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Zander fishing tips

If you see an angler up north in the dark of night working the Glucester Canal or one of the drains, there's a good chance he's targeting zander. Like the dark of night, zander fishing is cloaked in a bit of mystery, but let's try to sort out a few tactics that can get you going in this up-and-coming fishery.

When to Fish

We've already mentioned that a lot of zander anglers are themselves creatures of the night. That's because generally zander are nocturnal eaters. That doesn't mean you won't catch them during the daytime, but your odds will be a little better after the sun goes down. We'll have a tip or two for angers hunting zander during the day; just stick with us for a minute or two.

Zander fishing cools during the coldest winter months. They don't eat as much and they move. Zander spawn from February to late March so they're probably beginning to migrate. If you do head out during cold weather, be ready to abandon your regular spots and do some prospecting.

Where to Fish

Zander territory is still expanding. You can find them to some extent almost anywhere except the south west. Up north in the Gloucestershire and Bristol area is good. The Severen and Avon rivers produce well as do the canals. East Anglia, especially the Fens, probably has the most opportunities to catch zander.

Wherever you decide to locate geographically, we'll tell you right now where your bait or lure should be located: on the bottom. Zander don't often stray up the water column to eat.

Now for that daytime zander fishing tip: find dark, stained water for your expeditions during daylight hours. It looks more like nighttime to the fish.

Tactics and Tackle

Bait fishing is the single most popular approach for catching zander. You want a long rod for gentle casts. You don't want to destroy your bait with a ripping cast.

Use a ledger, with as little weight as possible, or a similar setup to get your bait down to the bottom. However, if zander sense resistance as they strike, they'll quickly drop your bait. Don't use anything heavier than a 20lb trace. Size 8 treble sharp hooks are most favored.

Make sure your reel is designed for baitfishing, like the Shimano Baitrunner, that allows for freespooling. The trick is to let the bait drift or swim as freely as possible, but still detect bites.

Lure fishermen should use deep sinking lures like the joker grey, which does a good job imitating the typical minnows. Make sure you're getting down to the fish. If you never snag a lure, you probably aren't deep enough.

Soft rubber jigs are also popular. Make sure you get it to the bottom. Experiment with lifts between six inches and about 2.5 feet. But don't lose contact with the jig on the drop. You need to be able to detect soft takes.

Any good spinning rod and reel will work. However, be warned that you will occasionally hook a pike, so make sure your gear is up to that challenge.

Tips

Zander are very sensitive. Keep the noise down and stay back from the the water. Stealth is key.
During July and August, zander sometimes come up off the bottom in weedy areas.
Try light or naturally colored lures in clear water, darker lures in stained water.
Trolling is a great way to locate where the zander are holding.
Open the zander's mouth through the gills and remove hooks with forceps.