VISpas

Fishing? Always take your VISpas with you!

The VISpas is your official fishing license and proof of membership in an angling club and Sportvisserij Nederland. The VISpas allows you to fish in almost 90% of all fishing waters in the Netherlands.

Fishing is one of the most popular outdoor activities in Limburg and has been gaining popularity in recent years. Whether you seek relaxation in nature or want to experience the thrill of catching a (big) fish, sport fishing is a popular hobby for young and old.

Do you have questions about the VISpas? Then check out the most frequently asked questions below:

I also want a VISpas! How does an application work?

Become a member of an association affiliated with Sportvisserij Limburg. Look for an association in your area. The VISpas will be sent to you automatically and is valid for one calendar year. Once you have the VISpas, you are allowed to fish with two rods in the waters included in the Joint List of Dutch Fish Waters. Apply for a VISpas here or buy one at your local angling store. Members who have recently ordered the VISpas online or at the angling store, and have received a Provisional Certificate of Membership (VBL) for it, can view the status of their order via ‘application status’.

A VBL is valid for one month and allows you to fish immediately. You will normally receive the final VISpas at home within three weeks. Note: if you have ordered the VISpas online, you will automatically receive a VBL by e-mail. This may end up in your ‘junk mail’. If you have not received the VISpas within three weeks, please send an e-mail with your question, name and address and VBL number to: vispas@sportvisserijnederland.nl or fill out the contact form.

Which fishing pass do I need?

There are several VISpas available and which one you need depends on your age and wishes. Children 13 years of age or younger may fish without a VISpas if accompanied by an adult with a VISpas. A special Youth Fishing Pass is also available. From the age of 14, depending on your needs, you have the choice of a Small VISpas or regular VISpas. Do the check here.

Where are you allowed to fish in the Netherlands?

Even if you have a VISpas, you are not allowed to fish in all Dutch waters. To make sure you are allowed to fish somewhere, check the VISplanner. Specific fishing rules and conditions may apply, you can easily find these here as well. Even easier: download the VISplanner app on your smartphone to instantly see if you're in the right place.

As of January 1, 2015, the VISplanner, in combination with the VISpas, is legally valid as permission to fish in the waters listed in the Joint List of Dutch Fish Waters. So the ‘thick book’ of yesteryear no longer needs to be taken to the waterfront. For anglers not in possession of a smartphone, the booklet ‘Gezamenlijke Lijst van Nederlandse VISwateren’ will still be available.

The Joint List of Dutch Fish Waters is valid for three years. Every year you will receive a Supplementary List with your new VISpas, so you can always fish in the permitted waters. It also contains the general conditions of the VISpas, the legal fishing regulations and any special conditions of a fishing water.

Are there separate and additional permissions?

In many Dutch waters fishing is permitted at night (from two hours after sunset until one hour before sunrise) throughout the year. For this you need, in addition to the VISpas, the Night Fishing Permit. If you want to fish in the Netherlands with three rods, you need the Third Pole License. Both can be ordered online here.

For the most recent information on placing lures while (night) fishing, please refer to the General Local Bye-Law (APV) of the municipality in which the water lies or to the access conditions of the rights holder. Where permitted, the relevant shelter must meet the following requirements according to the above-mentioned general conditions of the VISpas.

One-person brolly, -bivvy and/or -oval-shelter with a (neutral green, brown or camouflage) camouflage color with maximum dimensions: (lxwxh) 3.20 meters x 3.10 meters x 1.80 meters. The shelter in question must be open at the front.

Please note that night fishing is not permitted on all Limburg Maasplassen and all fish caught must be returned to the same water alive immediately.

What is the “MeeVIStoestemming”?

The MeeVIStoestemming is a permission for one person to go fishing with a VISpasouder for one day free of charge. The guest must return the fish he or she has caught to the water. The MeeVIS permit is only valid during the day (one hour before sunrise to two hours after sunset) and for a maximum of two rods. The MeeVIS permit can only be ordered through your personal Mijnsportvisserij account.

Note: order the MeeVIS permit only if you know for sure with whom and on which day you will fish together. You can order a permit up to three times and with three different people. MeeVIS permissions once created are not redeemable.

What is the Limburgvergunning?

A large part of the waters in Limburg are included in the Joint List of Dutch Fish Waters. The VISpas and the Joint List of Dutch Fish Waters/ VISplanner app therefore allow you to fish in these waters.

If you come to Limburg for a week of fishing and do not (yet) have a VISpas, you can purchase the so-called Limburg permit from Sportvisserij Limburg.

The holder of the Limburg permit may fish with a maximum of two rods (youth up to 14 years of age with a maximum of one rod) in the Limburg waters, which are listed in the corresponding Joint List of Dutch Fishing Waters. This is included in the Limburg permit for completeness.

This also applies to the general conditions, codes of conduct and the specific provisions per water. The most up-to-date information can be found via the Joint List of Dutch Fish Waters or the VISplanner app. Check these before you go fishing and adhere to them.

The Limburg permit is emphatically not a Night Fishing Permit or Third Pole Permit. These are available through Sportvisserij Nederland, provided you have a valid VISpas. The Limburg permit is available for €17.50 at various sales points throughout the province. These can be found here.