Zander
name: Zander
other names: Pike, Perch
Some anglers believe that zander are a cross between a pike and perch, as they have the combination of a long slender pike like profile but with a very perch like dorsal fin. Zander is no relation of the pike at all, but is the biggest European member of the perch family. They have large pointed snout, prominent backward pointing teeth. Dorsal fin set well back near tail above anal fin.
Zander is not a native species to the UK, they were introduced into the East Anglian Fenland drainage channels in the early 1960s. As Zander are a very efficient predators and prolific breeders, rapidly they spread inland, which was not to everyone’s delight. Zander can now also be found in the river Severn and Avon, in Woburn and Old Bury Hill Lakes, and the Trent and Gloucester Canals. Zander shows a preference for places with a sandy or stony bottom and sufficient hiding-places, where it spends the day. They are also great lovers of murky water were their excellent night vision gives them great hunting advantages. Although Zander prefer moving fresh water they will tolerate brackish waters and artificial reservoirs.
Zander do not swallow fish only head first and therefore do not turn their pray like Pike. For this reason Zander tend to prefer smaller baits. They chase and grasp their prey by the tail or any part of the body they can get hold of, then swallow the fish tail or head first. Any fish they cannot swallow is ejected and then probably picked up dead from the bottom. Zander will also readily take dead fish.
The spawning of Zander is from the end of February. They leave clumps of pale yellow eggs on plants, sand & stones. The larvae hatch after a few days, which for the beginning of their life live off their yolk sacks until they develop, large enough to start eating insect larvae and fish fry. Starting this predator habit at such a young age ensures that Zander have a quick growth rate. Zander have also been known to live up to twenty years old.
To make things difficult, zander are very cautious feeders, if they feel any resistance, they will let go and therefore are prone to dropping baits with hooks in them. Zander will not take sea-fish deadbaits. And usually can only be caught on fish that naturally resides in the water you are fishing. Zander have relatively small mouths and, as a result, it is best to fish baits no larger than about four inches. Zander also tend to prefer fresh deadbaits not frozen ones or healthy livebaits, so to get the best out of your Zander fishing forget frozen baits. For tackle basically its scaled down pike tackle, As Zander have sharp teeth and as you are always likely to encounter Pike while Zander fishing. You must always use a wire trace. Remember that Zander have a smaller mouth than pike so you need to scale down the trebles to 8 to 12’s. Also when fishing with floats, use the smallest you can get away with and for bottom fishing the lightest leads, as Zander will drop anything if they feel the slightest resistance.
