Zander - what to do with it

[Bucknallbear]

The children like to go pond-dipping in a nearby small river - if you can pond dip in a river. One of the nets is quite large and we have caught a Zander a couple of times. It is undoubtedly the same one and in the same place. I have been told that we shouldn't really be putting it back as it a major pest and will play havoc with the other inhabitants of the river in that area. It is around 60 cm long so will only get bigger! Advice please

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

Leave it in, won't cause any damage

[Kayleigh]

Catch it when it gets bigger..Then eat it

[Gill Catton]

60cm is HHUUGGEEE!!! Eat it now I reckon!

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

60cm is HHUUGGEEE!!! Eat it now I reckon!

On the BBQ yummm

[epops]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

60cm is HHUUGGEEE!!! Eat it now I reckon!

taste better than pike eat it

[Lincs Yellowbelly]

Why eat it, it's happily living in the river and will be doing a job eating sick and injured fish as well as cleaning up the dead uns

[Dogghound]

Your catching a 60cm Zander with a net regularly? what sort of a net are you using? is the fish weak or ill? doesnt sound rite to me, a healthy fish wouldnt allow you to catch it like this.

[coasty]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Your catching a 60cm Zander with a net regularly? what sort of a net are you using? is the fish weak or ill? doesnt sound rite to me, a healthy fish wouldnt allow you to catch it like this.

Absolutely my thoughts on reading this post a two feet long zander is a heck of a fish,,,Either the fish is Sick/Dying or you mean 60mm or You are the greatest pond dipper of all time ,,,, Would like to know more

Andy

[Bucknallbear]

Originally Posted by coasty

Absolutely my thoughts on reading this post a two feet long zander is a heck of a fish,,,Either the fish is Sick/Dying or you mean 60mm or You are the greatest pond dipper of all time ,,,, Would like to know more

Andy

Ok, I have checked an image we have - sorry not posting it as the children are in it - and it is about 40 cm. Don't they say fisherman always exaggerate? It is quite a big net - probably another good reason not to put the picture up - but it is nice to ensure that the children catch something. The children will spend hours playing in streams and rivers and love to catch things, write down what they have caught and then let them go. When we lived in Silverstone their record for sticklebacks one afternoon was 184. We regularly catch bullheads and minnows too and where we are now there are small roach and we have caught a young pike. The zander is the biggest fish we have ever caught - by a long long way - but now you mention it, it is a bit dopey - but I am an excellent fisherman Didn't know they were edible though. Will ask the children whether they want to eat it or leave it there - my main concern was that we were being irresponible in putting it back but it seems not!