Tyumen Anglers Land Massive Zander During Winter Fishing Trip

After two days of fishing on the Irtysh River, a pair from Tyumen finally hooked a prize catch: a massive 7-kilogram (15-pound) zander.

Feb 24, 2026

The anglers« persistence paid off with a massive zander caught after two days on the ice.
Source:
Courtesy of Ruslan Fayzullin

Tyumen angler Ruslan Fayzullin and his friend Alexander recently caught a huge zander in the Irtysh River. For winter fishing, experienced anglers say, this is a worthy trophy weighing 7 kilograms (about 15 pounds).

The fish weighed in at 7 kilograms (15 pounds), a significant achievement for winter angling.
Source:
Courtesy of Ruslan Fayzullin

«We drilled through the Irtysh ice for two days with a 200mm auger, which was quite labor-intensive given the current thickness; the ice is already about 60 centimeters. This auger diameter wasn»t chosen by chance this season – a record has been set,« the anglers explained.

The Irtysh River is known among local anglers for yielding large fish like this zander.
Source:
Courtesy of Ruslan Fayzullin

Ruslan Fayzullin shared the details of the fishing trip. It turns out that the clever zander didn«t bite right away.

«We were fishing in the Vagaysky District. On the second day, we caught this beauty! A big zander is a serious trophy for the winter period. Because in winter, most of the time, such a fish won»t fit through the hole and is less active than in summer. For us, this is a memorable catch because it«s very hard to tempt such fish into biting. They»re already smart, having seen life. And even if a zander does bite, due to its armored mouth, it«s very hard to set the hook, but we managed everything!» the angler said.

For Tyumen anglers in love with their hobby, there are no barriers due to winter or Siberian frosts. Do you also want to go winter fishing but don«t know where the fish are biting? Don»t worry, we«ve learned from experienced anglers about good spots for catches and are ready to share them with you. Save the map and head out into nature on the weekend for great trophies. You can find the locations and details in our previous article.

Be sure to check out our previous publication and read practical tips for winter fishing. And behave carefully on the ice!