My name is Juul Steyn, and I live as close to the fish as possible: on a houseboat moored in Amsterdam. Sportfishing has been my profession for over 25 years. I started as an editor for the Dutch fishing magazine Beet and later became chief editor of ‘Hét Visblad’, with over 500.000 copies the largest fishing magazine in The Netherlands. In 2010 I started guiding in Amsterdam, a job that allowed me to combine the two things that I love most: fishing and sharing the fun of fishing with other people.
I do this not only by offering fully serviced fishing trips in Amsterdam. In 2020 I have made another dream come true: writing a book, called ‘Denken als een vis’ (‘Think like a fish’, current 4th print).
Officially licensed by the AHV
As a licensed fishing guide of the Amsterdam Fishing Club (AHV) I have only one goal: putting my guests in the first place. This means that all fish that are hooked are destined to be caught by the guest. The last thing you want is to be ‘out fished’ by your guide. My sole purpose is to help you to get the most out of a fishing trip as possible, no matter how limited your time is. I do this by showing you the right techniques, offering the right tackle and above all and making sure you enjoy yourself.
All year round
You can catch great numbers, and good sizes, all through the year, by adapting to the current conditions. Being out on the water almost every day, your guide knows exactly what works best on any given day.
As long as the fish are active, from early spring to late fall, you can practically use any technique you want to catch zander, perch and Northern pike in and around Amsterdam. When winter comes, both zander and pike are gathering around the baitfish, making it great to target them with more passive techniques. As winter goes on, these fish are getting fatter by the day, reaching their top weight just before spawning. So if you’re planning to crush your personal record zander or pike, make sure to book a trip for fat pre-spawn fish in January, Februrary or March. And talking about record fish: why not go after the world famous Dutch winter perch, with weights reaching over 4, 5 and even 6 lb. The later winter months are the best period to go after these fat ladies.
Note that in April and May we will fish with worms only (due to national legislation), targeting a wide variation of fish.
Fishing techniques
I offer a wide variety of techniques: casting, dropshot fishing, vertical jigging, trolling and various finesse techniques. Just share your thoughts with me, and I will provide a tailor-made fishing trip that matches your style of fishing. No matter what technique we use, the wellbeing of the fish we catch is of paramount importance. This means that we handle each fish with care and strictly practice catch and release.
Boat and tackle
When it comes to fishing gear, I do not compromise. I believe that the right rod and reel are of paramount importance. They not only enable you to reel in your catch but also to get you in touch with the fish in the first place. This requires sensitivity, strength and fast response. Therefore I offer only the best of the best: St. Croix spinning and baitcasting rods (Legend Tournament, Physyx, Rayfin), all rigged with high-end Shimano Vanford spinning reels, and Shimano Tranx and Curado baitcasting reels.
I drive a custom designed 17 ft aluminium Siegersma fishing boat with a huge casting deck. This boat is powered by a 70 HP Yamaha four-stroke engine, and a 80 lb Minn Kota Ulterra trolling motor. For targeting the fish, I rely on 12” and 9” Garmin Echomap Ultra monitors with the latest Livescope. So no guessing, but only targeting fish where we can actually see them.
Zander – The Sniper
With eyes that are extremely sensitive to light, the zander roams the deep and dark waters of the river IJ and the murky canals on the old city centre. This sniper sneaks up to her prey and waits for the right moment to attack. She bites like a viper and kills like a sniper. Not only her behaviour makes the zander (also called pike-perch) one of the most wanted predator fish in Amsterdam, but also the numbers and size account for this. A fish of 40 cm already puts up an entertaining fight, with 60 cm it gets really serious, and an 80 cm fish is a fish of a lifetime. And not impossible to catch during a fishing day in Amsterdam!
Traditionally vertical jigging with short and fast rods is an efficient way of fishing for zander, as well as drop shot fishing. Both techniques are done with soft baits sizing 6 – 12 cm. Another great way of fishing is casting with both soft and hard baits, from small soft baits on a light jig head to chatterbaits and twitchbaits. This is a more active way of fishing, the bites are usually harder, and in my opinion, every fish you catch is even more rewarding. In consultation we can also go trolling for zander in the inner city, using deep-diving slim hard baits and rattle lures. While doing so, you may also expect large perch and pike.
Perch – The Street Fighter
If there is one fish that’s always looking for trouble, it’s the perch. This fish is abundant in Amsterdam waters and gives a silver lining to every day out on the water. His wonderful appearance is deceiving because he’s a real ugly streetfighter that may attack baits that are about the same size as himself. Fish of 20 to 30 cm are fun to catch, a 40 cm fish is a trophy, and with 50 cm you may call yourself the winner of the day!
Perch are caught often while vertical jigging and dropshotting, but casting with hard and soft lures can be at least as effective. And if you are in for some serious finesse fishing with the Carolina rig and Ned rig for perch, I love to show you the ropes. Trolling with small hard baits along the river bank, as well as through the canals of the inner city, is also very productive.
Pike – The Bully
Without a doubt, the most impressive fish around. With her sheer size and massive jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth, she roams the Amsterdam waters. Although she’s less abundant than her smaller counterparts, she makes up for this by her power and appearance. During the right season (September – March) we frequently catch fish over 100 cm, weighing over 20 lb. If you want to give it a go for monster pike, I recommend booking a full day fishing to enhance your chances of success.