The small canal of Dessel-Turnhout-Schoten Canal lies in Antwerp, Flanders, covering 45 hectares in Flanders. Dessel-Turnhout-Schoten Canal holds Carp, Bream, Roach, Tench, Pike, Perch and is a popular carp fishing destination.
Night fishing is permitted at Dessel-Turnhout-Schoten Canal. Night fishing permitted with groot visverlof. Well-known carp canal running north of Antwerp through Schoten, Brasschaat, Turnhout area. Good carp and tench venue in tree-lined setting.. Regarding boats: Boats permitted on navigable waterways. Float tubes allowed. Stay clear of commercial navigation..
At just 129 miles from Calais, Dessel-Turnhout-Schoten Canal is one of the closest quality fishing venues to the UK. Flanders — a flat, canal-rich landscape within easy reach of the Channel Tunnel — makes an excellent short-break destination.
Night fishing is permitted at Dessel-Turnhout-Schoten Canal. Night fishing permitted with groot visverlof. Well-known carp canal running north of Antwerp through Schoten, Brasschaat, Turnhout area. Good carp and tench venue in tree-lined setting.
Boats: Boats are permitted at Dessel-Turnhout-Schoten Canal. Boats permitted on navigable waterways. Float tubes allowed. Stay clear of commercial navigation.
Permits required: Vlaams visverlof (groot visverlof, ~€14.50/year from Natuur en Bos) required for all Flemish public waterways. Buy online at natuurenbos.vlaanderen.be or at the post office. Valid 1 Jan–31 Dec. Klein visverlof (~€6/year) for daytime only, 1 rod, no lures. Some waters require additional local fishing club membership card.
Fishing in Flanders requires a VISpas (Flemish fishing permit, groot visverlof), available from Sportvisserij Vlaanderen. Night fishing permissions are built into site-specific rules — no separate night permit is required in Flanders.
Local authority: Agentschap Natuur en Bos (ANB) · www.visverlof.be
Dessel-Turnhout-Schoten Canal holds carp, bream, roach, tench, pike, perch. Carp fishing is the primary draw for visiting UK anglers.
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All year for most species on public waterways. Ecologically valuable waters: NO fishing 16 April–31 May (spawning). From 1 March–15 April in ecologically valuable waters: no bait fish or lures >2cm. Pike: closed 1 March–last Saturday April. Zander/Perch: closed 1 April–last Saturday April. Mandatory no-kill: Eel/Paling (full ban — immediate release). Waterlopen Zwalm and IJse: full mandatory no-kill all year, no bait fish.
Fishing in Flanders requires a VISpas (groot visverlof, ~€14.50/year) from Sportvisserij Vlaanderen. Buy online at sportvisserijvlaanderen.be before leaving the UK — no separate night permit is needed in Flanders as night fishing permissions are built into site-specific rules. Always carry your licence while fishing.
Dessel-Turnhout-Schoten Canal is 129 miles from Calais, around 2 hours from the Channel Tunnel. Always verify current rules on the individual venue page before your session.
Antwerp is home to a number of public fishing venues accessible with a valid Belgian fishing permit. Use PiscaMaps to find all venues in Antwerp and across Flanders.