Zander bites.

[Emma Hamilton]

Alan, i know you live besides the water, is the river infront of you or are you in a marina type set up?

rob

[Fentiger01]

What do you guys (or should I say thems?) find the best/worst conditions? the only thing I can say through personal experience is night time and particularly moonlit nights for being good. The zander stocks here are low so its tricky to make any conclusions about why I dont catch and its certainly not for lack of rod hours!

Cheers, Alan

"Zander stocks are low" If you're talking about the river system I think you are, then OK, they're not as numerous as they once were; but quality has replaced quantity, and there's still good numbers of zander about. We never struggle to catch them when we target them on baits or lures

Yeh, you need to up your game , Alan

rob

Well I have maxed the rod hours out now so must simply be a bit sh1t!

Cheers, Alan

Your'll find them Al. Like everyone, with a bit of time on your hands, good baits and simple methods your'll catch a good sample of what's available. Hope your sample includes a monster.That's the nice buzz.

rob

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Alan, i know you live besides the water, is the river infront of you or are you in a marina type set up?

rob

Marina, obviously lots of boats, pontoons, an island, average about 6ft deep mixed with deep silt, hard and gravel spots and lots and lots of silvers.

Cheers, Alan

[Emma Hamilton]

Ive fished two different marinas a lot. Ive found them very hit and miss for the zander and I've done a lot of all-nighters in the boat going for them. I know Dave/Fentiger has too. We've both had far better results for the bigger zander on the main river. Some one will always occasionally come up trumps in the marina of course but the batting average is nothing special. On the plus side..there's always a couple of boat owners who are 'nuts' to keep me entertained and p****d off in equal measure and one marina had a f*****g parrot that would talk all night of you were plotted up anywhere near, drove me nuts

With my daughter off to Uni soon, we're considering a move to be nearer the banks, must be great to be close every day.

rob

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Interesting that and makes some sense re catches so far. I did fish a pit near that joins the river a few years ago, did fish to over 18 I think and for me a pb of 15.8, the only difference from a marina is the lack of boats!

Cheers, Alan

[Fentiger01]

Interesting that and makes some sense re catches so far. I did fish a pit near that joins the river a few years ago, did fish to over 18 I think and for me a pb of 15.8, the only difference from a marina is the lack of boats!

Cheers, Alan

It's quite a decent sized water too though Alan, rather than a generally shallower, smaller marina. If it's the one I'm thinking of, it did a previous record at about 18.8 in the late 80's.I I used to get quite a few in a Marina off a different Fenland river about 20odd years ago, under the right conditions it provided a lot of sport with Zeds and Pike during the day. I think they moved in and out according to the tides though, when the levels came up so did the fish!

Rob's summed up our experiences on the marina's being a bit 'hit & miss' totally, I never did that good at all in the one I fished a lot to be honest. Cost a few quid to keep the boat there too. I think the Zander prefer the flow, I also think it makes them grow bigger.

That said, if you have access to a decent place where you get a few, that's brilliant mate - must be great to have your dinner then pop outside to put the rods out rather than the cat.

[dropped_run]

What do you guys (or should I say thems?) find the best/worst conditions? the only thing I can say through personal experience is night time and particularly moonlit nights for being good. The zander stocks here are low so its tricky to make any conclusions about why I dont catch and its certainly not for lack of rod hours!

Cheers, Alan

"Zander stocks are low" If you're talking about the river system I think you are, then OK, they're not as numerous as they once were; but quality has replaced quantity, and there's still good numbers of zander about. We never struggle to catch them when we target them on baits or lures

Yeh, you need to up your game , Alan

rob

Well I have maxed the rod hours out now so must simply be a bit sh1t!

Cheers, Alan

Your'll find them Al. Like everyone, with a bit of time on your hands, good baits and simple methods your'll catch a good sample of what's available. Hope your sample includes a monster.That's the nice buzz.

rob

Thanks my little target is to catch a few more, one or two a week would be nice with a double included although a pb would be simply magic
Running low on the bait now so must get the float rod out today for a few hours.

Cheers, Alan

I’ve had zeds not a million miles from where you are (I think!) Alan. Both sides, if I’m correct anyway

Last hour of light, first two of dark, big skimmers for me. But this is ancient history relatively. My first double was out of the area, 20 odd years ago.
I was having a conversation about the river that way yesterday and you’re literally the only person I know putting any time in so I hope it pays off.

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Interesting that and makes some sense re catches so far. I did fish a pit near that joins the river a few years ago, did fish to over 18 I think and for me a pb of 15.8, the only difference from a marina is the lack of boats!

Cheers, Alan

It's quite a decent sized water too though Alan, rather than a generally shallower, smaller marina. If it's the one I'm thinking of, it did a previous record at about 18.8 in the late 80's.I I used to get quite a few in a Marina off a different Fenland river about 20odd years ago, under the right conditions it provided a lot of sport with Zeds and Pike during the day. I think they moved in and out according to the tides though, when the levels came up so did the fish!

Rob's summed up our experiences on the marina's being a bit 'hit & miss' totally, I never did that good at all in the one I fished a lot to be honest. Cost a few quid to keep the boat there too. I think the Zander prefer the flow, I also think it makes them grow bigger.

That said, if you have access to a decent place where you get a few, that's brilliant mate - must be great to have your dinner then pop outside to put the rods out rather than the cat.

Dave, the big fish water was/is just up stream of St Neots by a golf course and never did the record so Im sure we are talking different waters. There is one area just down stream to me on the river that may be of interest for zds, 15 ft deep in one spot and just 40 yards away its ankle deep and easily fishable off the boat, so with what you and ,Rob says re bigguns, Ill give it a go before the close, plus I like boat fishing!

Cheers, Alan

[Fentiger01]

Interesting that and makes some sense re catches so far. I did fish a pit near that joins the river a few years ago, did fish to over 18 I think and for me a pb of 15.8, the only difference from a marina is the lack of boats!

Cheers, Alan

It's quite a decent sized water too though Alan, rather than a generally shallower, smaller marina. If it's the one I'm thinking of, it did a previous record at about 18.8 in the late 80's.I I used to get quite a few in a Marina off a different Fenland river about 20odd years ago, under the right conditions it provided a lot of sport with Zeds and Pike during the day. I think they moved in and out according to the tides though, when the levels came up so did the fish!

Rob's summed up our experiences on the marina's being a bit 'hit & miss' totally, I never did that good at all in the one I fished a lot to be honest. Cost a few quid to keep the boat there too. I think the Zander prefer the flow, I also think it makes them grow bigger.

That said, if you have access to a decent place where you get a few, that's brilliant mate - must be great to have your dinner then pop outside to put the rods out rather than the cat.

Dave, the big fish water was/is just up stream of St Neots by a golf course and never did the record so Im sure we are talking different waters. There is one area just down stream to me on the river that may be of interest for zds, 15 ft deep in one spot and just 40 yards away its ankle deep and easily fishable off the boat, so with what you and ,Rob says re bigguns, Ill give it a go before the close, plus I like boat fishing!

Cheers, Alan

Gotcha, the water I was thinking of is quite a way downstream then.

If I'm thinking the right water now ( ) it did some really good doubles a few years back, my mate Nick caught some good ones there.

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

What do you guys (or should I say thems?) find the best/worst conditions? the only thing I can say through personal experience is night time and particularly moonlit nights for being good. The zander stocks here are low so its tricky to make any conclusions about why I dont catch and its certainly not for lack of rod hours!

Cheers, Alan

"Zander stocks are low" If you're talking about the river system I think you are, then OK, they're not as numerous as they once were; but quality has replaced quantity, and there's still good numbers of zander about. We never struggle to catch them when we target them on baits or lures

Yeh, you need to up your game , Alan

rob

Well I have maxed the rod hours out now so must simply be a bit sh1t!

Cheers, Alan

Your'll find them Al. Like everyone, with a bit of time on your hands, good baits and simple methods your'll catch a good sample of what's available. Hope your sample includes a monster.That's the nice buzz.

rob

Thanks my little target is to catch a few more, one or two a week would be nice with a double included although a pb would be simply magic
Running low on the bait now so must get the float rod out today for a few hours.

Cheers, Alan

I’ve had zeds not a million miles from where you are (I think!) Alan. Both sides, if I’m correct anyway

Last hour of light, first two of dark, big skimmers for me. But this is ancient history relatively. My first double was out of the area, 20 odd years ago.
I was having a conversation about the river that way yesterday and you’re literally the only person I know putting any time in so I hope it pays off.

and thanks! just catching a few more would be a start as since I caught my 1st one, I have always thought they are just such a smart looking and interesting fish and now I wait for the next full moon to see if there is anything in that, my pb came on a full moon!

Cheers, Alan

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Interesting that and makes some sense re catches so far. I did fish a pit near that joins the river a few years ago, did fish to over 18 I think and for me a pb of 15.8, the only difference from a marina is the lack of boats!

Cheers, Alan

It's quite a decent sized water too though Alan, rather than a generally shallower, smaller marina. If it's the one I'm thinking of, it did a previous record at about 18.8 in the late 80's.I I used to get quite a few in a Marina off a different Fenland river about 20odd years ago, under the right conditions it provided a lot of sport with Zeds and Pike during the day. I think they moved in and out according to the tides though, when the levels came up so did the fish!

Rob's summed up our experiences on the marina's being a bit 'hit & miss' totally, I never did that good at all in the one I fished a lot to be honest. Cost a few quid to keep the boat there too. I think the Zander prefer the flow, I also think it makes them grow bigger.

That said, if you have access to a decent place where you get a few, that's brilliant mate - must be great to have your dinner then pop outside to put the rods out rather than the cat.

Dave, the big fish water was/is just up stream of St Neots by a golf course and never did the record so Im sure we are talking different waters. There is one area just down stream to me on the river that may be of interest for zds, 15 ft deep in one spot and just 40 yards away its ankle deep and easily fishable off the boat, so with what you and ,Rob says re bigguns, Ill give it a go before the close, plus I like boat fishing!

Cheers, Alan

Gotcha, the water I was thinking of is quite a way downstream then.

If I'm thinking the right water now ( ) it did some really good doubles a few years back, my mate Nick caught some good ones there.

One of the more popular swims was by the entrance and just behind the green on the par 5, 1st hole, every now and then some high handicapper would thin a wedge to the green only for it to go off like a one iron and never shout "fore" coz they didnt know anglers were there

Cheers, Alan

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

I was just wondering where do zander spawn as part of tracking them down, I already knew they spawn later than pike and at a slightly higher temperature of 10-14C which I didn't know, also I knew that the male guards a nest being the very modern blokes that they are but interestingly they spawn over gravel in "flowing" water at depth of between 3 and 9 ft so in theory as the temps rise, any mature fish that are in the marina will leave for the river?

Cheers, Alan

[dropped_run]

I was just wondering where do zander spawn as part of tracking them down, I already knew they spawn later than pike and at a slightly higher temperature of 10-14C which I didn't know, also I knew that the male guards a nest being the very modern blokes that they are but interestingly they spawn over gravel in "flowing" water at depth of between 3 and 9 ft so in theory as the temps rise, any mature fish that are in the marina will leave for the river?

Cheers, Alan

Not in my experience. I have a boat on a water connected to a river and it’s barren 90% of the year and they definitely move in there to spawn….I know of a similar scenario on a much more northern big river as well.

Obviously that’s not definitive though. Two swallows don’t make a…oh you know what I mean

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

I was just wondering where do zander spawn as part of tracking them down, I already knew they spawn later than pike and at a slightly higher temperature of 10-14C which I didn't know, also I knew that the male guards a nest being the very modern blokes that they are but interestingly they spawn over gravel in "flowing" water at depth of between 3 and 9 ft so in theory as the temps rise, any mature fish that are in the marina will leave for the river?

Cheers, Alan

Not in my experience. I have a boat on a water connected to a river and it’s barren 90% of the year and they definitely move in there to spawn….I know of a similar scenario on a much more northern big river as well.

Obviously that’s not definitive though. Two swallows don’t make a…oh you know what I mean

Hope so, the marina could warm up a bit quicker!

Cheers, Alan

[Emma Hamilton]

I think the Zander prefer the flow, I also think it makes them grow bigger.

Think you are right mate. Remember we talked about water quality too. A marinas silty/stale environment is never as good as the main river. Some local lads round here seeded a few of our local small still waters with small zeds they were catching in a lock cutting 9 years ago. I know they did it cause they showed me a video. These small pits and lakes have never come up trumps as I've kept a eye on them! I think they grow big and like roaming bigger expanses of water. There's something about water quality/change that I've not worked out yet. I don't know if anyone else has found this, but I've noticed they don't like the mouths of other rivers entering the one they live in. The spots in and around the feeder river look great but rarely produce with any consistently the big ones. I don't think they like the 'taste' of the other rivers water and wont sit there long.

rob

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Caught some nice roach and the rods are just about to go out.
The water quality here is always going to be questionable although at the moment and as so often, it looks great.

Cheers, Alan

[Fentiger01]

I think the Zander prefer the flow, I also think it makes them grow bigger.

Think you are right mate. Remember we talked about water quality too. A marinas silty/stale environment is never as good as the main river. Some local lads round here seeded a few of our local small still waters with small zeds they were catching in a lock cutting 9 years ago. I know they did it cause they showed me a video. These small pits and lakes have never come up trumps as I've kept a eye on them! I think they grow big and like roaming bigger expanses of water. There's something about water quality/change that I've not worked out yet. I don't know if anyone else has found this, but I've noticed they don't like the mouths of other rivers entering the one they live in. The spots in and around the feeder river look great but rarely produce with any consistently the big ones. I don't think they like the 'taste' of the other rivers water and wont sit there long.

rob

Interesting stuff Rob, food for thought. I look forward to chatting more about it next time we manage to catch up over a pint.

[Neville Fickling]

I think the Zander prefer the flow, I also think it makes them grow bigger.

Think you are right mate. Remember we talked about water quality too. A marinas silty/stale environment is never as good as the main river. Some local lads round here seeded a few of our local small still waters with small zeds they were catching in a lock cutting 9 years ago. I know they did it cause they showed me a video. These small pits and lakes have never come up trumps as I've kept a eye on them! I think they grow big and like roaming bigger expanses of water. There's something about water quality/change that I've not worked out yet. I don't know if anyone else has found this, but I've noticed they don't like the mouths of other rivers entering the one they live in. The spots in and around the feeder river look great but rarely produce with any consistently the big ones. I don't think they like the 'taste' of the other rivers water and wont sit there long.

rob

The fish on my river don’t respond very well in flood conditions. Yet lure anglers pick some up. Perhaps illegal sewage discharges put the zander off the feed? Barbel feed though. All very confusing!!!

[Dave Horton]

I think the Zander prefer the flow, I also think it makes them grow bigger.

Think you are right mate. Remember we talked about water quality too. A marinas silty/stale environment is never as good as the main river. Some local lads round here seeded a few of our local small still waters with small zeds they were catching in a lock cutting 9 years ago. I know they did it cause they showed me a video. These small pits and lakes have never come up trumps as I've kept a eye on them! I think they grow big and like roaming bigger expanses of water. There's something about water quality/change that I've not worked out yet. I don't know if anyone else has found this, but I've noticed they don't like the mouths of other rivers entering the one they live in. The spots in and around the feeder river look great but rarely produce with any consistently the big ones. I don't think they like the 'taste' of the other rivers water and wont sit there long.

rob

Interesting stuff Rob.

(Outside the box face)

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Zander defending its nest!



Cheers, Alan

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Perfect for this thread!

https://www.facebook.com/10000365477872 ... 1991585288

Cheers, Alan

[Emma Hamilton]

Perfect for this thread!

https://www.facebook.com/10000365477872 ... 1991585288

Cheers, Alan

Thats amazing... thanks for posting. A zanders head/jaw is popper solid and nails.com, i bet that hurt the diver.

rob

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Even with slow motion, the speed of the mouth opening is incredible and must create one hell of a vacuum to suck prey in, actually looks as though the force of this created bubbles as seen coming from the zds mouth, much in the same way a prop creates bubbles by cavitation, that what it look like anyhows?

Cheers, Alan

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Getting bigger, 12lb on the nose!

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=68 ... 1839518000

Cheers, Alan

[The great Gavino]

Getting bigger, 12lb on the nose!

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=68 ... 1839518000

Cheers, Alan

Lovely clean fish that. Well in!

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Getting bigger, 12lb on the nose!

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=68 ... 1839518000

Cheers, Alan

Lovely clean fish that. Well in!

Thanks, I was really rather chuffed with it! defo my target fish but like any angler now that I have had it, my target has changed of course!

Cheers, Alan

[Happy Hayes]

Well done Alan
Lovely fish
Regards
Tom

[Brian Carragher]

Can't view the pic without a Facebook account

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Can't view the pic without a Facebook account

Oh sorry ,Brian after all these years I still haven't sussed putting piccys up and FB is so easy for, Dawn to do it for me

Cheers, Alan

[dropped_run]

They not spawned yet Al? Been playing silly buggers on my couple so I left them alone a week or so back.

Watching them ignoring lures, swimming round and circles and chasing each other on the electronics isn’t quite the same