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Zander in the Broads ???


paul.saunders

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paul.s:

as i said not up on zander but understand what you say thanks.

We don't have Zander in the US as far as I know but we do have a good population of Walleye and they are so close as to be functionally identical.

 

I can understand some UK anglers getting upset about preds - especially the match anglers who catch the same sorts of fish that pike, zander, perch like to munch on.

 

Maybe anglers in the US lean too far the other way since almost all the fish commonly targeted over here are preds so we tend to like them and like having them in the water. But even in relatively small ponds, the fish population will tend to strike a balance if left to themselves for a couple of years. Not that you have to stop fishing but simply avoid major culling efforts.

 

My section of the country has quite a few carp ponds. US style match fishing for carp and for a fair amount of money so the pond owners like to keep a healthy carp population but also to keep a few sunfish to take care of the mossy population and the carp fry from the yearly spawn.

 

Problem is that if left to themselves, the sunfish would take over. They are a sorta-pred species but do very poorly at controlling their own numbers although they do keep the tiddler carp population under control.

 

The usual solution is to also stock some flathead catfish since they thrive on a diet of sunfish. We are talking 1-3 acre ponds here with very artificial fish populations but they do nicely.

 

We had a fish-in several weeks ago at one of the carp pay lakes and a 38lb flathead catfish came out for the first time since they were stocked a few years ago - dang fool decided to eat a boilie for some reason. It is one of a half-dozen that were put in the pond and it is fished by enough people that a dead fish would be noticed so almost certainly all the flatties are still in there and thriving judging by the looks of the fine lady that came out over the weekend.

 

With apologies to GEFILTA FISHER for taking a copy of his flathead picture from the CAG forum without permission, here is the beastie that surprised everyone. And since these fish fight a bit harder than carp, the angler who hooked it was a little surprised when he was led all around one side of the lake before she finally decided to come to the net.

 

Posted Image

 

[ 17. November 2004, 02:44 AM: Message edited by: Newt ]

" My choices in life were either to be a piano player in a whore house or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference!" - Harry Truman, 33rd US President

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Peter,

I noted your comment about having Zander in Broads being desirable. Given all the past posts on here regarding indiginous species and the past crimes of Rainbow trout into chalk streams, Pike into the highlands, trout in Butan, sea trout in Argentina and Carp everywhere, Wells cat fish in the Ebro etc etc, should we not keep those ecosystems like the broads, that are free of a given alien species, exectly that. I like Zander and certainly enjoy catching the odd one now and again, but they are where they are today and further distribution should be avoided.

 

What has been done is on a global scale and cannot be undone, but lets not continue.

 

Cheers

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You are quite right Malevans. Just that I'm to lazy to drive 70 odd miles to catch a zander.

 

There is no fear that zander will be officially introduced to the Broads. Even carp are regarded as an unwelcome 'evasive' species!

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I have heard about these 'Zander' and from other sources who also identified them as school bass .

 

bass are known to head upstream miles if the water is brackish enough. I understand that the water quality in the broads is improving (less nitrates in the water) and with global warming they are believed to be overwintering and hence spawning there.

 

this has also been found in the greater Thames estuary, and scientists believe that as with striped bass in the US - if you clean up the rivers the bass will spawn there, so its a natural phenomema.

 

seabass are also a member of the Perch family.

 

GB

www.swff.co.uk - Guernsey Saltwater Fly Fishing

 

Member of B.A.S.S. - www.ukbass.com

 

Member of NFSA www.nfsa.org.uk

 

"better to have fished and lost than never fished at all "

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Peter Waller:

You could ask AN stalwart Nugg about Zander on the Broads.

 

This one has already been looked into both by the EA and the Broads Authority. I suspect its the same fish because the details are the same. The concensus was that it was a bass! A clear photo was passed around and that well known matchman Tom Boulton suggested it was a 'king bass', but non of us knew of that species, but we all agreed it was simply a bass!!

ALL THOUGHTS OF ANYTHING BUT A MINIATURE ZANDER NEVER ENTERED MY HEAD UNTIL I SPOKE TO PETER I THEN HAD MY DOUBTS AS HE WELL KNOWS
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