Zander - ‘Under Control’?

[Rob Brownfield]

I can't help but get upset when i hear about Zander or Pike being culled. It seems such a waste. Both fish are worthy adversaries that many peolpe, including visiting foreign anglers enjoy fishing for.

i am not for one minute saying that it should not happen, as I do not know the extent of "damage" the zander are doing, but surely they can be relocated etc?

 

[Gary Knowles]

They are here now Rob and I can't ever see them being aradicated.

Perhaps I'm biased being a predator angler but I'd be tempted just to leave them alone and see if they regulate themselves. I know they are an 'alien' species and are not part of the original eco system but I would have thought if they start to 'explode' in numbers the resident pike would soon sort them out !

 

[David Will]

A lake local to me had Zander in, may still have. They culled them one year.It lies in a public park. You can imagine the public relations job that did for Angling!.

 

[snakey stewart]

I reckon this ones a real sticky one.I have no second thoughts when pulling the trigger on a mink,after all,how many bank voles have YOU seen this year?,and i would travel to catch and kill zander if i thought that my version of "whats right" was good for our waterways and natural life.But,and its a biggy but,who do we believe?The advice from known names and various authorities has wandered about a bit over the years and i for one dont have the experience to hold a valid opinion either way,or sideways!
I cant help feeling that i should have that opinion though,and i should be pushing it,either way.

 

[Trsyu Strhu]

i think it is sad that the cull of zander is still going on. i fish for zander most days this season i have had alot of big zander the best one is 13.8 lb. so i say stop to the cull of zander.

 

[Trsyu Strhu]

i think it is sad that the cull of zander is still going on. i fish for zander most days this season i have had alot of big zander the best one is 13.8 lb. so i say stop to the cull of zander.
yours rob lupton.........good fishing.write to me what you think at robert8897@talk21.com

 

[Chris Bishop]

They've admitted themselves that they can't eradicate them - the best they can do is try to keep their numbers down to a manageable level.

Like pike, culling them only creates a vacuum which rapidly fills with packs of little schoolies, which probably do more damage.

With all these plans to link up the waterways with new canals etc it'll only be a matter of time before they get virtually everywhere.

Perhaps we need to do more to promote zander fishing - they're a fantastic sporting fish and there are more and more parts of the country where you can get out and tangle with them.

 

[Chris Bishop]

On the question of do they do any harm, the evidence from Fenland is they do in the short-term, ie sharp decline in small silver fish, but in the long-term things balance out.

13:8's a big fish Rob Lupton, are you a Fen boy..?

 

[Stewart Moss]

I read recently that the Oxford Canal has a biggish Zander population; I was thinking of having a go for some as I have a ticket for the Canal above Oxford. Anyone any tips/experience on Zander on this water?