Guided Coarse Fishing - Zander  Zander are a very addictive species. This may seem to be a strange comment, but by that I mean once you catch your first one the chances are you will become addicted to catching them. Speaking personally, even after some 25+ years I still can’t catch enough of them! I think it is because they are such a mysterious and enigmatic species, that we still don’t know a great deal about. ...even after some 25+ years I still can’t catch enough of them!...When fishing for them on the drains they can & do suddenly disappear for weeks or months on end for no apparent reason and then just as suddenly reappear in numbers again. Whether they are always present, but not feeding or whether they do actually move off en mass I don’t know, but to me this behaviour only adds to their appeal to the true predator angler. Also this is now probably the only UK species that has not been “grown on” to what I would call a false size, unlike trout water pike, imported / artificially fed carp and catfish. Pellet fed barbel and chub etc etc. (although certain trout waters do now hold them)
If you like quiet solitude when fishing, then zandering on the drains is definitely the thing for you, and you can catch them in temperatures and conditions varying from 90 degrees of heat at midday to minus 10 degrees at night, and this is not just hearsay because I have personally caught zander to over 14lbs in both these extremes! Over the last 20 years or so zander have quietly populated many waters across the country, including lakes, pits, rivers, drains etc, so wherever you live in the UK I can pretty much guarantee that you won’t be far from a water holding zander, and you can fish for them with lures or baits, so give it a go. I am pretty sure that once you catch your first you will be back for more!
By using our zander guiding service we can give you a head start on location, methods, baits etc and save you a couple of seasons of hard work by providing you with the sound advise and the groundwork required to get you going on your own, with the confidence of knowing you are fishing the right places in the right way. Tackle:We can supply all tackle or you can bring your own, whatever suits you best. The tackle I use is as follows: Shimano rods in 12ft, 2lb to 2.75lb test, all through action, Shimano reels, (fished open bail) Delkim alarms on the front rest and my own make drop off indicators on the rear rest under the reel.
If you don’t have your own bivvy / brolley we will loan you JRC Sti brolley & bivvy’s, as these are fast to set up and breakdown and are virtually wind proof, which is essential on the fens in January!
Re end tackle, I have used double hooks exclusively for the last 15 years, but if you want to use your own end tackle I don’t have a problem with trebles, but like to see the barbs nipped down. (easier to unhook from landing nets @ 3am !) Wire is 15lb to 20lb, and main line is usually 12lb and if you are short of anything our shop holds plenty of predator tackle should you wish to stock up before or after our session! Take look at the Zander Fishing Gallery and see the fish caught on previous trips..... Download our Info Sheet and Booking FormAdditional information about the Zander Fishing trips
Night session:Max 12 hours per session
Meet at the shop @ 6am & travel to the chosen water in our 4wd truck. While you are setting up I will be advising you on tactics & rigs (if required) and catching the live baits. We would then leapfrog along the drain, moving spots every 30 minutes or so, using live bait and deadbaits or lures if this is your chosen method. If no fish are found or conditions on the water are not right we would then move to different areas or even change drains looking for feeding fish. When we do catch in a swim we would then spend more time in there in case it is a holding area for more fish.
There are no set hours for the day but if the fishing is good we would finish @ approx 5pm, however if the fishing is been slow I wouldn’t have a problem with staying on into dark to try to give you the best chance possible of a good days fishing.
Note: Daytime fishing is not the most productive method of zandering and you do need optimum conditions of overcast weather and coloured water to give the best chance of catching on baits, but it is certainly a method worth pursuing.
Nightime Sessions
Max 18 hours fishing per session
Meet at the shop, no later than 3 hours before dark, and drive to the chosen area in our 4WD truck. When we arrive at the chosen area, you start setting up your rods, while I advise and help, (if required) set up the bivvys and catch the live baits. Once the “camp” is set we would then spend what is left of daylight either leapfrogging the drain using baits and / or lures. As soon as the light goes we would need to be back at “camp” and setting the rods out for the night, with live / deadbaits, dependent upon conditions. I would then either drive to the nearest takeaway or we cook food on the bank. I also usually leave a tip rod out, for fresh eel baits or the occasional bonus live bait, until I retire to my bed chair.
When fishing alone I set out 3 rods, so these will also be “yours” for the night to double up on your chances of fish. If / when you get a run I will immediately come to you and assist as much or a little as you want, will net and weigh the fish, take your pictures and ensure the fish goes back safely and healthily. Re pictures, I do carry pike tubes so if weather conditions are bad I will retain the fish until first light to ensure you get good pictures.
In the morning it pays to stay on for a couple of hours after first light as this can be a productive time, so when finishing the session I will pack up camp to allow you more time on the rods. The last items to pack up are the rods and landing net !
You need to bring:- Wet weather / warm clothing inc a good pair of boots,
- A sleeping bag
- A head torch.
A current rod license, or 2 if you wish to use more than 2 rods.
To meet Environment Agency Byelaws.
We will supply all permits/ day tickets for the waters we will be fishing, transport from shop to fishing area and back, all bait and loan any tackle you may require to use during the session.
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