Hi all,

I am in Holland with work and so have been trying the local canals and channels for pike and zander on fly. The pike have been playing but I ve only "fluked" I think one zander in a larger channel on a di 7 with a bass clouser. Does anybody have any ideas for increasing my catch rate...preferably not spinning as I only have my fly rod or changing the time of year!

Ed

Ed,
I seem to recall many a Zander landed on the fly at a certain Anglian Water reservoir, but if I remember all the flies where dressed with a "redgill" sandell body attached.

Not that thats going to help you any

Try posting the same question on the PFFA website..many of the chaps there have had zander on the fly.

I ve caught a few myself from rutland though these were smaller than the ones I am hoping to catch in holland...mine came to small trout lures whilst trout fishing. So thanks for the thought of using a rubber tailed type fly that would be smiliar to the jigs that the local dutch anglers use.

In Holland Zander are typically found in deeper water and hate to say this but the tactic normally used is a spin rod with a jig. The idea is to let the jig sink to the bottom or near and then simply jig the rod up and down until you get a take. You might get the odd Zander or two in the canals but generally speaking they are not deep enough. Pike should not be problem and a floater shoud more then sufficient.

I've caught plenty of them from Rutland and Grafham on dare I say it a"FLY"...my best being 14lb 14oz..

The best pattern I've got is a Waggie Tube ...basically a Mr Twister Tail (Bass Lure) on a single hook that's threaded onto a foam bodied tube (Silver & Gold Tube"..The whole pattern is about 4" long...fished with a slow roly poly...this way you get vibration and movement which stimulates the fish !

Big Silver and White Boobies also work (about 3-4" long) as do Minkies of about 4".....

Best colour Minkies are Orange with Pearl Litebright Body......Dark Brown With Pearl light Bright Body..

I know the flies aren't to everyones taste but they are very effective.

Cheers Rob

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Theres an article on zander in one of the magazines this month, trout fisherman i think, of maybe total flyfisher will check which when i get home.

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Around the steel no tortur'd worm shall twine,
No blood of living insect stain my line;
Let me, less cruel, cast feather'd hook,
With pliant rod athwart the pebbled brook,
Silent along the mazy margin stray,
And with fur-wrought fly delude the prey

It's in Trout Fish as I did it last year when they were really on !

Everything you need to know is in there...but it's not exactly traditional !

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I think Zander are more adept at hunting by smell and movement than pike and therefore tend to outcompete pike in coloured water. Perhaps look for a water with what you might consider less that ideal clarity for fly fishing, and use a fly with a big bulky head to move water well or even tie in a small rattle.

I've tried the rattle in Pike Flies and Zander flies..

Personally I like the Vibration caused by a Plastic tail....redgill or Mr Twister.

As regards coloured water.....all the course fishing books say that Zander feed best in low light/coloured water etc....

But on the reservoirs Grafham/Rutland...the opposite is true in my experience...clear water is best.....by a long way.

But then that may be because i'm 35ft deep at Grafham and around 50ft at Rutland..

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Rob,

Thanks for the advice on flies... the one zander in Holland I had so far was from the North sea canal on a 6 inch black and red bunnie.

It is ironic that as I live so close to both rutland and grafham that I ve waited till I am out here to try and catch a decent one. Too much time spent trout bothering....

Perhaps I ll have a go later this year when I get back.

Ed