Wherever you may live, if you’re a sport angler, you’ve probably heard that Amsterdam is claimed to be the predator fishing capital of the world. The city is world-famous for its zander—nicknamed “the Dutch walleye” and therefore often referred to as ‘Zanderdam’—but it also offers incredible fishing for perch and Northern pike. That leads to the question: when’s the best time to go fishing in Amsterdam?
Text and photography: Juul Steyn
In this guide, professional fishing guide Juul Steyn takes you on a month-by-month journey through Amsterdam’s waters and shares what you can expect in each season.
Of course, conditions vary from year to year, but based on his decades of experience, these predictions are solid. One thing’s certain: Amsterdam offers amazing predator fishing all year round.
JANUARY
Zander
Though winter has arrived, it doesn’t mean zander go dormant. As long as there’s no prolonged frost, they’ll stay active and hunt to maintain their fat reserves.
Casting soft baits remains highly effective, and this time of year, larger lures often outfish smaller ones. My top pick: the 12 cm Spro Iris Popeye. Long-lining with big softbaits—like Savage Gear’s Sandeel—is another proven tactic to tempt true trophy fish.
Pike
Northern pike remain active as well. The large lakes around Amsterdam are prime hunting grounds this month. With weed beds gone and baitfish exposed, prey fish gather in dense schools—safety in numbers. And since baitfish have grown substantially over the summer, use large lures. I’m talking about 20 to 50 cm softbaits, either casted or trolled, work great. The pike are in peak condition: fat, strong, and heavy.
Perch
Cooling water temps trigger large female perch to school up. And by large, I mean real monsters—fish of 40 to over 50 cm and up to 4 pounds. This is your chance to target true world-class perch. Casting shads, vibe lures, and crankbaits is both effective and exciting. We fish both the canals of central Amsterdam and the big lakes outside the city.
January is a superb month to break your personal record for pike on the great lakes near Amsterdam.
FEBRUARY
Zander
Water temperatures drop further, and zander move deeper and in general become more passive. Still, they feed—just more selectively. Precision and slow presentations are key. Instead of active casting, I often switch to finesse techniques like dropshotting. Large worms—such as the 6.5” Nories Shrilpin or the 12 cm Spro Instaworm—work wonders.
Pike
The colder it gets, the fatter the pike in and around Amsterdam. Their hunting activity slows a bit, but a well-presented lure can still trigger explosive strikes. Miuras Mouse and hybrid jerkbaits are spot-on now. With the Garmin Livescope, we locate bait schools and fish around them with pinpoint accuracy. We can see the giants on the screen—it’s just a matter of convincing them to bite. And we usually do.
Perch
Perch continue to pack on weight. A slow, methodical approach works best. Carolina rigs and Ned rigs are especially effective in February—both in urban spots and open water. Be aware that bites may be very subtle, so stay alert at all times. Even the smallest nibble can result in landing a true ‘PerchZilla’.
Winter fishing for zander in Amsterdam is damn hot, even with freezing cold weather. And be assured that your fishing guide provides warm clothes, even insulated gloves.
MARCH
Zander
In my opinion, March is the most unpredictable month. If it stays really cold (which happens less and less, with the changing climate), fishing can be tough. But every bite is a potential trophy—zander are now at their heaviest, typically found in deeper zones. Passive large soft baits work well, especially when fishing pelagic style. March is a month of quality over quantity.
Pike
If you ask me, March is the best time to target true trophy pike. The females are now at peak weight. Yes, large baits produce large fish, but I personally love using small, flashy baits too. I mean 8 to 12 cm soft baits and vibe lures, dancing over the ledges. This approach yields both numbers and surprising size. Twenty-pounders are caught on a weekly basis, and 30+ pound fish aren’t unusual. Want to break your personal best? Book an Amsterdam pike fishing trip in March!
Perch
March is another great month for big perch. Depending on the weather, we switch between active and passive tactics. The Carolina rig with a Zman TRD Crawz is one of my favorite baits to trigger large, weary Amsterdam perch, but casting simple curl tails on a 10 gram jig head also works fabulous at times. Flexibility is the key to catch the biggest winter perch in and around Amsterdam.
In March, the perch in and around Amsterdam are at their peak weight.
APRIL & MAY
April and May are closed seasons in the Netherlands for fishing with artificial lures. But we can still fish legally using worms. I personally love using worms on a jig head or dropshot rig this time of year. The fun part? You can catch just about anything—perch, bream, carp, zander, flounder, even mullet. It’s a surprisingly diverse and challenging style of fishing, and every strike is a surprise.
When fishing with worms in Amsterdam, you can expect really anything – even such an awesome carp!
JUNE
Zander
One of my favourite months for zander fishing in Amsterdam. Spawning is over, and ‘the Dutch Walleye’ are hungry again. Casting compact soft baits (6–10 cm) is super effective. Twitch baits work well too. Shallow shorelines along the banks of the river IJ and in the inner-city canals are true hotspots now. Aggressive strikes, hard-fighting fish, and often great weather—what’s not to love?
Pike
Pike are fully back on the hunt. In the large lakes around Amsterdam, you’ll find them on the flats, along drop-offs, and even in open water. They’re often lurking near spawning bream and roach. Large lures work well, but don’t overlook small, flashy shads. Chatter baits, spinnerbaits, and other “noise makers” are great choices for savage strikes.
Perch
June can be unpredictable for perch, to be honest. One day you’ll find them actively hunting, the next they seem to vanish. Stay mobile and try different depths and spots. Once we have found a honey hole, you shouldn’t be surprised to catch into double digits.
Spawning season is over, and we’re ready to go after predatory fish in top gear.
JULY
Zander
Excellent zander fishing in the city continues. Young-of-the-year baitfish are now everywhere—easy prey. Small shads in natural or bright colours produce aggressive bites and often high numbers. As the month progresses, expect exciting bycatch in the form of asp (Aspius aspius). These toothless predators deliver explosive strikes and even surface action, just like baby tarpon.
Pike
Weed growth takes off now in the clear lakes. If it’s not topping out yet, you can enjoy incredible topwater action—frogs, weedless soft baits, and walk-the-dog lures. Surface strikes are explosive and thrilling. July is one of the most exciting months for pike fishing.
Perch
With the rising water temperatures, perch is best fished early morning and late evening, when they hunt around weed edges. Small poppers, shallow crankbaits, and finesse rigs are your go-to tools.
From July onward, you can expect to catch one of these amazing fish: asp, also known as ‘Dutch Tarpon’.
AUGUST
Zander
Even in the hottest month, zander remain very well catchable in Amsterdam. Deep water and constant boat traffic keep temperatures stable. Early mornings and evenings are most productive.
Pike
Pike can still be targeted if water temps stay below 23°C. If it gets warmer, we give them a break, to avoid putting too much strain on their health. During the cooler parts of the day (early morning and late evening) you can still responsibly catch solid fish.
Perch
Perch now prefer cooler, deeper zones. Early and late hours are best. Besides the traditional softbait, try deep diving crank baits, vibe lures (the ‘Vib’r’ is an awesome new bait by Spro for this purpose), or actively fished Carolina rigs along edges and deeper structure to entice your bites.
A beautiful summer perch, caught fishing with crank baits, just outside the city of Amsterdam.
SEPTEMBER
Zander
By now, usually the hot summer is over its peak. With cooler nights, zander activity increases. We gradually switch to slightly bigger lures and fish both shallow flats and deeper channels. September is usually seen as one of the most reliable months for zander fishing in Amsterdam, along with October and November.
Pike
September signals the start of fall feeding. On the big lakes, pike hunt aggressively along weed edges. Casting hard baits, soft baits, and spinnerbaits brings fierce strikes. September is simply a superb pike fishing month.
Perch
Perch shift into gear. Casting crankbaits and twitch baits along shorelines is effective, but don’t ignore deeper areas either.
Get ready for all day long pike action in September.
OCTOBER
Zander
October means autumn—and it puts a smile on every predator angler’s face. This is prime time for zander in Amsterdam. From September to December, the bite is hot, the fish are big. And October is right in the middle of that action. You can fish practically any method now. Casting soft baits, crank baits, vibe lures and twitch baits: just choose your preferred method and get ready for your next strike!
Pike
As water temperatures drop further, pike get more aggressive. Dying weed beds open new ambush zones. Baitfish are now fully grown, so we bring out the big lures—swimbaits, jerk baits, and chunky soft baits. October is all about violent strikes and heavyweight predators.
Perch
October is a top month for perch. Active techniques like casting or trolling crankbaits, twitch baits, and soft plastics are highly effective. Find hunting schools near bridges, docks, and drop-offs. Play with colours and depths—you’ll get slammed by big, aggressive perch.
Now that the days are shortening, the Amsterdam zander prepare for winter. And that’s good news for us!
NOVEMBER
Zander
Fall at its finest—and zander love it too. Winds pick up, but Amsterdam offers plenty of sheltered spots. When the open water of the IJ gets too rough, wind force 5–6 Bft from the East or West, we retreat to the canals or the Amstel. Catching a thick zander in Amsterdam’s historic heart, surrounded by autumn colors and old houses, is an unforgettable experience. When the wind is blowing from the South or North, the IJ provides for sheltered spots still thanks to the banks and buildings on the shoreline.
Pike
Just like any other Dutch predator maniac, I always look forward to pike fishing in November. The fish are gearing up for winter—hungry, aggressive, and ready to ambush. Hookup rates are high—nearly every bite should lead to a landed fish. Even when it’s windy, I’ve always got a safe and productive spot up my sleeve. If it’s too rough, we fish in town or reschedule the trip.
Perch
In November, perch fishing in The Netherlands gets really exciting. Falling temperatures and shortening days change their behavior. Perch start hunting more aggressively, often in groups, like wolf packs. You’ll find them near bridges, pilings, harbors, and flowing structures. Small softbaits, plugs, and vibes shine now. In the increasingly murky water, bright colors work well. Amsterdam city fishing in November—between houseboats and autumn leaves—is truly unique.
This pretty much sums up why we love November so much. Beautiful fish, that his our baits like there’s no tomorrow.
DECEMBER
Zander
Though it’s technically winter, I still count December as late fall. In Amsterdam, we know that zander stay surprisingly active. This is a fantastic month to target them. They get fatter by the week and often strike with that unmistakable “TOK!” on your rod tip. Both casting and vertical jigging are productive in this time of the year.
Pike
December has a special place in my heart. This is when even the wariest monsters drop their guard and feed more aggressively than ever. They’re full-on apex predators now, and it’s the perfect month to break personal bests—even for novice anglers.
Perch
December perch fishing is all about variety. Small fish head deeper, but with mild temps, big and small still mix. You can catch numbers and size. Fish slow and precise with small softbaits, and finesse fishing techniques like the Carolina rig, tubes and dropshot, near structure and slopes. For persistent anglers, this month offers huge potential.
Big fat winter pike draw fisherman from all over the world to Amsterdam. This mama was caught on one of the great lakes near Amsterdam.
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