Zander session

[luckyjim]

I stand corrected...how big do they grow to though (for instance on the continent)?

[mark barrett]

I stand corrected...how big do they grow to though (for instance on the continent)?

 

 

certainly o 30lb +, the Ebro record is reputed to be around the 40lb mark

[Dick Dastardly]

A couple of zed observations/comments.

 

There was a period in the 90's that it looked like the first ever 20lb UK zed was just going to be a formality! A small number of Zed anglers were taking a ridiculously high amount of 16+ fish.Myself and my friends were fishing one small area but a couple of other guys were doing quite well from a totally different area.Ray Armstrong then came up with a lump from the River Severn, the opposite end of the country to us! But that "expected" 20 never turned up!! Recent years have seen all three areas just not producing any where near the same number of giant fish.(maybe big zeds suffer the same as big trout water pike?).

 

Whilst living in France I saw 6 probable (4 were only photos) 20lb+ fish from the River Saone.Two of these I actually witnessed and weighed (local anglers used to bring them up to our camp to get them weighed).Remember though that this was over a period of several years and the amount of anglers targeting them very high.I never saw any big ones in Germany though?

 

On the Ebro ive caught them up to 9lbs on lures but suppose its only a matter of time before they get some lumps there....who knows Martyn might even get them on to pellets (shudder the thought!).

 

I also have a Belgian mate who has taken a 20+ but cant remember if it was in Belgium or Holland.

 

So 20+ Zeds are a very realistic fish but I just dont understand why one hasnt turned up here yet?

[mark barrett]

A couple of zed observations/comments.

 

There was a period in the 90's that it looked like the first ever 20lb UK zed was just going to be a formality! A small number of Zed anglers were taking a ridiculously high amount of 16+ fish.Myself and my friends were fishing one small area but a couple of other guys were doing quite well from a totally different area.Ray Armstrong then came up with a lump from the River Severn, the opposite end of the country to us! But that "expected" 20 never turned up!! Recent years have seen all three areas just not producing any where near the same number of giant fish.(maybe big zeds suffer the same as big trout water pike?).

 

Whilst living in France I saw 6 probable (4 were only photos) 20lb+ fish from the River Saone.Two of these I actually witnessed and weighed (local anglers used to bring them up to our camp to get them weighed).Remember though that this was over a period of several years and the amount of anglers targeting them very high.I never saw any big ones in Germany though?

 

On the Ebro ive caught them up to 9lbs on lures but suppose its only a matter of time before they get some lumps there....who knows Martyn might even get them on to pellets (shudder the thought!).

 

I also have a Belgian mate who has taken a 20+ but cant remember if it was in Belgium or Holland.

 

So 20+ Zeds are a very realistic fish but I just dont understand why one hasnt turned up here yet?

 

budgie the locals that we were talking too when i was out there earlier in the year had nearly all caught Zander around the 8 -9 kilo mark, definately gong out there some more, just fell in love with the whole place.

[Anderoo]

Cheers guys, this has turning into something interesting. What do you reckon to the suspicion I have about secret records?

 

PS a 40lb zed! Christ!

[mark barrett]

Cheers guys, this has turning into something interesting. What do you reckon to the suspicion I have about secret records?

 

PS a 40lb zed! Christ!

 

 

honestly mate, it takes a very special kind of person to catch something that big and then keep completely schtum about it. personally i dont think its happened, but would love to be proved wrong.

[phil dean]

i know an angler who'se smashed the scottish chub record, but wouldn't claim it. There are some dedictated anglers who will stay schtum, but I think you're right, word would get out eventually.

[luckyjim]

honestly mate, it takes a very special kind of person to catch something that big and then keep completely schtum about it. personally i dont think its happened, but would love to be proved wrong.

 

Its probably one of those things that you'd only realise the feeling of and logic behind once it happened...

 

....fishing a swim for years on end, convinced that theres an exceptional one out there...then on one session after sitting out for days on end, your sole intention to catch that massive fish and achieve international notoriety, you hook it. After the battle of bringing her in, and you get her on the bank, it all changes. You look at it and realise that you don't give a damn about anyone else, it was purely about the personal experience of encountering such a beast. The thoughts flash through your head of the little swim you've painstakingly identified and acquainted yourself with overcome with legions of tourist anglers and chancers...and you slip the fish back in without so much as a photo, and only the memory of your once in a lifetime experience remains...

 

 

I can dream can't I!

 

 

Heres the best I've managed, by the way, from the tidal Thames:

Edited February 7, 2007 by luckyjim

[Dick Dastardly]

I used to love the place too Mark but it just aint the same anymore for me! Try asking Garry at BGS he does quite a lot of Zed fishing in his spare time.Also a couple of French mates of mine do a bit down there now I will see what i can dig up.I dont doubr fish of that size are there now as its been many years since I was last in Mequinenza.

[dant]

Terrible examples of fish handling on nearly all of these continental Zander pic's but some fairly hefty fish.

 

I know that Zander are readily eaten across Europe, so lets hope the guy in the armchair is getting ready for dinner...