Zander fishing: how to lure this difficult fish?

Zander is undoubtedly one of the most difficult predators to identify for lure fishermen. Fantastical and at the same time mysterious, pike-perch fishing becomes a real drug for the followers of this fish with such a characteristic touch. This very specific "knock" that you feel at the end of your rod and that so many anglers are looking for. 

Zander is an enigma in the fishing world. This is why we wanted to dedicate an article to it. Perhaps it will be able to help fishermen, enthusiasts or amateurs, to better understand this carnivore emblematic of our French waters.

Zander fishing: knowing the fish above all

Introduced on our territory in the 20th century, the zander has today become an emblematic fish of our French waters. The pike-perch generally evolves in the calm and deep parts of our waterways such as ponds, dam lakes or slow-flowing rivers. It finds in these places an ideal habitat where it lives and hunts in shoals, at least up to a certain size. It is particularly fond of open water with hard bottoms, without mud or vegetation, as well as banks with obstacles.

The zander is a lucifuge fish, ie which flees the light. Its activity is mainly crepuscular and nocturnal. The peak of pike-perch activity is generally between 6 p.m. and midnight. Of a sedentary nature, the zander is however able to cover great distances depending on the water temperature, especially in females.

Although some people prefer pike perch fishing in winter, it should be noted that its activity is maximum in summer, corresponding to the growth period of the species. 

With this brief description in mind, it is now necessary to define the techniques that one wishes to implement, whether by boat or on board.

Zander fishing: the choice of techniques

Zander is mainly fished with soft lures in linear or vertical lines, even if it can be targeted in some cases with hard lures such as crankbaits or jerkbaits. At certain times of fishing, these will even take precedence over the best soft lures. 

What is certain in zander fishing is that it has the gift of disconcerting you. Indeed, the pike-perch adopts so many different behaviors over the course of a season that it is up to the fisherman to adapt, him and his fishing equipment.

If the water is very turbid and you are fishing near the edges, linear fishing is often a good solution, especially in winter.

If you are from a boat and you are fishing in deeper parts of the watercourse, you can opt for the vertical by favoring two approaches.

A quick approach with shad type lures

The goal here is to cover as much water as possible and to trigger reflex hits in active fish. Prefer regular, clean and uncluttered backgrounds to avoid any snags. In this case, the large plateaus can prove to be very good spots for zander fishing with this type of technique.

A very slow approach with finesse type lures

The aim here is to gently move the lure about fifteen centimeters from the bottom with a almost zero animation. It is therefore better to be sure of your position for this type of technique because this fishing can quickly be discouraging. Once on the good spot, you will be surprised by the violence of the attacks on a lure which however is hardly animated!

Zander fishing: the details that make the difference

Zander is a color-sensitive fish. The choice of the right lure but especially the right color according to the environment and the season is therefore a crucial element to take into account. In turbid waters, start with use in priority fairly visible models, even flashy: fire tiger, fluo, chartreuse, … Depending on the reactions obtained and the clarity of the water, switch to more neutral and natural colors: Ghost blue, Ayu, Dark brown,…

Besides colors, don't forget to use soft lures with attractant. The pikeperch usually keeps the lure in its mouth, but spits it out immediately in case of doubt. The attractant will keep your lure a little longer in its mouth and thus ensure better hooking of the fish.

For zander fishing, don't forget to add a fluorocarbon leader. In the case of light and small size lures (8 to 10 cm and less than 10gr), a leader of a maximum of 20/100 is strongly recommended. For fishing with slightly heavier lures, choose a 22/100 leader 4 meters long. This will reduce the detection capacity of this percid whose sensitivity is higher than other predators.

So don't forget to take versatile rods with you, which can be adapted to vertical as well as linear fishing. The all-purpose rod does not exist so do not hesitate to take several as far as possible in order to avoid missing out on the fishing of the moment.

As you will have understood, pike-perch fishing, above all, is something to be anticipated!

Zander fishing: vary the animation of your lures

According to the changing mood of this fish, do not hesitate to vary the animation of your lures. Start with animations made of small twitches making it easier to hit active fish, to move to slower animations in case of refusal.

Do not hesitate to change the weights of the jig heads of your lures. Indeed, the sinking speed of your lure is one of the most important factors in zander fishing. The type of evolution of the lure, depending on whether it is fluid or jerky, will also be of considerable importance. Do not neglect this factor by playing on the different animations of your lures to detect the pattern of the moment.

Pike-perch fishing in flood: a moment not to miss

Everyone knows that periods of high water are times not to be missed for pike-perch fishing which then experiences sometimes phenomenal peaks in activity.

During the flood, the fish are most often attached to vibrating lures. So use lures with strong vibrations and equipped with jig heads type Foot Head. These jig heads indeed allow more vibration and more lure rolling than other jig heads. 

The color of the lure is again decisive when looking for zander in times of flooding. Here are some tips to help choose the color according to the flood period.

The beginning of the flood

The water begins to tint and the level rises more or less quickly. The beginning of this phase corresponds to a period of significant activity for the zander. During the beginning of the flood, favor natural colors (ghost brown, ayu, even white) if the color of the water is not yet strongly tinted. The fish are not necessarily very big but the bites are violent and numerous. 

The peak of the flood

This is the most intense moment of the flood. The water is very heavy and the fish have left the bed of the river to colonize the cushions and other places which offer them areas for retreat but also for hunting. In this case, fluorescent colors often make the difference: yellow, pink, chartreuse, firetiger, ... The fishing conditions are generally difficult and the bites not too many. On the other hand, this is the moment when you are most likely to come across a trophy fish.

The decline

Difficult to put a color forward during the decline. The river clearing up little by little, lures with natural colors will gradually take precedence over fluorescent lures. However, the whimsical and changeable behavior of the zander can also cause it to crack on fluo even with relatively clear water.

There is always one color better than the others. Also, do not hesitate to regularly change the lure in the absence of a key and also in the case of missed keys. Little tip, if the fish make slightly shy touches on slightly neutral lures, adding a fluorescent jig head can change everything...

Zander fishing: Learn alongside a fishing guide

You would have understood it, pike-perch fishing requires meticulousness but above all experience and practice to better understand its behavior. Even with this knowledge, it is sometimes very complicated to know why zander start to target a lure or a type of vibration compared to another... 

Whether in casting or in spinning, at jerkbait or in vertical, using a zander fishing guide can therefore prove to be a good solution so as not to waste time for learn fishing with pike perch. Their expertise will help you broaden your horizons and increase the quality as well as the quantity of the keys.

For those for whom the pike perch fishing still remains a mystery, our fishing guides will share with you their techniques to understand this fabulous percussion that populates our waters.