OUR FISHING GUIDE ABOUT THE GOOIMEER:
"Possibly the best pike fishing in the Netherlands."
Pike fishing at the Gooimeer
With over 2600 hectares, the Gooimeer, only 15 minutes driving from Amsterdam, is a huge body of water. And home of many and especially enormously large pikes. The many embankments, plateaus, holes and plant beds make it a Valhalla for the gigantic amounts of white fish and capital predators that hunt it. For the angler, this dynamic underwater world is an endless source of possibilities. It's not for nothing that fishing guide Juul Steyn absolutely loves this fascinating water.
How to fish for pike on the Gooimeer?
Steyn: “That's a good question, especially because you can practice any fishing technique due to the diversity of fishing spots. From fishing with the smallest spinner to trolling with the largest swimbaits, and from fly fishing with streamers to pelagic fishing with the Garmin LiveScope: it's all possible on the Gooimeer.”
The guest determines in consultation with the fishing guide which fishing technique(s) will be used. The behaviour of the prey and predatory fish is an important guideline. In early spring, the pike move towards the faster warming water on the plateaus. Crystal clear water, barely a meter deep and massive pikes are the ingredients for an adventurous fishing day. Casting with softbaits, jerkbaits and other cool baits - think of the Miuras Mouse, large streamers and frogs - is not only very effective but also super exciting. You'll be standing on the front of the casting deck and your fishing guide will show you where to expect the fish, so you can make the perfect cast. “And then, out of nowhere, you see a pike sliding over your lure in that crystal clear water. Heart attack guaranteed. It doesn't get any better!”, says Steyn.
As spring progresses, the plant beds grow into nurseries and shelters anything that doesn't want to be eaten. Although that wish is often in vain, as hungry pike, perch and zander (‘Dutch Walleye’) are constantly patrolling there. Fishing guide Juul Steyn deftly manoeuvres his boat along the vegetation and you can expect a strike any time now. With so-called 'weedless' lures, such as the chatterbait, you can even fish right through the plants in high summer: the best way to fish where you would constantly get stuck with normal lures.
And then it’s autumn: a truly magnificent time for pike fishing on the Gooimeer. Steyn: “Plants die, the white fish loses its shelter and the predatory fish makes good use of that. Hungry and aggressive, they scour the embankments in search of anything that helps build a layer of fat for the winter. They now prefer a big meal, and we are more than willing to serve it. Casting large softbaits and trolling even larger swimbaits is the way to go to focus on your new record pike.”
Winter fishing for pike on the Gooimeer is all about baitfish. The guide knows where to find them, and then the pike are never far away. Bream, roach and perch are showing on the LiveScope screen, and that massive fish swimming around them? Pike! “It stays close to its winter supply and is constantly on the lookout for an easy meal,” says Steyn. “An unsuspecting little fish that separates itself from the rest? Bite, swallow, wham bang, thank you ma’am!”
Pelagic fishing is now also an excellent way to catch big pike in a very targeted way. Quite different from actively casting with lures, but definitely a technique you should try!
Big, bigger, biggest
We are realistic enough not to make any promises when it comes to numbers and size. But we dare to say that the Gooimeer is one of the best waters if you want to set your personal best for pike. And the best pike fishing near Amsterdam for sure!
The enormous food supply, clear water and the gigantic habitat provide the ideal conditions for Esox lucius to grow to an above-average size. We consider a pike of 80 cm (around 8-10 lb) as a medium size here, and naturally we want to catch that meter pike (15-20 lb). And it sounds crazy, but then it actually just starts. Because 110 cm (20-25 lb) is certainly no exception. And why not go for that 120 cm+ fish (25-35 lb)? Or 130 cm (35-45 lb)? As Juul puts it: “A person must dare to dream, and then it helps if you know that these dreams can become reality. Because they swim there: fish of this size.”
It can certainly not be ruled out that a new Dutch Record Pike is swimming around here. This record is currently held by Siegfried Schön who caught a giant of no less than 138 cm in 2019, but there is no reason to assume that the Gooimeer cannot accommodate even larger fish. Isn't it a fascinating idea that you could be the one to catch that record fish? Go for it!
Only the best is good enough
When you're after the fish of your life, you shouldn't leave anything to chance. Our fishing guides know this better than anyone. Steyn: “When it comes to rods, I choose the specialist St. Croix rods. For casting with large baits I have the St. Croix Legend Tournament Musky with GRASP handle on board. These fast, light but very strong rods fit perfectly in the hand and allow you to effortlessly cast big baits all day long.” These baitcasters are equipped with the powerful Shimano Tranx reels.
For casting with lighter lures, Steyn opts for lighter spinning rods. “It is not uncommon for you to catch the largest fish with smaller soft baits, especially in the spring and early summer. The relatively soft rod tip of the Avid Inshore allows you to make long casts even with small baits on a 10-gram jig head. And more importantly: when you get a bite, you can fight even the largest pike without a moment of doubt. The backbone of this rod is second to none. Combined with the Shimano Ultegra reel this is a real pleasure to fish with.”
For trolling Steyn uses both the St. Croix Legend Tournament and Premier rods.
Good to know!
To get the most out of the fishing day, we advise you to book with one or two persons. This way you have plenty of room to cast without getting in each other's way and the chance of disturbing your target fish is the smallest.
The Gooimeer is located at only 15 minutes driving from Amsterdam. If you’re staying in Amsterdam and want to go pike fishing, but you don’t have a car, you can drive along with your guide for free. He will bring you back to the city too off course.
