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When Zeds were Stocked

Where did Zander come from..?

The Text below was taken from a chapter in the 'ZANDER' book by Fickling and Rickards

Again another War stopped the stocking of more Zander from Germany. But in 1947 a batch of 50 fish from Woburn Abbey Lakes, from fingerlings to 4lb were stocked into the Firbanks Pit at Leighton Buzzard (but the pit was filled in in 1953 when the fish all perished, the Millstream of the River Ouzel and the Canal arm of the Great Union Canal, nr to Tring.Also around this time the Husbourne Crawley and Linden Lake, near Woburn were also stocked.

In 1950/51 30 x 5 inch fish were stocked into Claydon Lake and Buckinghamshire. The fish are still established Today, with many specimens to over 14lb.1952 Fish were stocked into Sevenoaks Lake nr Kent. 1959 An attempt by the Kent River Board failed when the eggs failed to hatch.1960 A Batch of 500 Swedish Zander were put into Mepal Pit nr Ely in Cambridgeshire, these fish are also still present and have been recorded to over 10lb. Best fish 10lb 07oz in 1997.1961 The Great Ouse River Board transferred mature Zander from Woburn Abbey Lakes and placed them in the stock ponds at Hengrave nr Bury St Edmunds - It was 2nd March.

1962 Fish were moved from Husbourne Crawley to Woburn Sands Clay Pit.1963 On the way to the Relief Channel a dozen or so fish were placed into Landbeach Lakes, as a gift to the owner who had allowed the zander to be overnighted in his lake.1963 Its March 18th, 100 Zander were moved from Hengrave to the Relief Channel, only 97 survived the journey and those were introduced to their new home. Soon after the stocking Alan Fennell of the GORB stated that the Relief Channel was a stillwater and the Zander would not escape.

The War had been and gone and by 1919, the 11th Duke of Bedford contacted the German Fishery and another batch of Zander were again stocked into Woburn Abbey, unfortunatly sizes and numbers unknown.In 1924 a batch of Walleye arrived, unsure of where they were exactly stocked nobody quite knows, but the River Delph still holds the British Record with an 11lb 12oz Fish.

The first records of Zander in Britain date back to the late 1870's, when 23 German Zander of around 2lb were introduced into Woburn Abbey Lakes, 4 fish were stocked into the smaller lake, the date was 3rd Feb 1878. This project was arranged by the then Duke of Bedford and the President of the German Fishery. The lake was left alone for 40 years.

After this introduction, fish started to appear all over the Fenland Drainage System.1966 The Tidal Ouse, 1967 The Hundred Foot Drain at Welney, 1968 The Great Ouse at Ten Mile Bank, 1969 The Great Ouse at Littleport, Ely, The River Wissey, The River Lark, River Cam, River Little Ouse, River Delph and Old Bedford River.1970 The Great Ouse at St. Ives and Huntingdon, Roswell Pits, The Old West River and the Middle Level Drain.1972 The Great Ouse at St Neots and the 40ft Drain. 1973 The Great Ouse at Eaton Socon, the 16ft Drain and Pophams Eau.1975 The Old River Nene and 20ft Drain.

1975 to 1990 Most Midland Stillwaters and Interlocking Waterways, The River Severn, River Soar, River Trent, Warwickshire Avon, Gloucester Canals, Sharpness Canal, Coombe Abbey Park Lake, Leicestershire and Coventry Fisheries and even some Lincolnshire Rivers and Canals.

The next time an angler from another part of the Sport complains about the Zander being illegal stocked in their favourite venue, what they should be doing in looking into the History of the Fish and how it got to be here. Then they may learn something.

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