Thursday 30 April 2015

Closed Season Zander Quest Pt.6 – The Good, the Bad and the Fifthly

I’ve really taken to targeting Zander, such an intriguing fish thriving in its gloomy diesel filled habitat after being illegally introduced in to the Midlands canal system 30 years ago. The schoolies despite their size are as tough as old boots and angry as hell, if you haven’t caught one, give it a go, it’s an experience that may get you hooked, like it has me. They are not like any other coarse fish and I’ve nothing but appreciation for them as a species. Whether it’s the ‘bang’ on the lure they give, the aggressive take on a deadbait or when handled, the Tasmanian devil within them, they are a great sport fish.



You would think from what you read on the internet that where there is Zander there is nothing else, but the reality if far from the truth. A recent match at a local schoolie filled stretch of the Grand Union every angler had around 20lb of fish. Nope, no Zander but bream, roach and perch, big and small, caught on the pole over ground bait with worm or caster. They’ve adapted since their illegal introduction and cohabit without major issue from what I can see.


Even in the most fifthly areas of the canal you will find Zander, I’ve put some decent hours on the bank fishing for them over the last couple of years and to be honest that’s where you mostly find them, the clearer areas I’ve had less success. I’ve never had problems with them shying away from any resistance either, I use a small lead but I’ve no doubt it’s lifted off the bottom when it takes a deadbait, even the weighted bobbin doesn’t seem to be an issue. Pike are few and far between in the areas I fish so 50lb Arma-Kord instead of wire, maybe that helps as my headless roach running rig really does do the business.


For this short evening session I wanted to try and area that is always coloured, I’d never wet a line before. I’d fished either side of it with some success but this was an area I’d previously overlooked.

Is there a monster hiding here………..?

Within 5 minutes of the deadbait settling I had an aggressive bite and it was a small schoolie of around a 1lb or so, with another bait recast for ½ an hour or so no interest on either the lure of the roach section so I moved. This swim was much bigger and wider and had the luxury of some oxygenated water from a leak from the locks paddles. Again within minutes I had a run on the deadbait rod and this fish was a little better,at 2lb 10oz. The bait was still intact to I positioned it again in the same area whilst unhooking and returning the fish. The lure wasn’t getting a look in so Heath Robinson style, I removed the lure and fitted a Raptor hook with a Roach head, the rod was then used quivertip style. As I’ve said before I’ve not found an issue with Zander and resistance and sure enough the tip started to twitch and bang and a fish was on. The smallest I’ve ever caught, around 8oz or, it didn’t fight particularly well but was certainly fast. 3 further schoolies made it 6 in total.


All disappointingly small, so the quest continues……

6 comments:

  1. I'm starting to believe that the large zander are where the school fish aren't, Mick. That area we fished last November has produced fish far larger on average than elsewhere. The average stamp there is double that of other more active places. Tricky problem because it is a lot of fun catching zander of any size, but it's no fun sitting it out for hours — biteless — in hope of a whopper without evidence they are there!

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    1. That's the problem I think Jeff, it needs huge dedication, lots of blanks and lots of luck. I've fished in small pockets of a 12 mile or so stretch I can fish and only has one indication that there were bigger fish to had when a very large fish disturbed the surface. I've got three or four further sessions planned an I want to return to one area and fish it coming up to dusk. It just looks right, if you get my meaning.It really does seem to be full of Zander though and that's the issue, you need to be on the right spot in a huge area of water. Needle in haystack stuff. At least I'm narrowing down the schoolie areas but blanks verses catching fish is always going to be a hard decision, not sure I've got the patience :(

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  2. Stuck in hospital with the littl'un waiting for his operation this is welcome & entertaining writing Mick.

    I think you're generally right that the top specimens of most canal species are not necessarily to be found with younger year groups but given that Zander are pack hunters do you think the very biggest individuals will prove to be loners? The ones I've heard of seemed to be individual catches but could that be because anglers stop fishing on capture of a monster or perhaps because the commotion makes the likelihood of another pretty low?

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    1. I've caught fish after fish from the same swim so it certainly doesn't put the smaller fish off. You never know though George, the larger fish might have wised up and would rather stay put as an observer. After witnessing a large fish causing some disturbance in an area that I've not had a Zander, I'm favoring the lone hunter at the minute. As Jeff says though, a blank after blank can get even the most hardened angler down, so maybe that the issue and why very few specimens have been caught. One thing I have found though, is how many Zander there are in the Grand Union, it's full of them.

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  3. I think there are some areas that may hold larger fish, it's finding them that is the problem. Jeff is right though, there are also lone or small pods of larger year class fish that may be resident in one swim or even move through an area. This is where luck plays its part if you're there at the right time or stumble across them (leapfrogging is the way forward). But take Dannys recent large canal fish, I could be wrong but I'm sure he has caught schoolies in the same area too, so is his 9 a loner or just a bigger "wiser" school member usually hanging at the back that just let its guard down? Never mind the rivers open in 6 weeks so you could always fish the Avon and catch much bigger fish with ease.;)

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    1. Strange you mentioned that Lee as a River Zander is a target for the new season.

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