Gooimeer is a very large public lake in Regio MidWest, the Netherlands, covering 2,700 hectares of water. Species include Carp, Bream, Zander, Pike, Perch, with carp present and subject to mandatory catch-and-release under Dutch rules.
For carp anglers planning overnight sessions, night fishing at Gooimeer is authorised: Night fishing permitted with NachtVIStoestemming. Near Naarderbos marina (Galerij to Hoofdgracht): max 24hr continuous fishing with shelter permitted. Forbidden zones — check VISplanner map.. Regarding boats: Boats and belly boats permitted. Belly boats forbidden in main navigation channel (vaargeul) of major transport waterways (e.g. Waal). Float tubes treated as small craft — stay out of commercial shipping lanes..
Gooimeer is 173 miles from Calais, making it a realistic destination for a long weekend carp trip from the UK.
Night fishing is permitted at Gooimeer with a valid NachtVIStoestemming. Night fishing permitted with NachtVIStoestemming. Near Naarderbos marina (Galerij to Hoofdgracht): max 24hr continuous fishing with shelter permitted. Forbidden zones — check VISplanner map.
Boats: Boats are permitted at Gooimeer. Boats and belly boats permitted. Belly boats forbidden in main navigation channel (vaargeul) of major transport waterways (e.g. Waal). Float tubes treated as small craft — stay out of commercial shipping lanes.
Permits required: VISpas (~€40/year) required. NachtVIStoestemming (€17.50) required for night fishing. Derde Hengeltoestemming (€32.50) for 3rd rod where permitted. Check VISplanner app (visplanner.nl) for current water-specific rules.
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 at this venue.
Always verify rules on VISplanner.nl before your session — rules can vary by specific water.
Gooimeer holds carp, bream, zander, pike, perch. Note: carp are mandatory catch-and-release on Dutch public waters — they must be returned alive.
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All year for most species. Closed season: Pike 1 March–last Saturday May; Zander & Perch 1 April–last Saturday May; Barbel/Chub/Nase 1 April–31 May. Bait restriction: 1 April–last Saturday May (no dead fish/lures). Mandatory no-kill: Carp, Eel/Paling, Grass Carp.
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.
Gooimeer is 173 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.
Regio MidWest covers a wide range of public fishing venues accessible under the VISpas system. Use PiscaMaps to find all venues in this region.