A Dutch Carp Fishing Holiday Adventure | Kieran Ryder
A family getaway is always something to look forward to – but it’s even better when your accommodation is perched on the edge of a 100-acre Dutch lake. Here's how OMC's Commercial Director Kieran Ryder got on fishing the mighty Beekse Bergen in Holland...
Our destination for this family fishing holiday? Beekse Bergen – a Eurocamp-style resort that caters perfectly for families, complete with a children’s theme park, safari park, and a wide range of accommodation options including glamping tents, safari hotels, and the gem we landed in: a lakeside chalet.
The lake itself is a haven for watersports, with an open inlet and outlet to the Wilhelmina Canal – a natural corridor for carp to come and go, adding a bit of mystery to the fishing. It’s an old sandpit, dug originally for motorway construction, and has serious depth – most of the central areas reach 25m (80ft), and even many of the so-called margins sit at a respectable 9m (30ft).
With very little prior intel on the lake and limited to the area in front of our chalet, the first day was spent out on the boat, echo sounder in hand, trying to hatch a plan – and hoping for a glimpse of carp. Between myself and my father-in-law, Keith, we had six rods to work with. We settled on baiting a central spot heavily, banking on the idea that when fish did pass through, the buffet would be too good to ignore.
We found a flat, clear area at 9m depth, just before the drop-off into 25m, about 150 yards out. In went an initial 20kg of big particles, tiger nuts, and a mix of Paella and iScream Boilies. Daily 5kg top-ups followed, knowing that even if the carp weren’t on it straight away, the bream and tench certainly were – and they’d help keep the spot polished. The powerful attractants from the boilies would do the rest.
We dedicated three rods to that central spot. The other three we placed around a spit on the far side of the lake, near the attraction park and 360 yards from base. Sparse baiting here – more of a test zone to see what might happen over time.
Tactics-wise, I kept faith in my ever-reliable Slip D Ronnie Rig – my go-to for just about everything. We planned to scale hookbaits up as the bream and tench pressure dictated, but I’m a firm believer in understanding what’s happening beneath the water – even if it means catching the odd “nuisance” species along the way. At these distances, I wanted weight and attraction – 5oz Deckz Leads, plus a ball of OMC JAW paste (50/50 iScream and Paella) wrapped around it, giving around 10–12oz total weight – ensured the rig would stay put when dropping from a boat and returning back to base.
For gear, I was using 1of1 Reels loaded with 300m of test braid and 150m of 15lb Dancefloor Monofilament on top, paired with 10ft Black Pearls. Everything sat beautifully on the soon-to-be-released HEIST Rod Pod, with some clever new indicators in development from OMC.
The first two nights were quiet, with a few tench and bream from each spot. We bumped up our hookbait sizes a little and kept watching. Each morning, I was up early, scanning the water before the paddleboarders and windsurfers descended. Despite the mayhem, I was hopeful – I’ve seen carp show themselves among surfers at other venues before. But by 72 hours in, we still hadn’t seen or heard a carp.
With the family, days were spent out and about – so fishing was largely a dusk-till-dawn affair. Then, on Monday evening, I left Keith with the rods and headed off with some of the family to catch the safari animals at dusk from the onsite bar. At 9pm, my phone rang. Keith was into a carp!
I jumped on my bike (because, of course, cycling is mandatory in Holland) and pedalled hard back to ‘home’. Out of breath, I arrived to find Keith had landed our first carp – a wild, mid-30 common from one of the spit rods. Playing and landing it solo over 360-yards was no small feat. We retained it safely in the PB Sling, reset the rod just before dark, and then hoisted his prize for a few quick photos.
Tuesday morning, just as I was making a brew, an alarm rang. One of the rod tips from the main baited spot was arcing over (high tips & heavy backleads). I stepped out into the water in my test OMC Waders and could feel the change – the forecast wind had swung round and was now pumping across our spot. Sure enough, a lovely old mirror was soon rolled over the net cord – a high thirty. These wild, non-stocked waters are predominantly home to commons, so I couldn’t help but smile seeing a mirror in the net. Rod was reset, bait was topped up, and a few stills later, she was safely released.
At that point, I was thrilled. Keith had caught, I’d caught, and – importantly – the family was having a great time. We reeled in soon after – we were due to visit our bait manufacturer for a quick work catch-up, then meet the family at the safari park. We got back late Tuesday but managed to get all six rods back out before dark.
Wednesday morning dawned, my eyes glued to the water, convinced I’d finally spot a carp. That new wind still held steady. We’d caught from both areas, and I was quietly confident. I always try to pull as much ‘data’ from a trip as I can – my fishing time is sporadic, so every little detail counts. Some months I’ll do a few overnighters, then not get out again for ages – such is life – but I’ll always try to maximise the time I have.
Just after 9:30, as the family were heading into town, I had a slow drop-back on one of the close-in rods. At first, I assumed it was yet another bream or tench (we’d had dozens by now – even double 18s bottom baits and 14mm toppers paired with size 2 hooks weren’t deterring them). But something felt different. I glanced at Keith, already dressed to head out, and said, “I’ll grab this and reset the rod after – you guys crack on.”
But the moment the rod was in my hand, I turned to him and said, “Keith… this is a carp. Your turn.”
Fishing together, we always alternate carp bites, and by rights this was his. But in classic laid-back style, he grinned and said, “Nah, you take this one. I’ll have the next – to make it 2–2.”
The result? A beautiful mid-twenty common. Keith and my wife, Jaz, snapped a few shots before heading off. I reset the rod and returned to my laptop with a grin.
The south-westerly wind was doing wonders for the carp, but also for the dozens of watersport enthusiasts now out enjoying the lake each day – and fair play, we all have our hobbies.
Thursday came, and by 10:30 I figured the morning bite window had passed. The ladies needed a top-up from the supermarket and were reluctant to drive, so Keith stepped in. It was only 30 minutes away. My defence for not volunteering is I was deep into work… Of course, no sooner had they left, one of the short rods was away again. It was hot today, I entered the water in my shorts & PB Slippers and thoroughly enjoyed every second of the battle with another Dutch common. This one had fallen for a double Paella-infused Dumbbell with a pink topper. I safely retained the fish and waited for Keith to return – wondering how best to break the news.
When they arrived, there were the expected laughs and mock disbelief. But another mid-twenty was hoisted from the water – and just like the others, a real pearler!
We packed up early Friday morning, all rods reeled in. What a trip. Carp caught from a non-angling venue, in between paddleboarding, open-water swimming, dog walks, cycling, water pistol fights with the nephews, BBQs at the chalet, safari park visits, bait factory meetings – you know, the usual family shenanigans. I also had the fun of helping Noah, the 4-year-old nephew, catch his first fish on the FREE Giveaway Rod OMC did. Mega.
SESSION RECAP
Bait Deployed:
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50/50 mix of Paella & iScream boilies – initially a mix of all sizes, switching to only 18s as the week progressed
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Home-cooked tiger nuts & maples infused with Paella Gravy
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Home-cooked French maize & buckwheat infused with iScream Nutty Sauce – although we treaded lightly after 24 hours due to tench & bream pressure
Hookbaits:
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Best results on either:
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Double 14x18mm iScream-Infused Dumbbell or Paella-Infused Dumbbell with a 14mm Twisted Pink Pop-up topper.
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Slip D Ronnie Rig:
Lead System:
Hardware:
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Loaded with 300m Test Braid and 150m of 15lb Dancefloor mono on top
Article author Kieran Ryder is currently Commercial Director at One More Cast. With limited time for his own personal fishing, Kieran likes to target large, challenging and low-stock waters with a traditional carp fishing approach. His experience fishing a variety of venues around the UK and Europe, as well as a history of working in the trade (including at OMC Stockist Angling Direct) means Kieran's angling knowledge is second to none.
