Zander fishing

Sander lucioperca

About Zander

A dusk and night hunter with superb low-light vision. Thrives in turbid, warm water. In clear lakes it sits deep through the day and slides up onto shallow flats once the light goes. Wind that stirs the water and colours it can start the feeding hours early. A soft plastic on a jig head, worked slowly along the bottom, is still the most consistent way to find one.

Typical size: Usually 45-70 cm, big fish over 80 cm. Record (approx.): ≈ 12 kg.

Season, time and habitat

Best season

Jun-Aug

Best time

Dusk, night

Habitat

Lake, River

Season by month

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Darker cell = more active that month. Based on the species' usual yearly rhythm.

Lures and baits that work

Soft-plastic jig Let the jig sink to the bottom and work it with small lifts and pauses. Stay in contact with the line; takes usually come on the drop. Check price on Amazon

Crankbait Retrieve so the plug dives and wobbles. Add pauses and twitches to trigger strikes, or troll it behind the boat. Check price on Amazon

Trolling Pull lures behind a slow-moving boat, often with downriggers or planer boards for depth. Cover water to find the fish. Check price on Amazon

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Waters where Zander bites

Vänern - Spiken Västra Götaland Mälaren - Björkfjärden Stockholm Bolmen - Bolmsö Kronoberg Hjälmaren - Vinön Örebro Åsnen - Urshult Kronoberg Kalmarsund - Kalmar Kalmar Stockholms skärgård - Möja Stockholm Ringsjön - Höör Skåne

Open a water for live weather, water temperature and today's odds.

Guides about Zander

Find waters where Zander is biting now

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Common questions

When is the best time to catch Zander?

Zander fishing is usually best around Jun-Aug. The best windows in the day are usually dusk, night.

What lures and baits work for Zander?

Effective methods for Zander include Soft-plastic jig, Crankbait and Trolling.

Where can you catch Zander?

Zander is most often found in lake, river. Napp shows the nearest waters and the live odds on the bite right now.