Covering 1 hectares in , Gat van den Ham is one of the Netherlands' intimate public lakes. Species include Pike, Perch, Roach, Bream, Carp, with carp present and subject to mandatory catch-and-release under Dutch rules.
Regarding boats: Boat access requires valid vessel registration on most Dutch waterways; rowing boats and electric motors often permitted. Confirm club rules..
Gat van den Ham is 135 miles from Calais, making it a realistic destination for a long weekend carp trip from the UK.
Night fishing at Gat van den Ham is subject to restrictions. A NachtVIStoestemming may be required: Night fishing in the Netherlands varies by water; requires VBC (Visstandbeheer Commissie) membership or local club permit on most regulated waters. Some waters permit it year-round; others restrict seasonally.
Boats: Boat access is restricted at Gat van den Ham. Boat access requires valid vessel registration on most Dutch waterways; rowing boats and electric motors often permitted. Confirm club rules.
Permits required: VBC (Visstandbeheer Commissie) membership or local fishing club permit required on most Dutch waters — see sportvisserijnederland.nl.
VISpas (~€40/year) — required to fish most public waters in the Netherlands. Available online at sportvisserijnederland.nl.
Always verify rules on VISplanner.nl before your session — rules can vary by specific water.
Gat van den Ham holds pike, perch, roach, bream, carp. Note: carp are mandatory catch-and-release on Dutch public waters — they must be returned alive.
Image via Wikipedia · Used under Creative Commons licence
Join to unlock full rules, access notes and venue details for Gat van den Ham and all Netherlands venues.
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.
Gat van den Ham is 135 miles from Calais — reachable via the Hook of Holland ferry or Channel Tunnel in under 3 hours. No booking required — Dutch public waters operate on free access under the VISpas system.
covers a wide range of public fishing venues accessible under the VISpas system. Use PiscaMaps to find all venues in this region.
