Catching pike perch on spinning in spring, summer and autumn, fishing technique

Zander – this is a predatory fish that leads a bottom lifestyle, which is not so easy to catch, but for an experienced spinning player this is not a problem, but for a beginner it is a serious occupation, sometimes ending in nothing.

There are no special secrets when catching it, but there are certain subtleties. In this article you can find a lot of information on catching zander and it can be useful for any angler status.

The choice of spinning for jig fishing for zander

This rod must be strong and reliable, as well as capable of casting heavy baits over long distances. For zander fishing, a fast or extra fast action rod with a soft and sensitive tip is suitable. Its power should be sufficient to catch medium-sized zander. Pike perch takes the bait quite carefully, so their weight should not exceed 40 grams, although in a fast current this weight may not be enough.

Typically, a rod with a test that is 10% more than the weight of the lures is used. Lures, at the same time, have a weight, as a rule, of 30-35 g. This is necessary so that there is always a margin of safety.

The length of the rod depends on the fishing conditions:

• When fishing from the shore, a short rod will not work, but a blank with a length of 2,4-3,0 meters is enough.
• When fishing from a boat, long spinning will be inconvenient, so rods with a length of 1,8-2,4 m are used.
• If there is a strong current, then a long spinning rod is selected, due to the fact that the current blows the line to the side and a short spinning rod will not be able to make a successful cut.

Reel and line

A medium-sized reel with a fishing line, 0,2-0,3 mm in diameter and 100-150 m long, is just right for such fishing. It can be inertialess coils, size 2500-3500. Be sure to have a rear clutch, because the walleye will strongly resist. It is better to take a braided line, as it stretches less than monofilament. In the presence of thickets or other obstacles, braided fishing line is more reliable and when catching individuals weighing up to 2 kg, a cord with a diameter of 0,15 mm is sufficient. During periods of high activity of pike perch, the thickness of the fishing line can be increased to 0,2 mm.

Lures for zander spinning

When jig fishing for pike perch, appropriate baits with jig heads are used:

• Vibrotails and twisters with high attractiveness for zander.
• Squids and frogs made of edible rubber. Appeared not so long ago, but are effective in spring fishing.
• Wabiki (front loaded flies).
• Spinnerbaits with silicone fish. Effective in the presence of thickets.

At the same time, do not forget about classic lures, such as oscillating and spinning lures. Their advantage is that they are reliable and do not require frequent replacement, after damage received from the teeth of a predator. For these purposes, oscillating baubles are suitable, with a length of 5 to 7 cm and a width of 1 to 2 cm. They are used when fishing at a depth of 4 meters. Spinners are convenient because they can be cast over a long distance without any problems.

Spinners do not have these characteristics, so they are used when fishing from a boat. The depth of their use is limited to 2-3 meters and are effective with increased activity of pike perch, when it attacks baits passing in the upper layers of the water.

It should be noted that modern specimens, both oscillating and spinning baubles, are quite catchy. This is due to the fact that they are performed using modern technologies, including the use of laser technology.

Wobblers, such as minnow or rattlin, have proven themselves well, both sinking and neutral.

Spinning rig

When catching zander, various types of rigs are used. Firstly, this is a classic rig that includes a jig bait attached to the end of the main line. As a rule, in those reservoirs where zander is found, pike is also found. You should always remember this and use reliable leashes that the pike is not able to bite.

Secondly, it is possible to use bypass leash. Many anglers use this rig. Its essence lies in the fact that at the end of the fishing line or cord is attached a load weighing up to 30 g, and a little higher, at a distance of 20 cm, a fluorocarbon leash, about a meter long. A light bait is attached to the leash, in the form of a twister, vibrotail, etc.

Thirdly, the equipment has proven itself well drop shot, which is effective in vertical flashing. It is good to use it when fishing from a boat or a high bank, when there is an appropriate depth, but there is no way to approach this area.

Search for parking places for zander

Pike perch prefers clean running water, so you can find it in rivers, lakes with clean water or channels. Pike perch chooses places whose depth reaches 4 meters or more. Up to 4 meters – this is the zone of vital activity of perch, and pike loves shallow water. Small rivers are characterized by the presence of one flock of pike perch, which constantly moves around the reservoir in search of food. As a rule, this is a large flock, which is not so easy to find. In this case, you have to hope for luck. But even here it is possible to single out interesting and promising places, ignoring the “suspicious areas”, where there are strong differences in depths. Pike perch can be in any place that can provide him with protection, as well as give him the opportunity to hunt. These may be thickets of aquatic vegetation or a cluster of fallen trees, as well as the presence of underwater heaps or stones.

As a rule, the capture of one zander indicates that there is a possibility of successful fishing, as a flock of zander has been found. In this case, you can not hesitate, otherwise he, at any moment, can move to another place.

Spring fishing for zander

With a gradual increase in water temperature, the activity of pike perch also increases. After a long period of starvation, he will attack any bait presented as he needs to gain strength before spawning. At this time, the spinner can count on successful fishing, while pike perch is extremely rare on the feeder.

Somewhere from mid-April to the end of May, pike perch is busy laying eggs. A flock of zander sets off in search of a suitable place in shallow water, where the water warms up much faster. They choose places that can be protected from various predatory fish that can destroy pike perch offspring. These can be places with the presence of snags, pits and depressions, as well as various heaps, including stones.

At the same time, pike perch spawns in pairs and catching it during this period is ineffective, especially since pike perch is unlikely to be interested in the bait.

After that, the fish exhausted by spawning is passive for 2 weeks. After resting and gaining some strength, pike perch gradually begins to become more active, hunting for potential prey.

But this does not mean at all that when casting, pike perch will immediately attack the bait. The biting of fish is greatly influenced by several factors, including natural ones. Particularly influenced by atmospheric indicators, such as atmospheric pressure, ambient temperature, water temperature, wind direction, etc. The bite can start suddenly and just as suddenly stop. But the most important thing is to find a place where pike perch hunts.

In spring, pike perch seek food in thickets of aquatic vegetation, such as reeds. The bait should be cast on the border of clear water and water thickets, while it is better to use a spinnerbait or a wobbler of a special design that could not be hooked.

During this period, the entry of baits of small sizes, with a jig head weight of not more than 25 g. The rod is reliable, with a fast action and a length of 2,5 to 3 meters. The thickness of the fishing line is in the range of 0,15-0,2 mm. In order to interest pike perch, which has not yet fully woken up from hibernation, stepwise wiring should be done, making short but sharp movements. For a better and more pronounced game, a rod should be connected to the wiring process.

In case of a bite, you need to make a powerful cut, given that the pike perch has a dense mouth and it is not so easy to break through it. With a weak hook, there is a chance that the walleye will simply throw the bait.

Catching pike perch in the summer on spinning

Before the start of the summer season, pike perches gather in flocks, which consist of individuals of the same size. Pike perch are caught in the water column at a depth of 0,5 to 2 meters. In this case, various types of wiring are used, probing various temperature layers. It is very important that the water is clean, and there are no foreign inclusions in it that can cling to the fishing line. In such conditions it is very difficult to count on the catch

Large individuals, in the summer, hunt alone in areas where clean running water prevails and it is difficult to catch them on spinning. They prefer deep places where there are differences in depths. They can be found in estuaries, small rivers flowing into lakes or large rivers.

The most suitable time for catching zander are morning and evening hours. In the daytime, especially when it is very hot, all fish, including the “trifle”, prefer places with cooler water.

The most suitable snaps will be classic and with a retractable leash.

Catching pike perch in autumn on spinning

In the autumn, when the water temperature begins to drop, the pike perch gathers in flocks, where the young growth is also located. With a decrease in water temperature, the predator also drops lower and lower. During this period, they can be obtained at depths of 5 m or more. In the end, zander can sink to a depth of 10 meters and deeper. To catch him, you will have to use jig heads, weighing 20-28 g and heavier. It all depends on the presence and strength of the current. The faster the current, the more weight the bait should have. It is very important that when winding it comes off the bottom, and when it pauses, it reaches the bottom.

The strategy of catching this fish in different periods remains unchanged. The main thing is to find a feeding flock, after which, you need to make casts with the appropriate wiring. With the cessation of biting, you should change the point of fishing. This means that the pike perch has left this place and now it will have to be looked for elsewhere in the water area. It is better to have a boat and an echo sounder to search for pike perch sites. This approach with the presence of these devices greatly simplifies the search for fish.

When fishing for pike perch on spinning, you need to remember:

• It’s harder to find than to catch.
• Most of all, pike perch shows its activity during the spawning period and when the first ice appears.
• In summer it is less active.
• Only a sharp and powerful hooking can ensure the capture of pike perch.
• Pike perch are constantly migrating, so you need to be prepared for a change in fishing location.
• While fishing for pike perch, you can also catch a Berish – its relative. It has a duller coloration and larger eyes. It is colder to the touch than zander.