Do you need a VISpas?
For most Dutch inland waters you need a VISpas. It is issued by the Sportvisunie, the Dutch sport fishing federation, which used to be called Sportvisserij Nederland. You apply for it via vispas.nl (in Dutch). A VISpas is valid for one year. If you become a member of an angling club that is affiliated with one of the angling federations, you receive the VISpas automatically. If you do not want to become a member, there is the kleine VISpas (the ‘small’ VISpas). For young people who were 13 or younger on 1 January, there is the JeugdVISpas (youth VISpas).
The pass is valid in combination with the Lijst van VISwateren (list of fishing waters) or the VISplanner. These show which waters you may fish with your pass. If you fish without valid permission, you break the Visserijwet (the Dutch Fisheries Act). You can find out which pass suits you with the VISpas-check on vispas.nl.
Rules that apply to every angler
The terms of the VISpas set out a number of fixed rules. Read them before you go fishing, because they sometimes change and the small pass has extra restrictions.
- You fish with a maximum of two rods and a maximum of three hooks per rod. You do not leave a baited rod unattended.
- Live bait from vertebrate animals is prohibited.
- Eel, carp and protected fish are returned immediately. Fish under the minimum size also go straight back into the water.
- You may not sell the fish you catch.
- To fish in the dark, you need separate permission, the NachtVIStoestemming (night fishing permission).
- You do not leave litter or fishing line behind. Open fires are not allowed, but a gas barbecue is.
Inspectors may ask to see your pass and your permission. Cooperate and follow their instructions. There are also codes of conduct for handling fish, for example wet hands and an unhooking mat for predatory fish. According to those codes, predator anglers avoid catching predatory fish in the spawning season.
From a boat or from the bank
Being allowed to fish a body of water does not mean you may stand anywhere along the bank. Many banks are private land or nature reserve. In Weerribben-Wieden, the site managers decide per water how you may fish. Their regulations include, for example, waters where you may only fish from a boat, waters where you may only fish from mown banks and waters where only certain types of bait are permitted.
Along the waters of Natuurmonumenten, you may not enter grassland or reed beds. On some waters, mooring at the bank is prohibited. On a few waters there is a ban on groundbait or on fishing in the dark. If you rent a boat, ask the rental company whether you may fish from it.
Weerribben-Wieden National Park
Giethoorn lies in De Wieden, on the edge of Weerribben-Wieden National Park. The park is the largest continuous lowland peat marsh in north-west Europe. De Wieden is a Natura 2000 area. Management lies with different parties: De Weerribben falls under Staatsbosbeheer (the Dutch forestry commission) and most of De Wieden is managed by Natuurmonumenten. They set the rules for their waters. You can read more about the area on the page about Weerribben-Wieden National Park.
The reeds and the banks are habitat for birds and other animals. So stick to the paths and waters that are open to you, even if a fringe of reeds looks inviting to moor your boat behind.
Which fish can you catch?
The area is home to pike, zander, perch and bream, among others. Pike is one of the best-known fish here. Anglers often fish for pike with artificial bait. For zander and perch, you often fish from a boat with fine tackle, and for bream with groundbait and plenty of bait. For pike and other predatory fish, the rules for predator anglers and the minimum sizes from the current terms apply.
How to arrange it
Apply for a VISpas or become a member of an angling club. Then open the VISplanner and check whether the water where you want to fish is on the list. Next, look up the rules of the manager of that water, at Staatsbosbeheer or Natuurmonumenten. If you want to explore the area from the water, see the page about canoes and kayaks or the boating information for Giethoorn.
