# Zanders in Deep Mountain Lakes



## 18466

Hello. I live in France and fish for zanders which are a cousin to North America's walleye. Fishing techniques are about the same.

Does anyone have experience fishing for walleye in deep mountain lakes that have been created by damming streams? I fish these kind of lakes here where depths reach over 300 feet and average depts are 100+ even immediately off the points. The shoreline and bottom are composed of granite and pebbles with a bit of sand close to islands. I do ok close to islands after the spawn catching fish in around 40 to 60 feet on sandy flats using blade baits, plastic and hair jigs, and slip sinkers.

I especially run into trouble in mid to late Fall when the fish should be really biting. However they seem to disappear. At the same time, the electrical power company is dropping the the water levels to create electricity. I spot suspended fish anywhere from 100 to 150 feet (don't know what kind) but don't know how to get to them. I've tried halfheartedly to jig for a few seconds but can you jig for suspened fish this deep?

One big problem in France is trolling and night fishing are forbidden.

I'd like to chat with anyone who may have an idea what the seasonal patterns could be for these fish and what to fish with.

Thanks.


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## nodakoutdoors.com

Welcome to the forum.



> One big problem in France is trolling and night fishing are forbidden.


Is there a reason for this? I'm just curious why it is outlawed.

In the state of North Dakota here in the U.S. - we have one lake that was stocked years back with Zander. There was one around 28" or so if I remember correctly pulled out of it the other year. And it was released.


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## 18466

Chris Hustad said:


> Welcome to the forum.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> One big problem in France is trolling and night fishing are forbidden.
> 
> 
> 
> Is there a reason for this? I'm just curious why it is outlawed.
> 
> In the state of North Dakota here in the U.S. - we have one lake that was stocked years back with Zander. There was one around 28" or so if I remember correctly pulled out of it the other year. And it was released.
Click to expand...

Hello

I think I saw an article about the zander being caught in North Dakota and it was caught by a lady angler.

Regarding trolling and night fishing in France, I believe these laws date way back to when there was a lot of poaching done at night. There probably were not enough game wardens willing to work at night to catch the poachers. In any case, we can't get the law to change here. France is a hard place to get things changed.

Aside my problem of finding the fish in my lakes, I'd be interested if some of your readers are having problems with cormorants. These birds have practically wiped out the pike, perch and zander in northern and central France. We can't get them off the endangered species list in order to declare them a nuisance and cull them.


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## Dick Monson

> I'd be interested if some of your readers are having problems with cormorants.


It's the same here in the upper midwest of USA. Their numbers have exploded. Where once they were not protected by law they now enjoy that coverage. Since we have gone into the wet cycle their food base increased, so did the population.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y

DO you guys think they will ever open a season on them?

Man do you think they are at 150 feet? I didn't think walleye, like fish would live that deep? Humm very interesting. Bottom bouncer??


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## schultz345

they for sure wouldn't be able to be released after pulling them up from that kind of water, but i'm sure depending on temperatures and food fish will dive deep, even that deep. i've caught perch in 60 feet of water before, but nothing deeper then that besides salmon and trout out on superior.


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## 18466

schultz345 said:


> they for sure wouldn't be able to be released after pulling them up from that kind of water, but i'm sure depending on temperatures and food fish will dive deep, even that deep. i've caught perch in 60 feet of water before, but nothing deeper then that besides salmon and trout out on superior.


I definitely can't release the fish which is unfortunate. Some of the bigger perch (3 & 4 pounds) are coming from 80 foot depths. One thing I did figure out in these waters is that braided and superlines with a flurocarbon leader are a must to keep the fish hooked. Otherwise there is too much line stretch and they get off.

I sometimes see fish suspended in the middle of nowhere anywhere from 30 to 100 feet. I guess my question would be, how to fish this deep if you can't use trolling boards? Does a bottom bouncer actually have to be on the bottom or can you drift with them in the middle of the water column? Is a jig only effective if jigged on the bottom or can you jig suspended fish?

Regarding cormorants, I read that 25 years ago, they were almost eliminated by pesticides. So, they were declared endangered and protected. Culling eggs for human consumption (for centuries a Scandanavian practice) was banned. This has allowed them to proleferate to such an extent.

Since cormorants have emptied the shallower rivers in our area, I have to drive 600 kilometers trailering my boat to fish these deep lakes. Since a cormorant can dive and swim in depths up to 30 feet for a minute, the fish in the lakes can only find refuge below this depth.

If you start catching fish in your area with lacerations or puncture wounds, and wonder what's going on, you can bet your area is being infested by the bird.


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## chris lillehoff

in alaska you can shoot 6 per day. Non tox shot of course.


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## 18466

chris lillehoff said:


> in alaska you can shoot 6 per day. Non tox shot of course.


Only six a day for all of the state? Is this per hunter? If it is sixtee in all, that doesn't seem like many. Anway, who would be around to check for so few. Here, there is a financial penalty and jailtime if you shoot one. In November we counted a thousand flying over our village head in a period of fifteen minutes.


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## blhunter3

The lake in ND where the zander are stocked, I was there the other day and saw quite a few on the aquaveiw. they wouldnt bite at all. How come more people havent caught them?


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## 18466

blhunter3 said:


> The lake in ND where the zander are stocked, I was there the other day and saw quite a few on the aquaveiw. they wouldnt bite at all. How come more people havent caught them?


As you have probably noticed, I am not an expert angler so I don't know why they weren't biting.

However, I have caught walleyes in the US and they look exactly like zanders except the white spot on the zander's tail may be a bit less pronounced. Also, zanders seem to grow larger. I caught a 17 pound fish in the 90's and a couple of 14 pounders. 20+lb fish are not uncommon in Benelux and other European and Eastern European countries.

I only use American artificial baits and techniques here and catch more than most of my friends, so I guess the two species have to be pretty similar. One thing though, is live bait fisherman here use really big shiners (4 to 6 inches) and even the little zander go for them. I wish there was some kind of jig that could handle that big a live bait. Even with a soft rod and gentle cast, a big live bait rips off after a few casts.

By the way, zanders and walleys taste the same.


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## nodakoutdoors.com

[email protected] said:


> I sometimes see fish suspended in the middle of nowhere anywhere from 30 to 100 feet. I guess my question would be, how to fish this deep if you can't use trolling boards? Does a bottom bouncer actually have to be on the bottom or can you drift with them in the middle of the water column? Is a jig only effective if jigged on the bottom or can you jig suspended fish?


I recommend looking into "snap weights" or using leadcore. Snap weights are weights that attached to your line to get it down to a controlled depth. Leadcore is a heavy line that accomplishes the same thing.


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## 18466

Chris Hustad said:


> [email protected] said:
> 
> 
> 
> I sometimes see fish suspended in the middle of nowhere anywhere from 30 to 100 feet. I guess my question would be, how to fish this deep if you can't use trolling boards? Does a bottom bouncer actually have to be on the bottom or can you drift with them in the middle of the water column? Is a jig only effective if jigged on the bottom or can you jig suspended fish?
> 
> 
> 
> I recommend looking into "snap weights" or using leadcore. Snap weights are weights that attached to your line to get it down to a controlled depth. Leadcore is a heavy line that accomplishes the same thing.
Click to expand...

Chris

Does this mean that drifting a slipsinker rig with a night crawler at the end works in the middle of the water column? Don't the fish see all the weights, swivel and stuff? If it's worth a try, I'll do it because it's windy up there and I've got a wind sock. Do you think jigging way off the bottom could work? Seems to me that fishing slowly in mid depth gives the fish more time to inspect the bait and turn it down. Again, I've only tried these techniques halfheartedly.


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## Gildog

You could try jigging spoons for the suspended fish...these are pretty large, flashy spoons that work for strippers in relatively deep water. Here in Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas reservoirs, an occasional big walleye will be taken while jigging for big strippers.

Use your electronics to stay on top of the fish and jig vertically.


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## Gildog

you should be able to catch suspended fish drifting the live bait rig...also use that technique on reservoirs. Often the target is catfish or strippers so the baits are large.

Use a 3 way swivel, with appropriate weight attached with a length of line, so the weight will be below the depth of the bait. A leader with hook is atached to the other part of the three way swivel. This is used very widely for drift fishing to cover lots of water here in the midwest.


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## nodakoutdoors.com

Given I've never fished for Zander, just walleyes, the snap weight method works. I rarely use it for crawlers though, I use them for trolling crankbaits.

Below is a good idea too, and is much easier in calmer conditions.



Gildog said:


> You could try jigging spoons for the suspended fish...these are pretty large, flashy spoons that work for strippers in relatively deep water. Here in Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas reservoirs, an occasional big walleye will be taken while jigging for big strippers.
> 
> Use your electronics to stay on top of the fish and jig vertically.


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## Gildog

The basic method to fish a jigging spoon is to snap the rod up so the lure rises fast, then allow it to fall on its own...it will flutter down in an eratic motion. The idea is to mimic an injured baitfish, and stimulate the fish to take advantage of an easy meal. It can be used aggressively to find hungry fish and cover much water.

If you use it this way, it isn't nearly as boring as working a leadhead jig--which is usually fished much slower. Of course, using a leadhead is not boring if it's catching fish!


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## 18466

Gildog said:


> The basic method to fish a jigging spoon is to snap the rod up so the lure rises fast, then allow it to fall on its own...it will flutter down in an eratic motion. The idea is to mimic an injured baitfish, and stimulate the fish to take advantage of an easy meal. It can be used aggressively to find hungry fish and cover much water.
> 
> If you use it this way, it isn't nearly as boring as working a leadhead jig--which is usually fished much slower. Of course, using a leadhead is not boring if it's catching fish!


I tried this for about 5 seconds and gave up but your post now gives me confidence about this technique. Do you recommend any particular brand spoon? Is this only a cold water bait or can it work all year round? If spoons can work in mid depths I guess the same would apply to a blade bait? The zanders feed on perch and large shiners.


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## Gildog

Kastmasters, swedish pimple, Crocodile are some of the brands I've used...Try to match the size of the local baitfish.

I've seen cicada (sp) baits used too.

Seems like it should work on your zander.


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## 18466

Gildog said:


> Kastmasters, swedish pimple, Crocodile are some of the brands I've used...Try to match the size of the local baitfish.
> 
> I've seen cicada (sp) baits used too.
> 
> Seems like it should work on your zander.


I've got these and will try them in 2 months when the ice is off (ice fishing is not allowed here either).

Thanks everyone for your input.


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## Gildog

Man, that is a bummer--no ice fishing allowed?

any Nodakoutdoors could insert a joke here!! ice fishing is a way of life!


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## nodakoutdoors.com

That is rough. Ice fishing is something you need to experience.


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## 18466

Chris Hustad said:


> That is rough. Ice fishing is something you need to experience.


Just to recap. No ice fishing, no trolling, no night fishing, and they are even debating vertical fishing if you use a motor to control the boat. Normally you have to be anchored. And a fishing licence "only" costs $100...


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## HUNTNFISHND

[email protected] said:


> Just to recap. No ice fishing, no trolling, no night fishing, and they are even debating vertical fishing if you use a motor to control the boat. Normally you have to be anchored. And a fishing licence "only" costs $100...


I'd shoot myself! :eyeroll:


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## Lo_rez

Bait color is also very import for your presentation. Here is a good article on color and Walleye.

http://www.walleyecentral.com/articles/?a=171

Also, don't forget about crank baits (Rapala). They are very effective for catching walleye.


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## Horker23

Only a $100. wow. that would be hard for me to pay being a resident. There must not be much funding that goes into game warden/ natural resources


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## ruger1

Tomarena, those are some messed up laws you guys have over there. Ice fishing is more than fishing. It's a way of life. Not to mention all the other valuable techniques that are banned. I can't even imagine living in a country with laws like that.


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## Honkerhornet

thats france for ya haha


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