The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Has to make one wonder about how things happen, when I left the UK 10 years ago, zander were only a problem in the fens and Ouse catchments, now I see the Grand Union, Gloucester waters, the Severn and the Trent as holding them. How long before they spread all UK water and in to still waters.

This is a reprint which sort of amazed me with it's Blasé come what may attitude and it's contradictions, my italics...

Distribution: Although zander are a relative newcomer to the British Isles, having been introduced to the Great Ouse Relief Channel in Cambridgeshire during the mid 60s, zander are now spreading rapidly. Unlike many other species of fish that have been introduced by man, the conditions in the UK appear to favour the zander and, in particular, they seem able to spawn in a wide range of British waters. This has led to the zander spreading rapidly through the inter-linked Fen river system, into the midlands canal network and into the River Severn and River Trent catchments. Despite this rapid spread, zander do not appear to represent a major threat to fisheries. Whilst zander numbers initially increase rapidly within 2-3 generations the fish become self-regulating as the larger fish predate heavily on the small fish. Populations stabilise at a low level and once again level out. The exception to this pattern is in coloured water, here zander are a very effective predator and populations tend to be much higher having a big negative impact on the populations of small silver fish, such as roach and gudgeon.

Zander do seem to self regulate and settle into their environment. If you look at the fenland rivers and drains the populations of roach and bream seem to be at a reasonable level. My experience of the Forty Foot drain and the Old River Nene around March indicates that populations of silver fish and Zander can coexist reasonably well. Zander tend to feed at the bottom of the size pyramid (ie on smaller fish) and their competitors are perch and small pike. By feeding like this they are generally taking fish before they reach breeding age and when the population of prey fish can best stand their depredations.

Not that I'm condoning the introduction of Zander, but that genie is long out of the bottle and will never be put back in. There is now nothing that can be done to limit their spread. There are already small numbers in some of the Yorkshire rivers and canals.

Rather like 'Buffalo carp' & silver carp in the US, not to mention common carp & grass carp now regarded as pests!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6iBL-I4xdk

The Idler wrote: ↑Fri Feb 10, 2012 2:49 pm I hope you filled the freezer Mark- the shoalies make fabulous eating- not unlike sea bass.

Zander make for great sport. They'll drive you mad though. Endless knocks and bumps and strikes into nothing. And if you're NOT getting bites you're in a better chance of a big solitary double. Maddening.

With my folks living almost in the Lower Severn there really is no excuse for me not holding the record. Must put more time asde for these fabulous creatures. I loves em. So much I named my son Zander. Poor sod.

I'm not mad keen on eating fish but I found Zander very tasty - in this case pan fried in butter. This unfortunate individual was deep hooked so it seemed a shame to waste it. It weighed around 4lbs and fed 3 people for 2 meals.

I had an enjoyable time fishing for them for a couple of seasons the canals around here are full of them.


One from the Grand Union that went 8lb 12oz

Are there any in the Lea?

Corneybury wrote: ↑Fri May 01, 2020 8:51 pm Are there any in the Lea?

If there are, in a decade lure fishing from Fishers Green down to the Olympic Park, I haven’t had a sniff of one or heard of one being caught.

Thanks

I just noticed I’ve been promoted to Dace (or Dave as my spellchecker has it). A fine fish which fights in proportionately to its size!

AllRounder wrote: ↑Fri May 01, 2020 7:01 pm I had an enjoyable time fishing for them for a couple of seasons the canals around here are full of them.


One from the Grand Union that went 8lb 12oz

That looks a well fed zander!