In this blog, we take you to the groyne sections of the IJssel during the period when zander begin migrating again. We look at reading current and structure, fishing with large shads, and why a light jig head along the groyne often works better than you might think.
As the water cools and the first autumn depressions move across the country, more changes underwater than most people realize. The roach seek shelter and deeper water, and the zander follow them. For the bank angler, this may well be the finest period of the year: the fish concentrate, are easier to locate, and are often within casting distance from the groynes.
The migration: what happens underwater?
The term “zander migration” sounds more spectacular than it is. No army of zander suddenly swims downstream all at once. What does happen is that, as the water temperature drops toward ten degrees, zander leave their scattered summer spots and move toward areas where they can remain throughout the cold season. Deeper sections, outside bends, harbor mouths, and the drawing current near side channels and tributaries.
This movement happens in stages and follows the prey fish. If you find the roach, you are usually on the right track. In practical terms, this means that where fish were still spread across hundreds of meters of groyne section in September, everything is concentrated in October and November in a handful of spots. Find such a spot and things can happen quickly. Fail to find it and you may fish empty water for half a day.
Therefore, keep two things in mind before you head out: water temperature and water level. The discharge at Lobith determines how strongly the IJssel flows and therefore where the fish are holding. At low discharge, the fish move toward the deeper channel and groyne heads; when the water level rises and the water becomes murky, they instead seek shelter behind the groyne. Both situations can be fished, but not with the same approach.
Location: groyne section, groyne head, and current seam
The IJssel is a gift for the bank angler. The groynes divide the river into hundreds of small, manageable spots, and you can cover them all on foot. Yet many people fish a groyne section incorrectly: they walk to the tip of the groyne, cast as far as possible into the river, and move on to the next one after ten casts.
The spots you want to fish systematically:
The current seam at the groyne head. This is where the main current collides with the slack water of the groyne section. The seam is visible on the surface and acts as a conveyor belt for food. Zander lie just below it, on the calm side.
The deeper hole behind the head. Scouring often creates a few extra meters of depth here. A classic winter spot.
The rock fill along the groyne itself. The transition from rock to sand or silt is a structural edge in its own right. Strikes regularly come literally at your feet, during the final meters of the retrieve.
The back of the groyne section. Shallow and silted up, hopeless in summer, but a genuine hunting zone in murky water and at dusk.
Transitions and obstacles. A collapsed bank, a tree trunk among the rocks, an outflow, the head of a training wall: anything that breaks up the uniformity holds fish.
Fish a groyne section like a chessboard: first the seam, then the hole, then the rock fill, then the shallow area. And fish every cast all the way back to your feet.
Large shads in autumn
In spring and summer, you can get a long way with shads measuring 10 to 12 centimeters. In autumn, you can increase the size. There are two reasons for this.
First, the prey fish have grown. This year’s roach are no longer 3 centimeters long but 10 to 15. A larger shad simply matches what is swimming around better.
Second, the water is often murky in autumn. A 15- to 19-centimeter shad with a substantial paddle tail, such as a Westin Shadteez, displaces much more water and can be detected from a greater distance through the fish’s lateral line. It also lets you fish more selectively: smaller fish react to it less, which increases your average size.
Do take both profiles with you. A classic shad with a body and large tail for murky water or current, and a slimmer model such as the Savage Gear Slender Scoop or a V-tail such as the Nays SPLT for days when the fish are passive and want a more subtle presentation. In murky water, bright colors such as fluorescent yellow, chartreuse, and white generally work best; when the water clears, switch to natural colors: brown, olive, silver, and black.
A stinger at the rear is not an unnecessary luxury during this period, but it remains a personal preference. Zander regularly take a large shad only by the tail.
Light jig heads along the groyne
This is the biggest eye-opener in this type of fishing for many anglers. In a river, you instinctively reach for heavy weight, but the water in the groyne section is largely still. With 28 grams, your shad plummets like a brick and snags between the rocks.
Turn it around: put a jig head weighing 3 to 7 grams beneath a 15- to 19-centimeter shad. A large shad will then drift through the water almost weightlessly, and the tail will keep working at minimal speed. Exactly what a zander in cold water is looking for: lots of calories for little effort. Do pay attention to the hook wire, because many heads in this weight class are designed for small perch shads.
Do not cast as far as possible into the river; instead, cast parallel to the groyne, tight along the rock fill. Your lure will then remain in the strike zone throughout the retrieve. Fish the groyne in lanes: first right along the rocks, then one meter farther into the river each time, until you reach the seam of the main current.
Forget the classic hopping technique. Let the shad sink on a tight line, then retrieve it steadily, so slowly that the tail is just working and the lure floats just above the bottom. An occasional pause of a few seconds is the only variation you need. The strike rarely feels like a tap: the lure suddenly becomes heavy, the shad stops working, or your line moves sideways. Any interruption in the rhythm is a reason to strike, hard and immediately, because a zander’s mouth is bony.
Too much current or wind for this approach? Increase the weight to 14 to 30 grams at the groyne head and in the main current, and continue fishing with a hopping retrieve. As light as possible, as heavy as necessary.
Equipment for this type of fishing
Rod: a 2.70-meter (9ft) spinning rod rated for 10-40 or 15-50 grams. The length helps you keep your line above the rock fill and cast farther. A sensitive tip, but enough backbone for the strike.
Reel: a sturdy spinning Reel in size 3000 or 4000, with a smoothly working drag. You will hold it all day, so pay attention to the weight as well.
Line: braided line measuring 0.10 to 0.13 mm. No stretch, direct contact, and little surface area for the current to catch.
Leader: approximately 80 centimeters of 0.35- to 0.40-mm fluorocarbon, tied directly to the main line and finished with a sturdy snap. Sharp rocks and mussel beds will wear through your main line mercilessly.
Lures: a box of shads in two profiles and three or four colors, plus jig heads from 10 to 30 grams. Also bring a few hard baits for the shallower groyne sections at dusk.
Fish care: a large landing net, unhooking mat, cutters, and long artery forceps. Zander are vulnerable; handle them wet, briefly, and carefully.
Staying safe along the bank
The IJssel is not a pond. Groyne stones are extremely slippery, especially with wet leaves or a layer of algae on them. Shoes with a firm grip are not a luxury but a necessity. Also take account of the waves from passing vessels: they arrive with a delay of half a minute and can easily lift you off a stone.
If you fish into the dark, you will want a good headlamp, warm clothing, and a rain jacket that truly keeps you dry. Tell someone at home where you are going fishing, and keep a generous distance from the waterline during high water. And naturally, check your VISpas and the Joint List of Dutch Fishing Waters for the applicable regulations and closed seasons.
Finally
Fishing for zander on the IJssel from the bank is a matter of covering kilometers and being patient. You work your way through one groyne section after another, fish them thoroughly, and at some point you find yourself at the place where the migration has concentrated. Then several fish often follow one after another.
Would you like advice on the right shad and jig-head combination for your section of river, or would you like to see and feel the equipment in person? Then stop by our Experience Center in Apeldoorn. Good luck by the water!
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