Fishing in Holland

The Netherlands is the ideal holiday spot for anglers! Let yourself be surprised by the great fishing adventures you can have here!

A large part of the Netherlands is situated below sea level, making it one of the most watery countries in the world. From mighty rivers and the river delta to vast areas of wetland. From the characteristic polders to the canals of Amsterdam; the Netherlands has it all, and all these waters are great for angling. Go on big fishing adventures with monstrous pikes, huge perch, beautiful carps and strong sea bass. Or take it easy, angling for bream, tench or the common roach from your lazy chair.

Would you rather go catch some marine fish? That’s also possible in the Netherlands. There are plenty of hotspots along our 523 kilometres long coastline. Beaches, ports, piers, the famous Zeeland Delta and the Wadden Islands. All these spots offer an opportunity to catch a wide variety of tasty marine fish.

In the Netherlands we like to make you, the angler, comfortable and we like to keep things as affordable as possible. Here it is possible to catch fish all year through in lots of waters throughout the whole country with only one document – the VISpas – for about just 40 euros per calendar year! The Netherlands is the angling country par excellence, it’s only a few hours from belgium, Germany, Great Britain or France, see you soon!

Going fishing? Bring your VISpas!

The VISpas allows you to fish in all waters stated in the accompanying booklet entitled Lists of Fishing Waters (Gezamenlijke Lijst van Nederlandse Viswateren). That's more than 90% of the surfacewater in Holland.

The average amount you pay for a VISpas is around 40 euros. When you become a member of a fishing club, you receive the VISpas automatically. Every VISpas is valid until December 31st.

Order your VISpas easy online at www.vispas.nl. After payment by VISA or Mastercard you'll receive an automatic e-mail with a temporary permit that allows you to go fishing immediately.

Closed season: what’s the deal? (video)

When fishing in the Netherlands you have to take into account a number of closed seasons. For example, there is the closed season for certain types of bait and the closed season for certain fish species. Especially for pike, zander and perch this sometimes gives rise to confusion. In this video we will explain the deal on the different closed seasons.

VISpas Hotspots: Twentekanaal (Gelderland en Overijssel)

The Twentekanaal links Almelo, Hengelo and Enschede to the national network of waterways. In recent years, the section of canal between Delden and Enschede has been made deeper, and in some places, also broader. New sheet pile walls have also been installed (or will be) along a 35 km section. In some zones, ‘nature-friendly’ banks have been constructed, along with spawning areas for fish. Just as in many other places, the Twentekanaal water has become clearer. While this has led to less fish in terms of biomass, it does mean that the fish swimming there can grow larger.

VISpas Hotspots: Merwedekanaal (Utrecht & Zuid-Holland)

The Merwedekanaal connects the Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal in Utrecht with the Boven-Merwede south of Gorinchem. The ‘southern’ section runs from the Lek at Vianen to Gorinchem, via Meerkerk and Arkel. The canal empties there into the Boven-Merwede by means of the Grote Merwedesluis. This stretch of water, which is around 20 kilometres in length, is mainly popular with coarse fish anglers, however it will certainly also be of interest to predatory fish anglers.

VISpas Hotspots: Damsterdiep (Groningen)

The Damsterdiep runs from Groningen to Delfzijl. This canal, which is approximately 27 kilometres in length, has two distinctive characters. The western section from Groningen to Ten Post is almost dead straight, but from Ten Post to Delfzijl, the Damsterdiep meanders through a particularly picturesque part of the province of Groningen. These beautiful waters have much to offer the keen angler.

Q&A: angling for unity TOGETHER

In order for angling to continue as a sport in the future, a single, strong and united angling organisation is essential. This is why the seven angling federations and Sportvisserij Nederland (Dutch angling association) are currently taking significant steps towards uniting to form one powerful organisation. This article describes what exactly is happening, and why it matters to you as an angler.

Retain your booklet

In principle, a new Collective List of Dutch fishing waters (Gezamenlijke Lijst van Nederlandse VISwateren) was scheduled to be released on 1 January 2025. It has, however, been decided to delay the launch of the new list by one year, and instead bridge 2025 with a Supplement. So be sure to retain your 2022-2023-2024 Collective List of Dutch fishing waters!

VISpas Hotspots: het Twiske (Noord-Holland)

Het Twiske is a nature reserve and recreational area to the north of Amsterdam. It comprises a large, deep lake combined with many shallow ponds, creeks and ditches. With such diversity, this area has something for everyone: coarse fishing, fishing for predatory fish and carp fishing.

Vispas hotspots: Oude IJssel (Gelderland)

The Oude IJssel is a river in the Achterhoek region. This tributary to the river IJssel meanders more than 70 kilometres from Germany through the province of Gelderland, towards Doesburg. The diverse fish stocks and wonderful surroundings attract anglers from far and wide.

2024 fine amounts

Prosecution Service has announced the fine amounts for 2024. The amounts relating to inland fishing, which includes anglers, are almost the same as last year. However, the penalty fees are not cheap, so make sure you avoid a fine when you’re fishing.

Fishingdestinations, -spots and -facilities map

With our Google Map below you find an overview of fishing destinations, - spots, -guides, - accommodations, - ponds and charterboats. These 'points of interest' can be filterd by fishspecies and -methods. You can also go to their website or Facebook fanpage or search by residence.

-> Check the Fishging in Holland Map