Zander : Fussy or what ? - Page 2

Neil Maidment · #11 (**permalink**) 05-03-2012, 21:02

Mark, your opinion seems to be based on one trip and, from the tone of your writing, that opinion was determined before you even got there.

mark barrett 2 · #12 (**permalink**) 05-03-2012, 21:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil Maidment

Mark, your opinion seems to be based on one trip and, from the tone of your writing, that opinion was determined before you even got there.

possibly fair comment Neil but on the day I fished there there were a dozen anglers on whats not a massive lake and that was a week day. You would struggle to find that on one of the better drains like the 16ft in the fens on a weekend.

The place is overfished and the fish hammered whatever way you look at it.

Lord Paul of Sheffield · #13 (**permalink**) 05-03-2012, 21:14

Here's an idea - why doesn't Mark meet up with S-Kippy and show him a few decent swims o nthe fens - and then write it up for FM

In fact it might make a good idea for a series

Go Fishing with .....

it could be Mark it could be Ian

simon dunbar · #14 (**permalink**) 05-03-2012, 21:28

Never caught a Zander in the UK, But caught a few in Spain. Once when the Catfishing was slow on a trip to the Segre. I used bleak to catch Zander there.
Early one morning I saw a Zander with his head down near some rocks in the margins, as if he was after something ,maybe a Crayfish ? Anyway I stuck a bleak on the rod I was using for Zander and dropped it ,on a float set up, just behind the Zander. As soon as the bleak was in the water the Zander lifted its head ,spun round and grabbed it ! It was facing the other way ,but must have sensed the bleaks vibrations as it moved in the water.
It was about 5 lbs in weight. I caught a few Zander ,but nothing over 6 lbs in weight ,and this was the only one that I saw before catching it!

mark barrett 2 · #15 (**permalink**) 05-03-2012, 21:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lord Paul of Sheffield

Here's an idea - why doesn't Mark meet up with S-Kippy and show him a few decent swims o nthe fens - and then write it up for FM

In fact it might make a good idea for a series

Go Fishing with .....

it could be Mark it could be Ian

I would be more than happy to dothat though its likely to be next autumn now

S-Kippy · #16 (**permalink**) 05-03-2012, 21:33

No, I think I do get it Mark. There are wild zander and then there are Bury Hill zander.

My first post made it abundantly clear that I was speaking of a very specific situation on a particular water....not generalising about zander per se which I would not have the audacity to do given my meagre experience.

What I was looking for was any scrap of insight into what was going on last Friday. If the answer is really as simple as "its Bury Hill,what do you expect ?" then so be it.So far [with one exception] all I've been offered is "go somewhere else & fish for proper zander". I find that a bit patronising TBH.

Maybe one day I will fish for "proper" zander but until then I will keep changing baits/presentations/swims etc until a pattern emerges [if it ever does] and I will be doing that at Bury Hill.

I'd never caught a zander until Jan last year...now I'm querstionning why I'm not catching on a pressured water that has seen it all. I still have loads to learn but I think I've come on a bit.

simon dunbar · #17 (**permalink**) 05-03-2012, 21:38

Does that mean only pike that live in rivers are 'wild pike' ...never did rate those trout fed reservoir pike....

Lord Paul of Sheffield · #18 (**permalink**) 05-03-2012, 21:39

S-kippy

A trip with Mark not float your boat

one of - him showing you a few good spots - think on it a bit and good luck with the BH zeds - I'm sure you'll crack it

the wise one · #19 (**permalink**) 06-03-2012, 06:01

I certainly did not mean to come across patronising, but I have only ever found zander to be fairly easy to catch.

I would certainly think about taking Mark up on his offer. Other than that, I did see a program once, where it featured zander fishing at OBH. The one bait that worked was hair rigged prawn.
If you haven't already, that might be worth a try.
Also, to take a note out of the carp fishers book, try doing the opposite to everyone else. If they fish at range, you should fish close in. If they fish small baits, try large ones. If they use light leads or short traces, use heavy leads or long traces. Just try to think outside the box.

I suspect you will get immense satisfaction from sorting the venue out, or maybe you won't ever get the hang of it and this is how your fishing will be on there.

S-Kippy · #20 (**permalink**) 06-03-2012, 07:27

Yes well maybe I over reacted a bit but I didn't find it particularly helpful to have my water of choice [which I dont have to justify to anyone ] so comprehensively rubbished. Whether that was anybodies intention really doesn't matter...that's what it sounded like.

BH may not be ideal but that's where I'm doing my apprenticeship and I'm not [and never have been] a fish chaser. I can't afford it for a start...too many other things I want to fish for.

Thanks for the prawn tip...I was aware of that but I need to give them a proper go and fish one rod radically different to the other. I'm doing OK at BH...I should be doing better I think but I can't really complain about my overall results and I still get a kick from catching ANY zander. I'm not struggling there but last Friday was just so bizzarre it really made me wonder if I was missing something obvious. On reflection I dont think so...just one of those days I guess and I am getting immense satisfaction from fishing there. Its making me think and that's good.

As attractive as a trip to the fens might be I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet. One day perhaps.