Pike Fishing in the Biesbosch – A Unique Dutch Experience for Visiting Anglers
The Biesbosch as a Pike Fishery
The Biesbosch is a shallow, plant‑rich system with only a few truly deep holes. Those holes — and especially their edges — can be productive zones, but certainly not always. The challenge here is that almost every spot looks perfect: long reed lines, small creeks, weed beds, stone edges. And that is only what you see above the surface. Underwater it looks even better. It is an area where you can invent a logical theory for almost every spot about why pike should be there, but reality is often more stubborn.
It is also the largest natural freshwater tidal area in Europe, a uniquely dynamic piece of nature where water levels, flow and structure shift constantly — and where pike respond directly to those changes.
There is plenty of pike in the Biesbosch, but not enough to keep every spot filled. It is ideal pike habitat, so you will find many fish of average size and occasionally true giants. If you find a zone where they are holding, you can sometimes keep catching in the same area for weeks or even months. Day after day. But most of the time it is simply work: identifying the patterns that make sense at that moment, and repeating them as long as they hold.
Anyone who fishes the Biesbosch seriously knows that success comes from recognising those patterns and accepting that not every spot that looks good will produce fish. But when you do find them — and that happens regularly — catching pike in this environment becomes one of the most beautiful experiences an angler can have.
For a full overview of predator fishing across the Netherlands, the main guide provides all essential context.
How to Read the Biesbosch
Every corner of the Biesbosch looks good. That is the biggest problem. Reed lines, creeks, weed beds, stone edges, shade zones — everything looks visually perfect. And underwater it is even more attractive, which makes choosing difficult. You can come up with a logical reason why pike should be in almost every spot, but that does not mean there are actually fish there.
Reading the Biesbosch does not start with “pretty spots,” but with structure that actually does something. The deep holes are scarce, but their edges are often zones where pike return regularly. Not because they are magical places, but because they are the only hard transitions in an otherwise soft, shallow system.
Weed beds are also important, especially the large grass fields that lie in the middle of open sections on shallow plateaus. In summer and autumn these can be true pike magnets. But water level plays a major role here. Sometimes the water is simply too low to fish such a grass field. Or you are dependent on the tide: at high water it works, at low water it does not.
Reading the Biesbosch means accepting that 99% of the water looks good but produces little — and that 15% of the water determines everything. Those who find that 15% can catch fantastic pike. Those who stay stuck on “pretty spots” mostly fish empty water.
Techniques That Work in the Biesbosch
The Biesbosch does not require exotic techniques. It is all about lures you can control in shallow, plant‑rich water. Most zones are less than two metres deep, often even shallower, and many areas are filled with grass or scattered vegetation. Anything that runs too deep, sinks too fast or creates too much resistance simply does not work here.
Jerkbaits and gliders perform well on open stretches and along reed edges, especially when fished slowly with short taps. Spinnerbaits and chatterbaits are ideal for messy areas where plants hang just below the surface. They keep working where other lures get stuck and often trigger the fish lying “in the green.”
Shads work well when fished light: small jigheads, slow retrieve, just above the vegetation. Fishing too heavy usually means dragging through the grass and losing all control.
Trolling is probably the most commonly used technique in the Biesbosch. Both swimbaits and crankbaits work fine as long as they do not run too deep. Especially in summer, deeper‑running lures simply collect grass. That is why many anglers — myself included — always troll with the rod in hand. You feel immediately when your lure stops running due to picked‑up grass, and the strike hits hard.
Speed is not an issue: you do not need to troll at two kilometres per hour. Pike have no trouble hitting lures passing at around five kilometres per hour. This allows you to cover water quickly and find active fish fast.
If you want to explore a complete different way of fishing: the dedicated guide zander fishing on the Hollands Diep offers a complete breakdown.
Seasons and Conditions
The Biesbosch changes significantly with the seasons, but not in a way that requires complicated schemes. It is mainly about understanding where pike feel comfortable in a system that is largely shallow, plant‑rich and dynamic.
In spring, the focus is on the edges of vegetation and on areas where the water warms up slightly faster. Pike move towards their spawning grounds during this period and are therefore often found near reed lines. Banks and reed edges usually produce the best results. Because there is still little plant growth, bottom‑fished shads can work extremely well. Shallow, tightly controlled lures cast against the bank or reed edge and retrieved back often perform excellently in this period.
In summer, the Biesbosch is at its most beautiful — and its most challenging. Vegetation is high, the water is warm and many areas are difficult to fish. The grass fields on the plateaus can be extremely productive, but only when the water level allows it. At low water you cannot get through; at high water you can suddenly find fish there for days. This is the period where light presentations and lure control make all the difference.
Autumn is the favourite season for many anglers. Vegetation begins to die back, water levels are often more favourable and pike hunt more actively. Zones that were difficult in summer become accessible again. This is also the time when you can sometimes keep catching in the same area for weeks, because pike concentrate more clearly.
In winter, things quiet down — even in the Biesbosch. The water is cold, fish migrate little and often hold near holes or strong transitions, such as plateaus dropping from two to four metres. The areas with relatively strong current are often productive in winter — provided you fish the edges of that current. That is where they usually lie.
Tackle That Suits This Water
Just like in any pike fishery, your tackle determines what you can do. If you prefer fishing swimbaits, large softbaits or heavy spinnerbaits, a heavy baitcaster with a casting weight around 100 grams is ideal. Combined with braided line around 0.20 mm and a steel leader, you can work large grass fields painfully slowly or pull a big shad in a controlled way along the edge of a deep hole.
For smaller shads, crankbaits or chatterbaits, a medium spinning rod with a casting weight of 30–60 grams is more than enough. Braided line around 0.15 mm gives the best control. A steel, titanium or fluorocarbon leader (minimum 1.0 mm thick) is always essential — the Biesbosch is full of pike, and you do not want to take risks.
When it comes to lures, anything that runs shallow and can move through vegetation without needing to be cleaned every metre will work. Jerkbaits, gliders, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, light shads and shallow‑running crankbaits form the core. Heavy lures, deep divers or large jigheads usually only create frustration. Most spots are simply too shallow and too messy to fish those responsibly.
Your tackle does not need to be complicated. It simply needs to match how you like to fish: light and aggressive, or heavy and slow. Anglers who fish with a technique they enjoy fish longer, with more confidence and more precision — and that ultimately results in more fish.
Common Mistakes
The Biesbosch is beautiful water, but it is also a place where many anglers make the same mistakes. The biggest mistake is relying too much on what looks good — especially what people are used to calling a “good spot” from fishing on the bank: reed lines, weed beds, grass fields. In the Biesbosch everything looks perfect, but that does not mean fish are present. And it certainly does not mean you can reach it by boat. Before you know it, you are stuck on a sandbank because you saw a beautiful reed field in the distance. That reed field often stands in five centimetres of water. Anglers who fish every “pretty spot” mostly fish empty water and burn enormous amounts of time.
Tackle choice also goes wrong frequently. Heavy lures, deep divers or large jigheads are simply not practical here. You get stuck, you rake through grass, or you plough the bottom. Match your lure to the actual depth you are fishing. The same applies to leaders: thin fluorocarbon or no steel at all is asking for trouble in an area where pike can appear anywhere. Especially with fluorocarbon, anything under 1.0 mm is not good enough.
Another mistake is entering the Biesbosch without a water chart. The charts show you the edges, plateaus, shallows and holes. Based on that map — and the bites you get — you can discover patterns you can repeat, allowing you to get the most out of your day.
The final mistake is assuming the Biesbosch is “easy” because it looks so pike‑friendly. It is not. There is no miracle water. Sometimes it is fantastic for months, and sometimes it is hard work for months. But it is always water with real potential. Even on the tough days, the chance of a 110+ fish is real.
Pike fishing in the Biesbosch is not about luck or drifting past “nice spots.” It is water you must learn to read, where you must make choices, and where you sometimes have to work hard for every bite. But that is exactly what makes it such a special area. It is large, shallow, dynamic and visually perfect almost everywhere — yet in the end it revolves around a few zones that actually hold fish at that moment.
Those who are willing to search for patterns, take water levels seriously, understand weed fields, and adapt their tackle and techniques to what the area demands can catch pike here with remarkable consistency. Sometimes for weeks in the same area, sometimes spread across multiple zones — but always with the same red thread: the Biesbosch rewards anglers who fish systematically, calmly and with confidence.
And that is perhaps the essence: the Biesbosch is honest water. No miracle water, no guarantee water, but a system with constant potential. Even on the tough days, the chance of a big fish is real. And when it fires, it often fires for weeks. Catching pike in this environment — between reeds, creeks, grass fields and open flats — is simply one of the most beautiful experiences a predator angler can have.
For a wider look at techniques, species and conditions in the Netherlands, the main predator fishing guide is the best next read.