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Description:
The scientific name is Sander lucioperca (or Stizostedion lucioperca), and it is closely allied to perch. Zander are often called pike-perch as they resemble the pike with their elongated body and head, and the perch with their spiny dorsal fin. Zander are not, as is commonly believed, a pike and perch hybrid. Because of their design of teeth & eyes, there is little escape for the victims. The eyes are much larger than the Pike and have a reflective material behind the eyeball that helps them get the maximum usage of low light conditions, and are often nocturnal feeders. In later years of their life they grow four large incisor teeth, which are used to grab their prey before turning them and swallowing, adapting their diet to the most abundant food source available. The mouth is large compared with the perch and ruffe, but small relative to the cavernous jaws of the pike. What the zander's jaws lack in size however, they make up for in the size of the teeth they contain. On both, the front of the lower and upper jaws are found pairs of large fang-like teeth. These fit into hollows in the opposite side of the jaws and are used to stab the prey, inflicting a fatal wound They are particularly well adapted to life in still waters or sluggish flowing waters, sparsely vegetated, and murky waters. A fierce predator but prefers to hunt its prey in open water, the younger Zander hunt in shoals, but as they grow larger a more solitary existence is adopted.
Rigs for catching zander must be free running as the key to good presentation is essential to minimise resistance, any pressure felt by the fish and they drop the bait.
The best method of catching one is a free running lead ledgered bait, although float paternoster does take the odd fish it is the former method that has been more successful.
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