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The large river of Rupel lies in Antwerp, Flanders, covering 201 hectares in Flanders. Species present include Bream, Zander, Pike, Perch, Roach, Flounder.
Night fishing at Rupel is permitted with restrictions. Night fishing generally permitted. Tidal river forming the confluence of Dijle, Nete and Zenne — joining the Schelde at Rupelmonde. Excellent bream and zander fishing. Tidal influence strong.. Regarding boats: Tidal navigation — caution required..
Rupel is 109 miles from Calais — closer than many French venues and easily reached via the Channel Tunnel.
Night fishing is permitted with restrictions. Night fishing generally permitted. Tidal river forming the confluence of Dijle, Nete and Zenne — joining the Schelde at Rupelmonde. Excellent bream and zander fishing. Tidal influence strong.
Boats: Boats are permitted at Rupel. Tidal navigation — caution required.
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
Rupel holds bream, zander, pike, perch, roach, flounder. Pike fishing is a key attraction.
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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.
Rupel is 109 miles from Calais, around 2 hours from the Channel Tunnel. Always verify current rules on the individual venue page before your session.
Belgium is one of the closest European fishing destinations for UK anglers. The Channel Tunnel (Folkestone–Calais, ~35 min) or P&O Ferries (Dover–Calais, ~90 min) both land you within 30–60 minutes of the Belgian border.
A Fishing Permit (visverlof / permis de pêche) is required to fish most Belgian public waters. Buy online at the Flemish Sports Agency or from local tackle shops. Private day-ticket lakes require an additional venue permit.
Belgium fishes year-round, though the official close season applies to some species on certain waters. Carp fishing is at its best from May through October, with warm summer nights producing the most consistent action. The Ardennes region offers quality trout fishing from April through September (subject to regional rules). Pike and perch on the large Walloon reservoirs (Lac de la Plate-Taille, Lac d'Eau d'Heure) fish well from October through February. For canal fishing, chub, roach and bream are active throughout the year.
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.