SWITCHING species at the right time can really pay off, as this mightily impressive zander proves.
Shayne Kearns is a keen barbel angler but decided to go for zander on his favourite River Trent in Nottinghamshire and the move paid off with this 16 lb 10 oz beast.
The 45-year-old from Lincoln said: “The barbel action was very slow which could be down to low clear water so at dusk I set my predator rod out.
“At 9.48 pm the alarm screamed off and the reel spun off like I’ve never known. It just didn’t stop going, was like a freight train.
“It was half ways down the river and I though please don’t break off and was wondering if it was a pike or zander.
“Close in, I saw it was a zander and I knew it was something special so I called my mate from few pegs down and he came to net it for me.
“We both saw the fish in the net and was like ‘yes’!’ added Shayne, who legered a roach deadbait.
The best recorded Trent zander is an 18 lb 10 oz beast caught by Graham Hunt in March, 2011.
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