Dutch predatory silver bream and bread eaters

In the Dutch rivers, there lives a carp fish that is a little different from the carp fish we have in Denmark. It is called Roofblei in Dutch, directly translated it means predatory silver bream. A silver bream is not a particularly voracious predatory fish, but it is an asp! The large fish-eating asp became our target species on a trip to the Netherlands, but in addition to asp, we also fished a lot for bread-eating orfe and whatever else could be hiding on the bottom of the Ijssel River.

Together with my fishing partners Jørn and Peter, I had planned a trip south, which was actually supposed to go to Belgium, where we wanted to fish for barbel. Unfortunately, due to drought, fishing in Belgium had been closed for a period, so we changed our travel plans and went to the Netherlands instead.

After a drive to the Netherlands down through Germany, which took most of a day, we were finally able to look at the water that we would spend the next four days fishing on. The river or canal was very straight and without much variation, although in some places small stone embankments had been made into the river to prevent erosion.

Dutch asp caught on a lure.	Orfe caught on bread in the river Ijssel.
The fishing team!	There was a lot of boat traffic on the river Ijssel.

At the stone heads, some big eddies and currents arose, and here there were fish to catch. The first fish I saw and caught was a nice orfe, which took a piece of toast bread. At the same fishing spot, Peter soon spotted a school of asp, which followed his small wobbler. We were hooked by the thought of a big asp, and the next few mornings and evenings were spent fishing for asp with lures and wobblers. The first one to have success with fishing was Peter, who caught a really nice big asp of 74 cm. Then we were off! It doesn't go quietly when the asp hunts prey fish. The water explodes just like when a pike hunts, only much more violently and often repeatedly in the same place.

Later on the trip I also had luck when a 57 cm asp smashed my through-the-loop lure. Jørn had to settle for smaller asp, which was caught on small pieces of worm and bread, but in return he got a really nice zander, which pecked at a baitfish fished on a bottom rig.

Asp on lure.	Peter with a nice large asp of 74 cm.
Spinning fishing for asp.	Fishing.
Jørn with a nice zander from the Netherlands.	Jørn with orfe.

The weather in The Netherlands was very reminiscent of the Danish summer weather. Small and large showers and occasionally also really nice weather with sunshine and not much wind. It wasn't cold, so I was able to use my trusty Roxxo shorts throughout the trip. When it was a bit chilly in the morning or in the evening I wore my Teddy jacket, and on top of that my Tuva jacket when there was a chance of rain.

By Kasper Strube