Pike are what really gained my interest in fishing as a kid when I caught one on a crappy rod with weak string. I had a steel leader on though, just in case.

I was in a canoe with no anchor. Got dragged all over a swamp for 10-15 minutes before it finally ditched me under a log. It was huge (not sure if it was a Muskie) and saw it several time in the shallows. Once I got close to it, it would take off again with my rod screaming at me. Had to reel in carefully to avoid snapping the line.

-LS