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Good rig for zander


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Tench

 

First, every fish in the UK is tricky, it's your nature.

 

dropshotwht.jpg

 

I use a weight with a rattle in it. Depth determines how much weight. I THINK it helps and that's all that matters. Ohh ZANDER are not "droppers of natural baits". Maybe an artificial on occasion.

 

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What is a good rig when dead baiting for zander? I've read that they can be tricky and drop the bait. How do you counter this?

Uckinghall pool doesn't require long range fishing and there are a lot of lilies and other weeds in close that can interfere with ledger rigs, so, if you are prepared to watch it, a float is the obvious solution.

The BAA don't allow livebaits but last time I fished it, I was outfished 6:1 by someone who ignored the rule.

Edited by Ken L

Species caught in 2020: Barbel. European Eel. Bleak. Perch. Pike.

Species caught in 2019: Pike. Bream. Tench. Chub. Common Carp. European Eel. Barbel. Bleak. Dace.

Species caught in 2018: Perch. Bream. Rainbow Trout. Brown Trout. Chub. Roach. Carp. European Eel.

Species caught in 2017: Siamese carp. Striped catfish. Rohu. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Black Minnow Shark. Perch. Chub. Brown Trout. Pike. Bream. Roach. Rudd. Bleak. Common Carp.

Species caught in 2016: Siamese carp. Jullien's golden carp. Striped catfish. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Alligator gar. Rohu. Black Minnow Shark. Roach, Bream, Perch, Ballan Wrasse. Rudd. Common Carp. Pike. Zander. Chub. Bleak.

Species caught in 2015: Brown Trout. Roach. Bream. Terrapin. Eel. Barbel. Pike. Chub.

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Tench,

 

Ken's comment reminded me. I'd say the last 10 time I fished a dropper it was with "lobworms". You don't have to tie off to the mainline, you can use a small swivel and short leader if you are boat fishing.

 

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Hi John. It's been a long time now but I did used to do quite a bit of bait fishing for zander in the fens. Dropped runs were fairly common regardless of setup, so I would just make peace with the fact that they will happen. Having said that, both the following methods of bite indication worked well for me - drop-off indicators (as used for pike fishing) and light bobbins on a long drop.

 

In either case, I'd use a lead heavier than is necessary (say, 2oz) on a large free running ring, a wire trace as light as possible (I think I used to use either 10lb or 15lb Drennan soft wire - beware this is easily damaged and will only usually last for 1 fish, there may be better alternatives now), and size 10 trebles. Something like 10lb mainline should be fine. Just a very simple free running leger.

 

This plus a lightly set drop-off or a light bobbin should give good indication. You can either wait for a proper run, or strike at smaller indications (the latter is a lot easier with bobbins).

 

The good thing with dropped runs is you know zander are in the area. Usually a proper bite will follow at some point (usually :) ).

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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Aha! You have seen my query on the BAA site. Yes, I was thinking of Uckinghall, but there's a guy who's posted on that site who reckons I must expect to blank 90% of the time! Even if that is pessimistic I am not sure it justifies the journey and a b&b, though I was passing through a few weeks ago and spoke to an angler who, though he didn't fish for zeds, reckoned the chances were good. I'd be interested in your take on this, Ken.

 

What are the other options? A couple of years ago I had had a brief crack lure fishing near Kidlington at the southern end of the Oxford canal without success (my lure fishing trips nowadays are very brief because of back trouble), but met a couple of anglers who reckoned they could normally catch a zander or two on dead bleak, and a recent report in Angling Times mid April said anglers in that area were often catching about 10, I think on lures! But then I heard EA were removing them in that area. Anderoo says above, though, that he thinks further north should be OK.

 

The trouble with canals for me in the summer is that, with the boat traffic, I guess you have to get up early! Which I'm no good at - so perhaps I should wait till autumn and try the canals?

Uckinghall pool doesn't require long range fishing and there are a lot of lilies and other weeds in close that can interfere with ledger rigs, so, if you are prepared to watch it, a float is the obvious solution.
The BAA don't allow livebaits but last time I fished it, I was outfished 6:1 by someone who ignored the rule.

john clarke

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Thanks, Andrew

I assume we are talking about a 3-4" dead fish for bait? And I assume, like perch, not a sea bait? And just one big single hook in the tail?

 

Hi John. It's been a long time now but I did used to do quite a bit of bait fishing for zander in the fens. Dropped runs were fairly common regardless of setup, so I would just make peace with the fact that they will happen. Having said that, both the following methods of bite indication worked well for me - drop-off indicators (as used for pike fishing) and light bobbins on a long drop.

 

In either case, I'd use a lead heavier than is necessary (say, 2oz) on a large free running ring, a wire trace as light as possible (I think I used to use either 10lb or 15lb Drennan soft wire - beware this is easily damaged and will only usually last for 1 fish, there may be better alternatives now), and size 10 trebles. Something like 10lb mainline should be fine. Just a very simple free running leger.

 

This plus a lightly set drop-off or a light bobbin should give good indication. You can either wait for a proper run, or strike at smaller indications (the latter is a lot easier with bobbins).

 

The good thing with dropped runs is you know zander are in the area. Usually a proper bite will follow at some point (usually :) ).

john clarke

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Aha! You have seen my query on the BAA site. Yes, I was thinking of Uckinghall, but there's a guy who's posted on that site who reckons I must expect to blank 90% of the time! Even if that is pessimistic I am not sure it justifies the journey and a b&b, though I was passing through a few weeks ago and spoke to an angler who, though he didn't fish for zeds, reckoned the chances were good. I'd be interested in your take on this, Ken.

 

What are the other options? A couple of years ago I had had a brief crack lure fishing near Kidlington at the southern end of the Oxford canal without success (my lure fishing trips nowadays are very brief because of back trouble), but met a couple of anglers who reckoned they could normally catch a zander or two on dead bleak, and a recent report in Angling Times mid April said anglers in that area were often catching about 10, I think on lures! But then I heard EA were removing them in that area. Anderoo says above, though, that he thinks further north should be OK.

 

The trouble with canals for me in the summer is that, with the boat traffic, I guess you have to get up early! Which I'm no good at - so perhaps I should wait till autumn and try the canals?

I confess that I had a wry smile posting about Uckinghall when you hadn't mentioned it here.

I fished it a fair bit in matches when I was younger and it was always a hard water that occasionally turned up stunning tench.

I've only deliberately targeted the predators there once and it was in winter when the levels were up pretty high and while I did catch, the chap that I mentioned who was livebaiting did much, much better than I did - all pike.

Zander were my nemesis for years. I'd fish places where I knew they were present but just couldn't connect with them. The only place where I've done any good was the lower (Warwickshire) Avon but they do seem to be very localised - although unlike the Severn, the Avon still has plenty of pike to keep you entertained.

The Avon is also much easier fishing with shallow banks and deep water close in, whereas the lower Severn has steep muddy banks and shallow water close in which makes deep diving crankbaits difficult to use.

The Coventry canal is well known for its zander if you fancy a closed season session but personally, I'd give the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal a go. The area around Bodymoor Heath definitely has a few fish and is easily accessible from the motorway system if you just fancy chucking lures around for half an hour while passing. It's pretty muddy water but that's what these fish hunt in.

Species caught in 2020: Barbel. European Eel. Bleak. Perch. Pike.

Species caught in 2019: Pike. Bream. Tench. Chub. Common Carp. European Eel. Barbel. Bleak. Dace.

Species caught in 2018: Perch. Bream. Rainbow Trout. Brown Trout. Chub. Roach. Carp. European Eel.

Species caught in 2017: Siamese carp. Striped catfish. Rohu. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Black Minnow Shark. Perch. Chub. Brown Trout. Pike. Bream. Roach. Rudd. Bleak. Common Carp.

Species caught in 2016: Siamese carp. Jullien's golden carp. Striped catfish. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Alligator gar. Rohu. Black Minnow Shark. Roach, Bream, Perch, Ballan Wrasse. Rudd. Common Carp. Pike. Zander. Chub. Bleak.

Species caught in 2015: Brown Trout. Roach. Bream. Terrapin. Eel. Barbel. Pike. Chub.

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Thanks, Andrew

I assume we are talking about a 3-4" dead fish for bait? And I assume, like perch, not a sea bait? And just one big single hook in the tail?

 

Coarse fish rather than sea fish (although apparently zander get caught on sea baits at some day ticket stillwaters) and I personally wouldn't worry too much about which species. Sizes 3-6". You want the bait to be as fresh as possible, but you can catch on frozen baits too.

 

The very best deadbait in the fens used to be eel section, and they liked those so much it didn't matter if they were frozen or not. I doubt that's an option these days though.

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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