Zander newbie

[Gaz Davies]

Hi,

I've never fished for Zander before and i'm looking to target them for the first time, possibly on the Trent or the Fenland drains and was hoping for some advice on traces and hooks etc.

I've been told to scale down my pike rigs and use a 7 strand wire in about 15lb with a small single treble hook.
Does this sound right?? Or could anyone offer any other advice??

I've also been told to try small fresh Roach or Lamprey as bait, again are these a good starting bait?? Do live baits work for Zander??

Cheers Gaz.

[Tomcox77]

It's all here somewhere

viewforum.php?f=24

[Duncan Holmes]

Hi,

I've never fished for Zander before and i'm looking to target them for the first time, possibly on the Trent or the Fenland drains and was hoping for some advice on traces and hooks etc.

I've been told to scale down my pike rigs and use a 7 strand wire in about 15lb with a small single treble hook.
Does this sound right?? Or could anyone offer any other advice??

I've also been told to try small fresh Roach or Lamprey as bait, again are these a good starting bait?? Do live baits work for Zander??

Cheers Gaz.

Gaz, I think we covered most of these in the Fenland thread, which is probably why not many replies.

Unless you are fishing for very small zander, you don't need to change your gear, or use small baits.

6-8 inch baits, size 6 trebles, size 8 if bait is smaller.

20lb 7 strand is plenty light enough, I used to have a lot of confidence in 47 strand wire for deadbaiting but my regular fishing partner didn't bother and had just as many fish.

Dead baits are best the fresher the better, I would use frozen baits, but only those that I had frozen down myself and only a few weeks in the freezer. (obviously not lamprey which were shop brought)

IMO and experience, freshwater deads, eels and lamprey are THE only baits to use when targeting zander, but I know others feel differently. I am convinced the slime was the key to the attraction and shop brought baits seam to be lacking in this, also pays to change the bait regularly for this reason.

Zander LOVE livebaits, TBH there is only one water I used to fish dead only was the Channel, otherwise at least one rod on livebait.

Fixed paternoster, around 1/3 depth from the bottom, or hooked head down (casting position) on a running lead.

[Gaz Davies]

Thanks for the replies,

Think I will stick with the wire/hooks I'm using and use the advice given on the two threads and go from there

Hopefully this will lead us to our first zander.

Cheers..