Zander

[marlin smith]

With the help of Fishing magic regulars i managed to catch my first ever Zander on the last day of the season on float fished live bait. I caught loads of Pike to double figures on deads but also had droped bites on deads, the bobbin lifting an inch or two then nothing i also tried a backbiter type alarm clipped tight and still sufferd droped bites. fishing a bolt type setup did not seem to make a difference,as i have to make a 300mile round trip i would appreciate any veiws on the best type of indicator.

 

[Chris Bishop]

The way they feed is different to pike.

Schoolies hunt mob-handed and you'll often get a couple of them fighting over the bait, hence the succession of sharp pulls you almost invariably miss.

This is part of the reason bolt-rigging used to have a following, ie as soon as it moves off it should prick itself.

They don't have big enough gobs to grab prey cross-wise either.

They seem to attack lives tail first, presumably to disable the bait, so you might need to look at hooking arrangements.

When it gets warmer, you'l get dropped takes off eels as well, esp on legered baits - some of the drains are full of them.

 

[Andy Doughty]

What do you mean bolt rigging used to have a following? I thought it still did!!!
I think that the way we hook baits for zander is the key to more and bigger fish. I always hook them up as if I am fishing for pike, usually smaller baits, but the same as for pike. I had a bit of luck with roach heads lip hooked on a small treble last season. Might give this more of bash next time round.
I also think that upside down baits are worth a look at.

 

[Chris Bishop]

I meant it gets slagged off a lot now, people seem to be going back to the low-res rigs again, for fear they'll drop the bait.

I've never thought they were that finicky once they were going for it, I think the way they feed makes them hard to hook rather than some super-intelligence on the fish's part.

Roll on June, I fancy giving them a bit more attention this year - in between all the other things I'm supposed to have agreed to.