Regio MidWest covers the IJsselmeer, Markermeer, Randmeren and the polder lakes of Flevoland and Noord-Holland. It is the Netherlands\' largest Sportvisserij region. Important: night fishing is forbidden on the IJsselmeer and Markermeer regardless of permit status — a national exemption from standard VISpas rules.
All anglers fishing Dutch public waters require a VISpas (~€40/year) from Sportvisserij Nederland. The annual licence covers most public lakes, rivers and canals across the Netherlands. Buy online at sportvisserijnederland.nl before your trip — UK anglers can purchase as a visitor without a Dutch address.
For night fishing, an additional NachtVIStoestemming (€17.50/year) is required on top of the VISpas. Always check VISplanner.nl for current rules on the specific water before fishing at night — some waters have restrictions or are excluded entirely. Always carry both documents while fishing.
Regio MidWest is dominated by the IJsselmeer (113,000ha) and Markermeer (68,000ha) — two of Europe's largest freshwater fisheries. Both hold enormous Carp, Bream, Pike and Eel, but note that night fishing is completely forbidden on both the IJsselmeer and Markermeer regardless of VISpas or NachtVIStoestemming status — a national exemption from standard rules. For night fishing, focus instead on the surrounding Randmeren chain and the polder lakes of Flevoland, which hold Carp to 30kg+ and permit overnight sessions with a NachtVIStoestemming. The region is within 2–3 hours of the Hook of Holland ferry.
The Hook of Holland ferry docks directly into Regio MidWest territory — most IJsselmeer and Randmeren venues are within 1–2 hours. Remember that night fishing is banned on the IJsselmeer and Markermeer specifically — plan sessions on the Randmeren or Flevoland polder lakes instead. VISpas (~€40/year) plus NachtVIStoestemming (€17.50/year) for night fishing — both from sportvisserijnederland.nl. Always check VISplanner.nl for the specific water before fishing.
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