Hi Guys I have just booked a holiday in Holland with Anglers World. We will be staying near Hellevoetsluis and Stellendam. We will be fishing the Voorne Canal, river Spui and any other local waters that I can get information on. Can anyone help me with inside information on Baits, tackle and venues please. I am going in late April

Have a look at this on maggot drowners hope it helps!!!!
The Maggotdrowner's Forum - HOLLAND

Hi mac i lived in germany for 6 years and fished in holland every week, it was mainly in the south but i did fish a few festivals in the north. It was staying at de Koerburg and fishing the iejsel river and lakes of it. i also fished the voorne canal. At the time of year we fished worm is banned and all through the year you can't use dye's on your baits including G/B, only natural colours.

It was 6 years ago but i doubt if tactics have changed much, on the river it was heavy groundbait feeder using feeders upto 150grams according to the flow with VDE Turbo Black 2kg bags (get your G/B over there it was 80 pence a bag when it was £2.50 just for a 1 kilo bag here). Line was 8lb maxima to a 6lb hook length and a size 6 hook. If baits not banned i would get through 8 pints of caster and use worm on the hook. Alternatively we used white maggot on the hook. We took bags of mainly bream upto 140lb.

On the canal it was more like UK fishing on the feeder use braid not mono.

On the lakes it is beefed up UK tactics on the feeder once again use braid. On the pole i fished 8lb maxima straight through, using a 10gram float and size6 hook fishing 10 mtrs to hand having balled in two sensas buckets of groundbait laced with 6 pints of casters. I took 250lb on the feeder on one of the days and on the pole i hadn't had a fish until i balled it in half way through the match then took 136lb in 1hour 10 minutes. I was pleased with the pole weight has i was last in section and changed my tactics and came first in section.

If you are pleasure fishing with a few mates you won't need has much bait, however if your in a match you have to draw the fish from those around you to win. If you can use worm at the time you are going you can add another 50lb to the weights.

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Steve Davies

Thanks for this info guys. I am really looking forward to the trip. Sounds as though it knocks the pants off Ireland. I have spent the last 6 years visiting Ballyconnell and seen the fishing steadily decline. If any more members have got local info it will be appreciated.

Hi mac the fishing is outstanding and the night life even better, if you are pleasure fishing you will have a great time and catch lots. Personally i would stick to the lakes and rivers. If you are fishing a festival it is hard work fishing hard all day then sorting your casters and G/B (we used a cordless drill and wisk) out for the next day, then drinking until the early hours up again at 5.30 to sort bait and off fishing again after 5 days of that you need a break.

If it is a festival either don't drink (to much) and fish hard or blow out on the first day and get bladderd every night (and still catch enough to make it worth while).

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Steve Davies

Hi Steve, we are just there for pleasure fishing, a few beers and lots of fish sounds good to me.

Thanks for the info