Fishing near Leiden, South Holland

Leiden sits in the heart of South Holland, surrounded by a dense network of canals, poldersloten, and rivers. The Oude Rijn runs directly through the city, and waters such as the Rijn-Schiekanaal, Haarlemmertrekvaart, and the Westeinderplassen are all close at hand. Coarse fishing — particularly for predatory species — is the dominant pursuit, with anglers working both urban waterways and the broader polder landscape.