember the halo of spray and a mini-rainbow being formed in the sunlight.

I also spotted the bottom of the spool, thankfully as the fish slowed down. Then the fish jumped high in the air, not once but about 4 times.

Many were the runs that followed. In between desperately trying to get line back onto the reel. In all the fish must have leapt 15 or 20 times.

The final stage of the fight saw the fish sound deep under my boat. After several minutes of arm aching pumping I finally got the trout to the surface and netted it.

It only weighed 4 1/4 lbs.

I measured out the line and backing on the shore when I finished my day. I had 150 metres of backing on the reel and the fish had taken nearly all of that in its first run!

Not so much a battle as a massacre.

I was trotting bread of a punt for mullet in Christchurch Harbour with the tide running off quite hard.

I hooked a fish just off the boat which proceeded to head out to the Isle of Wight at incredible speed taking the line down to the drum before snapping me.I must have had 100 yards on as it was newish line.I have fished with 200 there ever since.

I still wonder what the fish might have been.It is rare in my experience to get mullet at that stage of the tide so who knows - maybe a big Bass,Salmon or even a Tope which apparently have been seen from time to time.

Or seatrout Nigel!

Or even a specially big mullet.

For sheer explosive power there is little to touch a tigerfish. Problem is they virtually kill themselves in the first minute or two of the fight.

I've had saltwater species that have run well in excess of 100 yards but they were quite a bit bigger than that Natal rainbow trout.

For me, the rainbow trout/small mouth bass are the hardest fighters of the lot.

There are people who run down rainbows, saying they should not be stocked in this country. But for me, nothing can touch them.

Perhaps a steelhead!

I've never caught one.