For several years, traditionally in October I go fishing for zander. Relatively numerous of them occur in the Vistula (even in the center of Warsaw between bridges) it does not force you to go on long trips. A few-kilo "sandal", hauled out briskly by wagging its tail, always gives me enormous fun. The time of fishing provides additional emotions: a chance to meet a specimen on a brisk morning or on a gray light, and even at night.
My zander spinning technique is – or a specific "sit", so in absolute stillness waiting for the approach of a preying predator (to be even less visible in the evening dusk, I sometimes sit on a folding chair), or even more exciting night wading in the river.
Technique, technique, but with what… to fish. Currently, there are many spinning rods on the angling market – perfect for zander fishing. Similarly with reels. So it's just worth remembering, that a zander rod (approx. long 3 m) it should not be too stiff, but at the same time with a delicate tip. However, this delicacy should not be exaggerated. Because when fishing often in deep places behind the Vistula heads, I necessarily use larger lead heads. Sticking the "quivering tip" to a spinning rod, yes, undoubtedly increases the possibility of better understanding the subtleties of the delicate plucking of the "sandal", but on the other hand it eliminates heavily loaded lures, thus eliminating the penetration of the bottom layers of deep river pits where these fish often stick.
Watch out for the line. This is a very important element of the zander set. And it is not about its thickness (fishing in the Vistula, due to numerous snags, use larger sections – 0,22 – 0,25 Mm), but about color. In the evening dusk it is important to have the best visibility of the line, that's why I gave up the light line in favor of the yellow-green fluo. Thanks to my fluo, I can now see a slight loosening of the line much better, once the ripper touched the bottom and its subtle strokes by the cautious fish.
Zander has something of a cat in it. And from the eyes shining in the light of the flashlight, and out of character. Just like a cat, it is invariably prompted by the rapid acceleration of the prey escaping from its teeth. Bearing in mind the cat's nature of the zander, the artificial lures guided by me move across the water in bends, it sinks to the bottom, stirring up so tempting zander puffs of silt there, then they rise again in rapid acceleration to the surface. I don't need to add, I guess, that the bites of these predators most often happen to me during this acceleration, or the free fall of the artificial bait. For such a game, triggering the instinct of grasping the cat's jaws in a cat's zander, what escapes so suddenly from under his nose, suitable – in my opinion - rippery is best, twisters and killershady (a fish made of soft plastic with characteristic vertical cuts on the tail).
From the group of the so-called. In my opinion, the most effective soft lures are rippers and killer shads in length 8 Cm, in pearly-white color, possibly with glitter. My zander also often like killer shads that shine with phosphor. To get better, more lively work of the tail of the bait, you can reduce its thickness by thinning with small manicure scissors, or after soaking in boiling water, you can stretch the ripper or killer shada lengthwise.
Soft baits are fine, in my opinion, best for penetrating all depressions in the river bed, and also for long-distance fishing. A ripper with a larger head can be thrown far and accurately, like the formerly popular spoon.
When the sun in the red glow is already melting in the Vistula and it gradually gets darker over the water, night predator – pike perch, comes to the shore to hunt, especially if there are sticks and stones at this edge. I hear his splash over and over again.
In place of, in which the circles on the water are still spreading, I now advise you to cast a medium-sized floating wobbler immediately. A few turns of the handle, acceleration, braking… and here's the fish! But the biggest zanders (unless, of course, I scare them off by walking too loudly on the shore) they will come closer only at full dusk. I will certainly not see the places where the fish hit and the diverging circles on the water, but from what hearing. In night fishing, the floating wobbler definitely wins with a soft elastic. A loud splash on the right, somewhere nearby…
Light, I don't have to throw the eight-centimeter wobbler very far in the dark. It is only important to get there roughly, where he has just chased the fish.
