What rod is best for canal fishing?
Canal Lure Fishing Gear We recommend a 7ft dropshot rod with a 0.5 gram to 10 gram casting weight. This allows you to fish with a finesse approach and the sensitive tip of a drop shot rod will allow you to feel and see the most subtlest of bites.
How do you get zander in canals?
Heavily boated canals or deep rivers are great places to catch zander. Zander can be caught on small lures, but generally they prefer either dead baits or, better still, live baits. Using fish as bait involves the use of a double or treble hook and wire trace.
What is the best bait for zander?
Deadbaits
Best Baits Zander are carnivorous and will consume almost anything that they come into contact with, from shrimps and mussels, to other coarse fish, including even each other! Deadbaits are the best options for catching zander, with roach, a section of eel, lampray and sprats all being very effective.
Should you put zander back in the river?
Zander are currently classified by DEFRA as a non-native invasive species. As the law stands any zander or any other non-native fish caught, whether in fish rescues by the Trust or by anglers must not be returned to the canal network.
What size hooks for canal fishing?
What hook size is best for canal fishing? Common baits when canal fishing are maggots and worms. Therefore, the best size hooks for canal fishing are between size 22 and 18. The hook size that you use, should be matched to the size of your bait rather than the size of the fish you are trying to catch.
Do you need a wire trace for zander?
And so, a wire trace is technically not necessary when targeting zander. And while you could use monofilament or thinner fluorocarbon when fishing for zander, it really isn’t a good idea, as most zander venues also contain a considerable population of pike.
Can you release zander in the UK?
Natural England have responsibility for the Wildlife and Countryside Act and state that it is illegal to release species to which the Act applies without a licence, including Zander, whether this is the first or subsequent releases.
How do you get zander at night?
The zander is a rather active night hunter that can be caught on lures and natural baits. Brightly coloured softbaits on the spinning rod or a smaller popped-up deadbait on the ledger rod will yield the very best results. Both lures and dead baits should be fished on, or very close to the bottom.
Is zander good eating?
The good news is that zander are excellent to eat with flaky white flesh, so much so that they are farmed for food in Europe. Since they are non-native, it is technically illegal to return a hooked zander to British waters.