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To catch this fish is the ultimate dream of every fisherman who is engaged in catching a predator, including zander. Not only is it a delicious fish, but it is also amazing. Pike perch leads a mostly benthic way of life. Being in absolute darkness, he perfectly sees his victim. Moreover, he prefers to hunt at night.
To catch this nocturnal predator, you should choose the right gear, depending on the method of catching it, as well as the characteristics of the reservoir.
Spinning tackle for zander
Spinning tackle for zander fishing consists of the following main elements:
- spinning rod;
- inertialess coil;
- main line;
- bait.
Rod selection
Spinning fishing is characterized by the fact that you need to constantly cast. So that fishing from a vacation does not turn into a tedious activity that takes a lot of strength and energy, you should choose the right rod. It should be light and comfortable.
The length of the rod is selected within 2,4-3 meters. The further you plan to cast the bait, the longer the rod should be. In addition, the presence of various kinds of vegetation on the shore of the reservoir suggests the use of blanks no longer than 2,4 m. If you plan to fish from a boat, then a spinning rod 1,8 meters long is enough.
The action of the rod is usually fast, which is typical for hard blanks. This is necessary in order to quickly fix bites and produce hard hooks. The mouth of the zander is quite powerful and without a pronounced hooking, it is unlikely that it will be possible to catch this predator.
The rod test is at least 50 g, since you have to fish at a considerable depth (5-6 meters), using weighty baits. The use of light baits is not justified due to the fact that they are quickly carried away by the current from the fishing point. The minimum test indicator is 10 g.
Coil selection
For beginner anglers, it is enough to choose an inexpensive reel that has minimal functionality. Fishing for zander does not require fine tuning of gear. Over time, when experience comes, the issue can be resolved in favor of using a better, more expensive coil. In this case, it is better to have a quality rod equipped with fishing line and sharp hooks.
As a rule, in our time, most spinning players install spinning reels, as they are more convenient and cheaper than multiplier ones, for example. Although, recently, some spinning players prefer multiplier reels. Whether this is justified is up to the angler. When choosing, you should pay attention to the material of manufacture: metal coils are more reliable and durable. This is especially true for the design of the spool and the mechanism of the line stacker.
If we take the Shimano classification as a basis, then the size 2500-3000 is quite enough. For zander fishing, the following models are suitable:
- Shimano Catana 2500FA;
- RED ARK 10300 or 10200;
- Shimano Firеblood 2500FA;
- Jimmy Morrison;
- Spro Red Ark 3000.
Selection of fishing line for spinning
As far as we know, braided line has the best performance in terms of spinning rigging. It is stronger than monofilament line and has a minimum stretch factor, which makes spinning more sensitive to bites. In addition, this line allows you to carry out long-distance casts without problems, which is very important. The thickness of the braided cord can be in the range of 0,12-0,18 mm, while the diameter of the monofilament line can be 0,16-0,35 mm. This is due to the fact that the braid, with the same diameter, has a greater tensile strength. The choice of fishing line depends on the fishing conditions, as well as on the size of the fish that can bite.
The best artificial lure for zander
With the advent of baits from ordinary, and then from edible silicone, almost immediately solved most of the problems when fishing for zander. Pike perch is perfectly caught on twisters and vibrotails equipped with jig heads. A similar bait made of silicone, especially edible silicone, works flawlessly, forcing pike perch to attack the bait. Recently, silicone baits have appeared that imitate various insects, bugs, as well as small animals, which puts silicone baits out of competition.
In addition to silicone baits, you can catch pike perch with other equally catchy baits. They may be:
- foam fish;
- spinnerbaits;
- spinners;
- wobblers.
Live tackle for zander
You can use live bait when fishing for zander on any gear, for example:
- float rod;
- bottom gear;
- on circles.
The main requirement for such gear is the use of fishing line and live bait. The thickness of the fishing line is taken in the range of 0,2-0,3 mm. As for the live bait, its choice depends on the tackle used, as well as the estimated size of the pike perch, which will be interested in the live bait. At the same time, one should not forget that high-quality, sharp hooks increase the chances of catching a predator.
In hard-to-reach places, it is better to use a float tackle. It allows more accurate casting, for example, between snags or in a clear water window where there is no vegetation. If the predator is nearby, then the bite will not have to wait long. If there are no bites for a long time, then you can move on to another promising place.
In areas of the reservoir where there are no thickets or blockages of fallen trees, it is better to use bottom gear. Most anglers prefer this particular tackle. At the same time, you need to remember that other fish, such as catfish or pike, can also bite on the donk, not to mention the perch.
Most spinningists claim that bleak is the best live bait when catching zander. Most likely, this is due to the fact that it is included in the daily diet of pike perch, and it attacks such a live bait without fear. But this does not mean at all that it is impossible to catch zander on such a live bait as:
- loach;
- ersh;
- bitter;
- sandblaster
- minnow and others.
Video “Equipment for catching zander”
Jig Lure Proper Equipment