Some anglers mistakenly believe the zander to be a cross between a pike and a perch, in trueth the zander is no relation to the pike at all, but the biggest European member of the perch family. The zander was first introduced into British waters in 1963 and they have quickly spread and can now be found in canals, stillwaters, drains and slow-moving rivers. Zander are highly effecient predators which hunt in packs when they are young.

The best time to fish for zander is at night, their large, cold glassy eyes allowing them to hunt in the dark. Windy conditions that create ripples increase your chance even more. Hot bright sunny days are to be avoided , in fact zander much prefer dark sheltered areas of water. Only if there is flooding or discoloured water will zander hunt during the day.Unlike the pike it will not eat seafish bait, but will only consume fish it eats in the wild. They have small mouths so only fishbaits no larger than 4 inches should be used; always use fresh fish rather than frozen. Zander are also very cautious to it is important to watch your rod at all times for if they feel any resistance in the bait they will most likely let it go. Zander present a real challenge, which is why, despite their lack of fighting prowess, a thriving zander club has sprung up.