Nationaal Park De Biesbosch in the Netherlands

Nationaal Park De Biesbosch in the Netherlands is one of the most unique and fascinating natural areas in Europe. It is a vast wetland shaped by a labyrinth of channels, rivers, narrow creeks, willow‑covered swamp forests and green islands. In fact, it is the largest freshwater tidal delta in Europe.

Even though the area lies well inland and consists of freshwater from the Rhine and Meuse rivers, the water is pushed back by the tides from the North Sea. This creates a noticeable difference in water level of between 20 and 80 centimeters, depending on where you are in the area, twice a day.

The park covers around 9,000 hectares and is home to a large population of beavers, white‑tailed eagles, ospreys and the colourful kingfisher. Besides the extraordinary wetland and rich wildlife, Nationaal Park De Biesbosch is known for something else – the carp.



They have been present in the area all the way back to the 1400s, and after a significant decline in the 1970s, they were systematically restocked throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Today, the area holds a large population of mainly common carp, but also mirror carp.

The combination of history, size and ancient genetics makes Biesbosch one of the largest, toughest and most impressive carp waters in Europe – with some fish traceable all the way back to 1421. That alone is remarkable.

It had long been a dream to experience fishing in the rivers and channels of Nationaal Park De Biesbosch – not only to test ourselves against the legendary carp, but also to see the wild beavers in their natural habitat. The combination of the raw, living water system and the historic carp makes the area truly special, and that was exactly what drew us there.
Together with Samantha and Thomas from Visboot Verhuur SAM I planned a trip with one of my two sons, who has also taken up carp fishing. We had many questions before the trip – and I really mean many – but we got answers to everything. They are some of the most helpful and welcoming people you can imagine.

We left home at five in the morning and planned to arrive before two o’clock to be in good time. But as it often goes, the trip took a couple of hours longer due to traffic and roadworks through Germany. Luckily, we had planned with a buffer.



When we finally arrived, Samantha and Thomas were waiting for us in the parking area and welcomed us warmly.

The boat we were going to live and fish from was surprisingly well equipped. There was a fully stocked kitchen with cookware, pots, pans, tableware, a gas stove, gas heater, towels, two beds with mattresses, lights, electricity and the ability to charge all our devices. In short: everything you could possibly need for several days in the wild.

We loaded our far‑too‑many belongings onto the boat – we wanted to be sure we didn’t miss anything.

After a short drive down to the small harbour in Hank, the boat was launched, and the adventure could begin. We had already looked at several interesting areas in the many channels, but chose to sail deeper into the smaller, quieter channels where we would avoid the large river barges and have calm water for fishing.



We secured the boat firmly to the bank by driving the boat’s four poles deep into the canal bed. After settling in and enjoying the surroundings, we set up the gear and prepared the feed.

With the extra-wide Raptor inflatable boat with an electric motor, which is included in the package, we headed out to locate good spots we wanted to feed up and fish.



We had brought plenty of cooked tiger nuts as well as CFC Bait Spicy Squid boilies in 18 and 24 mm with matching hookbaits – specifically to avoid too many nuisance fish.
Because in Biesbosch, it’s not only carp. You’ll also find bream, chub, roach, tench, asp, perch, pike, zander and many other species. And yes … we did catch both bream and chub on our feed. The bite alarms were busy.



Between the beeping bite alarms and the trips out with fresh rigs and feed on the spots we had found in the canal, the time was spent playing games, tying new rigs and simply enjoying nature – and in Biesbosch, nature is right on top of you, as many of the park’s animals literally gather around the boat.



Our effort to locate the carp’s travel routes paid off, and we landed a beautiful Biesbosch common carp. After a screaming run – where there was no doubt, it was a carp and not a bream – a long fight followed in the flowing water.

It wasn’t one of the real giants that eventually ended up in the net – they go over 30 kg – but the joy in the boat was enormous. Biesbosch is a tough water, and there is no guarantee of catching anything. Landing a true Biesbosch carp is an experience in itself.

Unfortunately, a sudden change in the weather brought a sharp drop in air pressure, and the fishing shut down completely. We considered taking the last night further out in the deeper channels, but chose to stay where we were. You can’t control the weather – but that’s also part of carp fishing.



Besides the carp, one of our big goals was to see the wild beavers. And that succeeded completely. On an evening trip in the inflatable boat, we quietly sailed alongside a swimming beaver, following it for more than 50 meters at close range before it disappeared between fallen trees in the canal. An experience we will never forget.

Every evening we took a longer trip in the inflatable boat, sailing through the small channels filled with wildlife, fallen trees, dense vegetation and stunning nature.

With both a Biesbosch carp and beavers ticked off our bucket list, everything else was just a bonus.



On the last day, we packed up early and sailed around several of the large channels – some of them more than a kilometre wide. At 12:00 we met Samantha and Thomas again in the small harbour. They were ready, helped us get the boat out of the water and safely back to the parking area where our car was.

We talked about the trip, everything we had experienced, and how much the nature had impressed us. And when we were asked if we would return, we both answered without hesitation: Of course we’re coming back to Nationaal Park De Biesbosch.

After a goodbye, a big hug and a “see you again”, we headed back towards Denmark – filled with the many impressions the trip had given us.

So perhaps it’s time to plan a new trip with Samantha and Thomas from Visboot Verhuur SAM. They certainly get our warmest recommendation.