Zander in tidals...

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Chris Bishop

Guest
I've fished tidal waters for pike, with varying degrees of success.

I fancy taking a flyer on the tidal Thames, anyone fished tidal rivers for 'em - ie the Hundred Foot, Nene below Dog & Doublet etc..?

Do they go at it all through the tide or do they have any kind of feeding pattern..?
 
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Ron Clay

Guest
As far as I know there are good pike in the tidal Trent from Cromwell Weir to Littleborough. Very few people seem to fish for them.
 
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Rob Brownfield

Guest
Chris..the tidal bit of the TAY produces pike...but they only seem to feed for a couple of hours. Seems to coincide with the Roach feeding.

Am I not correct in saying the Bure/Yare etc in Suffolk/Norfolk are all tidal where the pike are fished for?? I seem to recall the Bure fishing well on the flood?
 
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Chris Bishop

Guest
You're right about the Yare, Waveney etc. Tidal influence runs a long way upstream and they produce a lot of big pike, which people have their theories about.

I'm wondering if similar things apply to zander, which I've never fished for in tidal water.

I know people have caught them in the Hundred Foot, but have no idea how.

I also suspect my methods probably wouldn't work in such heavy flows and I'd need to sort some kind of paternoster rig for when it starts flooding or pulling off.
 
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Rob Brownfield

Guest
Chris, I am not sure of how tolerant Zander are to salt water. I think this would be the over riding factor in your hunt for tidal Zander. I cant find info on this at all..grrrrrrrr...

I guess its a case of trying....good luck!!
 
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Chris Bishop

Guest
They live in the Hundred Foot and get caught there, so they've clearly got some tolerance, although the salt probably doesn't go all the way to Earith, Welney etc.

Tidal Thames..? No idea other than pike and other coarse fish can survive a certian amount of salt.

Pioneering stuff then.
 
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Rob Brownfield

Guest
Chris, sure is. I have done a bit of pioneering with the Tay pike in the tidal section. Nothing like getting that first run!!!
 
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Chris Bishop

Guest
Wish I shared your confidence.

What I want to know is whether they get driven back upstream by the incoming salt and whether this means if you sit somewhere "fresh" at the bottom of the ebb, you can be confident they'll pass you as they get driven back up.
 
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Rob Brownfield

Guest
chris, the only thing I can say is that when after the pike, they always appeared at the same time as the Roach. The Roach appeared at low tide and stayed for about 3 hours before moving upriver. Hope this helps.
 
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Chris Bishop

Guest
The incoming salt drives them upstream. Fresh water also floats on salt or vice versa (can't remember...!) and which can make fish change depth suddenly as the flood starts.
 
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David Will

Guest
The Thurne Pike were badly hit years ago by salt ingress , but those Baltic Pike must live on the edge as far as tolerance goes.They catch them on Herring livebaits !
 
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Chris Bishop

Guest
Thurne gets hit by the algae that lives in saltwater, prymnesium. When it dies, it gives of a toxin and for some reason pike lack the warning mechanism to get out of the way.
 
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Rob Brownfield

Guest
Apparently, the Baltic pike are not that unusual. There are places in Holland where pike live in seawater and feed on herring and smelt. I have also heard of them being taken in Norway off the coast..and also Russia.

The Warren in Essex (40lb+ pike) has a very high salt content because of its closness to the Thames Estury. Salt water has flooded in on occasions with no effect...except to make it much richer.

They are truely an amazing fish.
 
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