Bream & Zander - Why are they found together?

[Anderoo]

I should also say that it isn't a cut-and-dried kind of thing. There is certainly a correlation between bream and zander, but zander are also caught from bream-free (at the time) areas too. There are definitely specific types of underwater features and favoured depths and flows that zander like, regardless of bream.

[Ken L]

Not sure how much weight to put to the theory as few anglers will be simultaneously fishing for bream and Zander.

Despite the risk of making this a self fulfilling corolation, I'll certainly be checking match reports for the lower Severn before I have a crack at the Zander this autumn though.

[Dick Dastardly]

Most of my Fenland Zandering has been targeting big fish.There is certainly no relation between big Zander and bream. However I have heard so many times from so many different people that it must be true for schoolie Zeds.

 

Certainly cant be because they regard them as prey as the average Fen shoal bream is far to big for the average schoolie Zed. Colored water? well Zeds definitely feed better when the water is coloured (unlike the pike who prefer the water clear, but not sure if this is the reason. As already mentioned I think the most plausible answer is the prey fish are attracted to the stirring up of food that a large shoal of bream can cause.

 

I don't know for sure but regard it as a fact to be accepted and used.

[Anderoo]

I'm in two minds about the stirring up the bottom theory, now I think about it. When bait fishing at night, coloured water is usually best. However, the little bits of zander fishing I've done recently has been with lures in daylight, and the clearer the water the better. As soon as it colours up (especially if there is suspended sediment) it gets very hard.

 

However, the zander are still usually around the bream.

 

I reckon it may be more to do with a shoaling instinct than anything else. Thoughts?

 

This is the kind of 'bread and butter' fish I'm talking about:

 

 

Much more civilised to catch them in the sunshine in summer than shivering at night in a bivvy in the middle of winter! I'm indebted to a friend for inviting me along with him a few times, it's been something of a revelation, and good fun getting to grips with lots of new skills.

[Dick Dastardly]

Only Zeds Ive had on lures (2!) have been by accident so I cant comment.However clear water=good lure conditions is pretty standard for all species.

[Steve Walker]

This is the kind of 'bread and butter' fish I'm talking about:

 

Mmmm, zander sandwich...

 

 

(Sorry, I'm absolutely starving and dinner isn't quite ready)

[Phone]

Dales,

 

You're not going to believe this - I don't know much about zander.

 

Once a year I go zander fishing in Chamberland SD (world famous zander). I have hired the same guide for years (maybe 15). His employees go out at night and locate the fish and leave marker floats for in the morning (at dawn we leave in the boat). When we catch our "legal limit" we fill out the guides tag by lure fishing at the edge of the cloud (what I believe you are calling colored water(?)). It seems our lure caught fish hang in that edge and dart into clear water then back. The lure fish are either huge or small. There is a slot limit (forgive me, I don't know what the slot limit is) that is something like more than 6 lbs but less than 12 lbs (I made those numbers up but they are close).

 

There is a cafe that cleans and prepares your fish for supper that same night.

 

Ohh, probably 8 out of 10 years we bottom bounce lobworms (nightcrawlers). Do you guys use bottom bouncers?

 

That's all I know about zander.

 

Phone

Edit zander = walleye

Edited August 30, 2011 by Phone

[Vagabond]

surely you can't tell the difference between "not there", "not feeding" and "not getting fooled again"?

 

 

As a Scots ghillie once said

"It's gey bad when they're no feeding, and it's wuss when they're no there"

 

But sometimes you can tell the difference - seeing fish (ie they are there) but not being able to catch them.

 

....and sometimes seeing fish feeding but not taking bait.

 

EG Trout taking natural flies but refusing your artificial, or carp eating floating dog biscuits but refusing the one on a hook.

 

OK, it's more difficult with zander on a fenland drain, but you get my drift ?

Edited August 31, 2011 by Vagabond

[Dick Dastardly]

As a Scots ghillie once said

"It's gey bad when they're no feeding, and it's wuss when they're no there"

 

But sometimes you can tell the difference - seeing fish (ie they are there) but not being able to catch them.

 

....and sometimes seeing fish feeding but not taking bait.

 

EG Trout taking natural flies but refusing your artificial, or carp eating floating dog biscuits but refusing the one on a hook.

 

OK, it's more difficult with zander on a fenland drain, but you get my drift ?

 

Or the entire Rother Mullet population swimming around your float and not catching one!

[Dick Dastardly]

Wasn't the record zander caught on a boilie while fishing for bream? Another connection?

 

John.

 

Taken on a pellet John.I believe the guy was after barbel?