Covering 4 hectares in Regio Noord, Houwerzijlstervaart is one of the Netherlands' intimate public canals. Species include Carp, Bream, Roach, Tench, Zander, Pike, Perch, Eel, Ide, with carp present and subject to mandatory catch-and-release under Dutch rules.
Night fishing at Houwerzijlstervaart is permitted with restrictions. NachtVIStoestemming required; night fishing permitted with valid permit in Groningen.. Regarding boats: Fishing boats allowed; comply with Dutch waterway traffic regulations..
Houwerzijlstervaart is 400 miles from Calais. The Netherlands offers free public fishing under the VISpas system — no venue booking or day tickets required on most waters.
Night fishing is permitted with restrictions. NachtVIStoestemming required; night fishing permitted with valid permit in Groningen.
Boats: Boats are permitted at Houwerzijlstervaart. Fishing boats allowed; comply with Dutch waterway traffic regulations.
Permits required: VISpas required; check local Groningen fishing club for permits.
VISpas (~€40/year) — required to fish most public waters in the Netherlands. Available online at sportvisserijnederland.nl.
NachtVIStoestemming (€17.50/year) — required in addition to the VISpas for night fishing. Night fishing is permitted here with restrictions — check VISplanner for current rules.
Always verify rules on VISplanner.nl before your session — rules can vary by specific water.
Houwerzijlstervaart holds carp, bream, roach, tench, zander, pike, perch, eel, ide. Note: carp are mandatory catch-and-release on Dutch public waters — they must be returned alive.
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Coarse fish year-round with valid VISpas; pike season October–January.
All anglers fishing Dutch public waters require a VISpas (~€40/year) from Sportvisserij Nederland — buy online at sportvisserijnederland.nl before leaving the UK. For night fishing, an additional NachtVIStoestemming (€17.50/year) is required. Always check VISplanner.nl for current rules on the specific water before your session.
Houwerzijlstervaart is 400 miles from Calais — plan for a full travel day from the UK. No booking required — Dutch public waters operate on free access under the VISpas system.
Regio Noord covers a wide range of public fishing venues accessible under the VISpas system. Use PiscaMaps to find all venues in this region.