East Flanders sits between Antwerp and the coast, with Ghent at its heart. The province's rivers — Scheldt, Leie and Dender — hold pike, perch and bream, while the canal network provides excellent sport for coarse anglers.
All anglers fishing in Flanders require a VISpas (groot visverlof), issued by Sportvisserij Vlaanderen. The annual licence covers most public lakes, rivers and canals in the Flemish region, including night fishing permissions (rules are built into site-specific regulations rather than requiring a separate night permit).
The VISpas costs approximately €14.50 per year. Purchase online at sportvisserijvlaanderen.be before your trip. UK anglers can buy the licence as a visitor — you do not need to be a Belgian resident.
Always carry your licence while fishing. Inspectors operate on Belgian public waters throughout the season. UK anglers should purchase before travel to avoid any issues at the waterside.
East Flanders sits between Antwerp and the coast, with the Scheldt, Leie and Dender rivers forming the backbone of its fishing. The canals around Ghent — including the Ringvaart and Ghent-Terneuzen Canal — hold excellent bream, zander and carp fishing and are well worth exploring. The Donkmeer lake near Berlare is one of East Flanders' standout stillwater venues, holding large carp and pike.
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