Canal Fishing by Dominic Garnett

Author:Dominic Garnett [Dominic Garnett]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781906122850
Publisher: Merlin Unwin Books Limited
Published: 2017-06-01T16:00:00+00:00

Lures and Mobile Methods

Another popular way to catch zander is with a light lure fishing outfit. This has the added advantage of mobility, which is a real plus for any new water or one with few obvious features, where you are not sure where the fish will turn up.

Zander are certainly excellent at detecting prey in unsavoury conditions and much of the time it is the angler’s confidence that suffers in murky water, rather than the zander’s uncanny ability to locate the target. In fact my lure angling friend John Cheyne has had some hectic action with lures just after a boat has passed through lock gates, the sudden increase in water colour and movement serving to disorientate bait fish and give zander the perfect opportunity to go on the offensive. That said, the fishing often gets easier from October onwards, when boat traffic slows down and autumn rainwater freshens up the canal, making for slightly better clarity and active fish.

As with bait fishing tactics, tackle and lures tend to be scaled down for zander fishing. A light lure fishing rod with a crisp tip section is ideal for working lures in the 2-3 inch bracket and enjoying a good scrap with the typical ‘school’ zander of 2-3lb. Traditional diving plugs and spinners can work, but the most widely effective zander lure is the more modern soft ‘shad’ style jig. These can be worked slowly and ‘jigged’ across the deck with little twitches of the rod tip where required – and it is almost always the bottom foot of water where the zander will be found. Models with a single, upturned hook are ideal for canal fishing as they pick up less debris than other models. More notes on this method can be found in the chapter on lure fishing.

The author fishes a junction between canals, a likely passing point for zander.

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