Catching Big Perch & Zander in the Netherlands

The Guide — Thom Prüst – Thom was excellent from the very first enquiry. Communication was clear, detailed and professional, and he set realistic expectations before the trip. On the water, he was friendly, easy to talk to and very good at explaining not just what we were doing, but why we were doing it. That teaching style made the session much more valuable.

The Fishing Experience – Conditions were tough after a very dry summer, but Thom worked hard to keep us around fish and eventually put us onto some quality zander and perch. I also learned a completely different way of fishing soft plastics than I normally use back in Australia, which made the day feel genuinely educational as well as fun.

The Boat & Electronics – The boat was immaculate, well organised and packed with high-end technology. Raymarine Axiom, Garmin LiveScope, multiple GPSMAP displays, Navionics mapping and a Minn Kota Terrova trolling motor gave Thom an impressive setup for finding fish and controlling the boat. Seeing LiveScope used properly in real time was a highlight in itself.

The Gear & Tackle – Everything we used was top quality, from the St. Croix rods and Shimano Stradic reels to the soft plastics, crankbaits and topwater lures. That matters on a specialist charter because good equipment makes a noticeable difference when fishing technical presentations for quality fish.

The Overall Operation – This was a very polished and professional charter from start to finish. Thom combined strong local knowledge, quality equipment, clear instruction and a genuine determination to find fish despite difficult conditions. He also speaks multiple languages, and his English was excellent, making communication effortless throughout the day. Overall, it was a fun, technical and highly enjoyable fishing experience that I would happily recommend.

Read Thom’s pre-trip email carefully – Thom sends detailed information before the charter covering what to bring, what to wear and what to expect. It is thorough and tailored to the season, so follow it closely.

Use the brochure as your checklist – The preparation guide covers the practical details you are likely to need, which makes getting ready for the day simple and removes a lot of guesswork.

Dress for the conditions – Weather on the Dutch waterways can change, so follow Thom’s seasonal advice and bring the right layers, footwear and protection for the forecast.

Come ready to learn – Thom explains his techniques in detail, so make the most of the opportunity to ask questions and try methods that may be different from how you normally fish.

Bring good energy – More than anything, arrive enthusiastic and open to the experience. If you have never fished the Netherlands before, the environment, techniques and style of predator fishing can feel completely new — and that is a big part of what makes the charter so enjoyable.

From June through October, I almost always start with perch. In the waters I fish, this is when they are at their most active.

One of the main reasons is that perch often feed aggressively during first light. I have never caught a perch in complete darkness, but as soon as the first sunlight reaches the water they often switch into hunting mode. This feeding window usually lasts one or two hours before slowing down, at which point I often switch my focus to zander.

From November onwards, I generally target zander from the start of the day. Perch are still possible, of course, but my primary focus shifts towards zander during the colder months.

Honestly, I don’t know if there is one specific factor.

The Dutch River Delta naturally produces larger-than-average perch compared to many other fisheries. At the same time, we rarely catch huge numbers of fish. Catching 20 or 30 perch in a few hours is uncommon.

What makes the Delta special is consistency. Once you discover the right area, you can sometimes catch multiple perch over 40 cm, and even fish over 45 cm, day after day for weeks on end.

There is a natural separation between perch and zander habitats, although in the Delta those areas are often very close together. As a result, you frequently catch both species in the same general area, and sometimes it even seems as if they have swapped positions overnight.

Perch typically hold on shallow plateaus in 2 to 3 metres of water, preferably where there is a clear transition to deeper water. My ideal perch spot is a large mussel-covered plateau surrounded by deeper water. The steeper the drop-off, the better. What matters most is a distinct depth change, for example from 2 to 3 metres down to 6 to 9 metres.

In these situations, perch often stay on top of the plateau, while zander position themselves deeper, usually close to the slope where the current and eddies are strongest. These are the classic locations I visit first on most fishing days.

Besides perch and zander, anglers have a realistic chance of catching pike, asp and European wels catfish.

These five species make up the main predatory fish community of the Dutch River Delta.

They feed on pretty much everything they can hunt and swallow. Small roach, gobies, crayfish, shrimp and other baitfish all feature on the menu. Cannibalism is common too. Big perch eat small perch, big zander eat small zander, and both species will happily eat each other’s young whenever they get the chance.

They are opportunistic predators. If it moves, is easy to catch and fits in their mouth, they will try to eat it.

The question assumes the fish are present. If I know fish are there, location is actually the last thing I change.

Everything comes down to presentation. In theory, fishing is simple: put your lure in front of the fish. Whether it bites or not is up to the fish, but if your lure never reaches the fish, your chances are minimal.

That means I adjust lure type, depth and retrieve. A crankbait might be ideal for fish feeding in mid-water. A soft plastic is often better for fish holding close to the bottom. A 5-gram jighead and paddletail may be perfect on a shallow mussel bed, while a 30-gram jighead with a V-tail softbait could be necessary to reach fish holding in 10 metres of water with heavy current.

Colour is the least important factor. In my opinion, colour catches anglers more than it catches fish. Fish the colours you trust and have confidence in.

The golden rule is: never leave fish to find fish. When fish are present, stay with them and work out how to make them bite. Only when there are no fish do I start looking for a new location.

Of all weather factors, wind is by far the most important.

Contrary to the common belief that an east wind is bad for fishing, or that zander need a bit of chop on the water to feed, I have never seen any convincing evidence that either wind direction or wind strength directly affects fish behaviour. Wind, however, is absolutely critical, not because of what it does to the fish, but because of what it does to us anglers.

Wind direction and strength largely determine which areas of the Delta can be fished safely and effectively. Depending on the conditions, certain spots can become difficult, impossible or even dangerous to reach. Wind affects boat control, casting accuracy, lure presentation and the ability to stay positioned on a productive spot.

My preference is simple: as little wind as possible. In calm conditions I have complete freedom in spot selection and can fish with maximum precision. The more accurately I can present a lure, the more fish I catch.

Water level, current and water clarity are closely connected. Higher water levels usually mean stronger current and reduced visibility. These conditions generally favour zander. They often become more active when current increases, and their light-sensitive eyes allow them to hunt effectively in both deep and stained water.

The downside is that fishing itself becomes much more technical. Presenting a lure effectively in deep water with heavy current requires considerably more skill and control.

Lower water levels usually mean less current and clearer water. These conditions favour perch. Perch are visual predators that thrive in clear water, which is also why I rarely catch them in darkness. They typically become active once daylight starts to increase after sunrise.

In very turbid water, perch fishing can become extremely difficult, whereas zander usually continue feeding without much trouble.

The biggest mistake is focusing on lure characteristics instead of presentation. Many anglers spend hours discussing whether a lure should be red, green, brown, loaded with glitter, high-action, low-action, etc. In my experience, that’s looking at the problem from the wrong angle. What matters is whether the lure can be presented correctly. A predator wants a lure right in front of its nose and within its strike zone. The purpose of lure design is not to convince the fish. The purpose of lure design is to help the angler present the lure where the fish can intercept it. Therefore I also believe colour is completely irrelevant. Colour catches anglers, not fish. Shape, action and lure type do matter, but only because they affect presentation. If a fish is willing to bite, it bites because a lure is presented correctly in its strike zone, not because someone chose a different shade of green or added some glitter.

Another common mistake is leaving fish to go looking for fish. As long as I’m getting bites, seeing fish on the sonar, or otherwise know fish are present, I stay put. You have no way of knowing whether the next spot will hold fish at all. Many anglers leave a productive area because they think something better must be waiting around the corner. My golden rule is simple: never leave fish to find fish. When fish are present, focus on making them bite. Only when I am convinced the fish are no longer there do I start searching for a new location.

The most obvious trend has been rising water temperatures.

This is particularly noticeable during winter. In the past, large numbers of zander would leave open waters such as Hollands Diep and migrate into the rivers as temperatures dropped. Today, winters are generally milder and many zander simply remain in the open water throughout the season.

Some fish still make the traditional migration, but enough remain behind that we can now consistently target zander on Hollands Diep throughout the year.

Another major development has been increasingly low water levels. In 2026, we experienced historically low summer water levels. Unfortunately, this is likely to become a recurring challenge in the future and something anglers and guides will need to adapt to.

The easiest way to book a trip is through the contact form on my website or by sending me a WhatsApp message, both of which are available directly through the website.

For weekend dates, I recommend booking at least two to three months in advance. Weekdays generally offer more flexibility, but booking a month ahead is still a good idea if you want to secure your preferred date.