Zander bites.

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

With straight ledgering, do you prefer fixed or running leads?

Cheers, Alan

[Neville Fickling]

Have always fished running Leads but plenty on sunken float paternosteres dragging up to 6 oz of lead around including the same fish twice at 19.02 and 19.04

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Have always fished running Leads but plenty on sunken float paternosteres dragging up to 6 oz of lead around including the same fish twice at 19.02 and 19.04

Agree with the paternosters amount of resistance. The last two I had were both on fixed leads.

Cheers, Alan

[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

[Neville Fickling]

Depends where you are. This time of year daylight runs are possible on some waters. If you have limited time early morning until 1 pm is worth a go

[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

On lures I’ve stopped bothering with those nights Alan. Total waste of time for me on my venues.
The biggest thing for me this season has been wind, the windiest nights have been by far the most productive over a range of venues. Not all been warm nights either.

Dave, bait rods stayed in the car….probably should have got them out but stuck to lures instead. Jumped out of a swim and a mate went in a few hours later and had a 16 so I’m sick as piglet, obviously

[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

On lures I’ve stopped bothering with those nights Alan. Total waste of time for me on my venues.
The biggest thing for me this season has been wind, the windiest nights have been by far the most productive over a range of venues. Not all been warm nights either.

Dave, bait rods stayed in the car….probably should have got them out but stuck to lures instead. Jumped out of a swim and a mate went in a few hours later and had a 16 so I’m sick as piglet, obviously

Thanks for that its those kind of variables Im looking for.
I do know of a tip from Rob Shallcroft re wind in that on windy nights the zander kept their dorsals up for photos, so to get the dorsal up he blew on them and it works most times!

Has anyone got anything on water clarity/colour or anything else for that matter. I have thought that with the zanders excellent low light vision that colour in the water would give them an edge?

Cheers, Alan

[Emma Hamilton]

On the two rivers i fish for zander there are always acceptions to any rule but for overall 'batting average' i follow the following.

Go pike fishing if the water temp is below 6d, the bigger zander rarely turn up below this (for me). Not many big zander photos in snow/frost seen. Windy & non biblical rain is good. Big tides are good. Big moons = fish shallower water.

rob

[Neville Fickling]

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

On lures I’ve stopped bothering with those nights Alan. Total waste of time for me on my venues.
The biggest thing for me this season has been wind, the windiest nights have been by far the most productive over a range of venues. Not all been warm nights either.

Dave, bait rods stayed in the car….probably should have got them out but stuck to lures instead. Jumped out of a swim and a mate went in a few hours later and had a 16 so I’m sick as piglet, obviously

Thanks for that its those kind of variables Im looking for.
I do know of a tip from Rob Shallcroft re wind in that on windy nights the zander kept their dorsals up for photos, so to get the dorsal up he blew on them and it works most times!

Has anyone got anything on water clarity/colour or anything else for that matter. I have thought that with the zanders excellent low light vision that colour in the water would give them an edge?

Cheers, Alan

They are adapted for exactly that having a Tapetum lucidieum ( check spelling! ) which reflects light back onto the retina rather than allowing it to escape the eye. Walleye the American cousin of the zander have an even better adapted eye

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

On the two rivers i fish for zander there are always acceptions to any rule but for overall 'batting average' i follow the following.

Go pike fishing if the water temp is below 6d, the bigger zander rarely turn up below this (for me). Not many big zander photos in snow/frost seen. Windy & non biblical rain is good. Big tides are good. Big moons = fish shallower water.

rob

Water temp is over 8 at the moment and the rods are out. Had a tip from another angler that if he had time to feel the lead down, it was to deep.

Cheers, Alan

[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

On lures I’ve stopped bothering with those nights Alan. Total waste of time for me on my venues.
The biggest thing for me this season has been wind, the windiest nights have been by far the most productive over a range of venues. Not all been warm nights either.

Dave, bait rods stayed in the car….probably should have got them out but stuck to lures instead. Jumped out of a swim and a mate went in a few hours later and had a 16 so I’m sick as piglet, obviously

Thanks for that its those kind of variables Im looking for.
I do know of a tip from Rob Shallcroft re wind in that on windy nights the zander kept their dorsals up for photos, so to get the dorsal up he blew on them and it works most times!

Has anyone got anything on water clarity/colour or anything else for that matter. I have thought that with the zanders excellent low light vision that colour in the water would give them an edge?

Cheers, Alan

They are adapted for exactly that having a Tapetum lucidieum ( check spelling! ) which reflects light back onto the retina rather than allowing it to escape the eye. Walleye the American cousin of the zander have an even better adapted eye

Always nice to see those cats eyes come up in the dark!

Cheers, Alan

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Just had a 20........lb pike!

Cheers, Alan

[Fentiger01]

Dave, bait rods stayed in the car….probably should have got them out but stuck to lures instead. Jumped out of a swim and a mate went in a few hours later and had a 16 so I’m sick as piglet, obviously

Big fish.

[The great Gavino]

Just had a 20........lb pike!

Cheers, Alan

Brilliant mate. Result!

[The great Gavino]

Not been able to get out much this season as I have a 16 month old, another one on the way and signed off work for 9 weeks so far. Not conducive for driving to the fens for overnighters. Plus, on the nights I have done I’ve not seen a single Zander. Plenty of small pike though. I have a river 10 minutes down the road that I caught a Zander from years ago. Maybe these days I’ll be sticking closer to home

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Just had a 20........lb pike!

Cheers, Alan

Brilliant mate. Result!

Thank you had another three pike tonight but confidence for a big Z is good!

Cheers, Alan

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Not been able to get out much this season as I have a 16 month old, another one on the way and signed off work for 9 weeks so far. Not conducive for driving to the fens for overnighters. Plus, on the nights I have done I’ve not seen a single Zander. Plenty of small pike though. I have a river 10 minutes down the road that I caught a Zander from years ago. Maybe these days I’ll be sticking closer to home

We have to make our fishing suit us sometimes and not the other way round!

Cheers, Alan

[Neville Fickling]

Not been able to get out much this season as I have a 16 month old, another one on the way and signed off work for 9 weeks so far. Not conducive for driving to the fens for overnighters. Plus, on the nights I have done I’ve not seen a single Zander. Plenty of small pike though. I have a river 10 minutes down the road that I caught a Zander from years ago. Maybe these days I’ll be sticking closer to home

If you pm
Me I might be able to tell you the status of the zander in that river

[The great Gavino]

Not been able to get out much this season as I have a 16 month old, another one on the way and signed off work for 9 weeks so far. Not conducive for driving to the fens for overnighters. Plus, on the nights I have done I’ve not seen a single Zander. Plenty of small pike though. I have a river 10 minutes down the road that I caught a Zander from years ago. Maybe these days I’ll be sticking closer to home

If you pm
Me I might be able to tell you the status of the zander in that river

PM sent

[dropped_run]

Dave, bait rods stayed in the car….probably should have got them out but stuck to lures instead. Jumped out of a swim and a mate went in a few hours later and had a 16 so I’m sick as piglet, obviously

Big fish.

Sixth fish this season out of a swim I’ve fished the same day, or that I’ve weighed for someone bigger than my PB…at least I’m in the right areas

[cookiesdaughtersdad]

Dave, bait rods stayed in the car….probably should have got them out but stuck to lures instead. Jumped out of a swim and a mate went in a few hours later and had a 16 so I’m sick as piglet, obviously

Big fish.

Sixth fish this season out of a swim I’ve fished the same day, or that I’ve weighed for someone bigger than my PB…at least I’m in the right areas

Then it will happen, look at the quote at the very bottom of my posts!

Cheers, Alan

[The great Gavino]

Not been able to get out much this season as I have a 16 month old, another one on the way and signed off work for 9 weeks so far. Not conducive for driving to the fens for overnighters. Plus, on the nights I have done I’ve not seen a single Zander. Plenty of small pike though. I have a river 10 minutes down the road that I caught a Zander from years ago. Maybe these days I’ll be sticking closer to home

We have to make our fishing suit us sometimes and not the other way round!

Cheers, Alan

Very true, Alan. I’m due a few!

[Mark Phillips]

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

[Emma Hamilton]

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

[Fentiger01]

Sixth fish this season out of a swim I’ve fished the same day, or that I’ve weighed for someone bigger than my PB…at least I’m in the right areas

It'll happen James.

I had a monkey like that on my back for years, one of these days it'll be YOUR time mate.

(and I suspect you'll savour it even more face)

[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

[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

Average size is good, Mark at around 8lbs but numbers are quite low for me and my couple of angling neighbours, I am also involved in the local angling society. Done more time lately with course baits and they are certainly not climbing up the rods but I do plan to push on into the warmer weather and hopefully get a few more and bigger.

Cheers, Alan

[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

[Emma Hamilton]

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]

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