Street Fishing Amsterdam: Chasing Pike, Perch & Zander in the City Canals

The Guide — Andrew Keijser – Andrew was incredibly friendly, patient and informative from start to finish. He clearly loves what he does and brings a positive, relaxed energy to the session. His instructions were easy to follow, his local knowledge was excellent, and he was fantastic with my 12-year-old son. Most importantly, his experience put us onto plenty of fish and helped us land all three of our target species — perch, pike and zander.

The Fishing Experience – This was our first true urban fishing session in the middle of a major city, and that alone made it special. We moved through completely different environments, fishing beneath overpasses, around bridges, beside working drawbridges and along busy canal edges. There was always something happening around us, but we were still able to relax and enjoy the fishing.

The Gear & Tackle – Andrew supplied high-quality, purpose-built light tackle that was in excellent condition and perfectly suited to the fishing. He also carried an impressive range of soft plastics, crankbaits, jigheads and other lures, allowing us to constantly adapt as the water depth, structure and target species changed.

The Techniques – One of the best parts of the session was learning new ways to target European predators. From subtly lifting soft plastics along the bottom to walking crankbaits beside the canal, Andrew explained why each technique worked and when to use it. Some of the tighter casting around bridges and structure added a fun technical challenge.

The Overall Experience – Urban Fish Guide delivered something completely different to a traditional fishing charter. It was fun, technical, relaxed and packed with variety, while also showing us a side of Amsterdam most visitors would never experience. Catching all three target species was the perfect result, but the real highlight was combining great fishing with such an unusual setting. Highly recommended and one of the most memorable fishing sessions we’ve done.

Wear good walking shoes – This is fishing mixed with a bit of urban hiking, so expect plenty of walking across different surfaces. Comfortable shoes with solid grip will make the session much more enjoyable.

Dress for the season – Amsterdam’s weather can change quickly, so check the forecast and dress appropriately. Light layers are a good option, along with sun protection when needed.

Bring the basics – Carry some water, a few snacks, sunglasses and sunscreen. Depending on the season, insect repellent can also be worth having in your bag.

Trust Andrew’s advice – Small adjustments can make a big difference. At times we changed soft-plastic colours several times before finding what the fish wanted, so be patient and let Andrew guide the changes.

Go with the flow – Like any fishing session, some stretches produce immediately while others require a move or change of lure. Keep casting, stay patient and enjoy the process.

Take in the city around you – One of the best parts of this experience is where the fishing takes you. Bridges, canals, neighbourhoods and working waterways make it feel like a private walking tour of Amsterdam with fishing thrown in.

Keep it simple and enjoy it – Despite the unusual setting, the fishing itself is straightforward and accessible. Listen to the guide, make your casts and enjoy doing something completely different in the middle of Amsterdam.

The short answer is yes! Pretty much all of the water in Amsterdam is legal to fish, as long as you have the required fishing licence. I’m also pretty sure that every canal in Amsterdam has fish that can be caught.

Whether the fish you specifically want to target are there will mostly depend on the season, but there is always at least something to catch in Amsterdam’s canals.

Yes, you do. It’s easy to register for one through VISpas.nl, including if you’re visiting from overseas.

A standard VISpas licence covers fishing in most waters throughout the Netherlands. If you want to fish at night or use additional rods, you may need extra permits or licence extensions.

For most visitors coming to Amsterdam for a fishing holiday, the standard licence will usually be sufficient.

It really depends on the season and the species you’re targeting. For zander and perch, we often say that every bridge in Amsterdam has a zander nearby — and where there’s one, there are usually more.

Amsterdam has more than 1,900 bridges, so picking almost any bridge is a good place to start.

Autumn is definitely the best time. As the days get shorter and the water starts to cool, the fish begin preparing for winter and feed much more aggressively.

It’s a great time of year to target active fish throughout Amsterdam’s canals.

The most commonly targeted species are perch and zander.

There are also plenty of anglers who enjoy fishing for carp, bream and roach. Pike fishing is popular too, although it tends to be better on the outskirts of Amsterdam rather than right in the city centre.

On an average four-hour session, we’ll typically catch two or three zander, a few more perch, and sometimes a surprise pike.

Of course, the angler’s experience can play a part in how many fish are caught.

Definitely! I do like to know in advance though, as I’ll usually choose simpler techniques that are still very effective.

With beginners and kids, I tend to focus more on getting plenty of bites and catching more fish, rather than targeting bigger fish. The aim is to build that initial excitement and confidence by keeping the action going.

There needs to be some current in the water, whether it’s created by the wind, open sluices or passing boat traffic. If the water is completely still, we usually won’t catch much.

For perch, some type of structure is essential. Zander, on the other hand, love shaded areas.

Bridges are perfect because they provide both structure and shadow, while houseboats can also be very productive areas to target.

If none of those things are present, I’ll usually hop back on the bike and keep moving until I find a better-looking stretch of canal.

In Amsterdam, I find that zander and perch activity is closely tied to boat traffic. Once the canal cruises start running and the water begins moving, the fish often become more active. At night, when the boats stop and the wind drops, they can become less active.

One exception is areas with strong artificial lighting, which can be excellent zander spots after dark.

Zander and perch can be found throughout Amsterdam’s canals from around April to December. Once the water gets too cold, they tend to move into the deeper water of the IJ, behind Central Station, which makes them harder to target.

Luckily, I know a few spots with direct access to deeper water, so we can still target them throughout the year.

On warm, sunny days, I prefer smaller lures with a bit more action in the retrieve. On colder days, I usually slow things down and use slightly larger lures.

Green is a colour that consistently works well in Amsterdam.

If I’m not getting bites, I’ll start changing things fairly quickly. I’m not very patient, so if nothing happens within about 10 to 15 minutes, I’ll switch lures — usually changing colour first, then size.

When it comes to jighead weight, I fish as light as the conditions allow. I still need to clearly feel when the lure reaches the bottom, which is why fast-action rods and light line are so important for this style of fishing. At the same time, I want the lure to sink as slowly as possible.

Most of the time I use a 3.5g jighead, sometimes moving up to around 5g with larger lures. If I’m fishing much deeper water, I’ll step up to 7g or 10g.

It depends on the species we’re targeting. If pike is the goal, I’ll usually head to the outskirts of Amsterdam. If people want to catch zander, I’ll focus more on the city centre with its old bridges and canal structure.

Because I fish Amsterdam so often, I also have a good idea of which spots are producing and which ones are quiet.

I keep an eye out for other anglers too. If someone is already fishing one of my usual spots, I’ll normally skip it and move on.

If we’re not catching fish within about 20 minutes, that’s usually my signal to move and try somewhere else.

Over the past 15 to 20 years, we’ve seen a big increase in American crayfish and gobies. At first, they seemed to have a negative impact on the fish population, but now they appear to have become an established part of the food chain. Crayfish and goby imitations can work extremely well as a result.

The water quality has also improved significantly over the years, and the canals have become much clearer. That seems to be favouring pike, which directly compete with zander.

Zander is still the dominant apex predator in Amsterdam’s canals, but pike are becoming increasingly common and may be starting to challenge that position.

You can easily book a session through my website at www.urbanfishguide.nl, or email me directly at andrew@urbanfishguide.nl.

I’m fairly flexible when it comes to bookings, but if you want a more tailored experience, I recommend booking at least a week in advance. That gives me time to plan a good route and choose the techniques that best match your experience level and what you’re hoping to get out of the session.