European Eel
The European eel has shaped Dutch fishing culture for centuries — Volendam built its identity around eel boats, and the Netherlands' vast wetland network made it some of the best eel habitat in Europe.
Today the fishery is tightly regulated and the population has crashed, but eels still move through Dutch rivers, polders, and estuaries, and targeting them remains a distinct pursuit for anglers willing to fish after dark.
Scientific Name: Anguilla anguilla
Also known as Aal, Paling
- Long, snake-like body with no visible scales and a continuous fin running from behind the dorsal to the tail — unmistakable in hand.
- Color shifts with life stage: juveniles are yellowish-brown on the sides (yellow eel phase); maturing adults turn silver-white on the belly with enlarged eyes (silver eel phase).
- Small pectoral fins sit just behind the head; no pelvic fins at all — another quick ID point against lookalikes.
- Most rod-caught eels in the Netherlands run 30–60 cm; larger females can exceed 80 cm and weigh well over 1 kg.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to the Netherlands and historically abundant — the country's low-lying wetland landscape, river deltas, and polder systems are textbook eel habitat.
- Found in virtually every connected water type: the Rhine and Maas river systems, the IJsselmeer, coastal estuaries, drainage canals, and brackish tidal zones.
- Spend most of their adult lives in freshwater or brackish water, then migrate to the sea as silver eels — Dutch coastal waters, particularly the Dutch-Belgian zone, are a documented migration corridor toward the English Channel.
- Tolerate a wide salinity range, which is why they turn up in everything from inland polders to tidal creeks along the Zeeland coast.
Key Locations
- IJsselmeer — historically the most productive eel water in the Netherlands; still holds eels but the fishery is heavily managed.
- Rhine and Maas river systems — main migration corridors for both incoming glass eels and outgoing silver eels; yellow eels present throughout.
- Zeeland estuaries — brackish tidal waters where eels concentrate during seasonal movements between fresh and salt water.
- Polder canal networks in Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland, and Friesland — slow, silty drainage ditches that have always been productive eel habitat.
- Volendam area — historically the center of Dutch eel fishing culture; the IJmeer and surrounding waters remain part of the managed eel fishery.
Specific Spots
- Deep holes and undercut banks in canals and rivers — eels rest in soft bottom substrate during daylight and move into shallower margins after dark.
- Weed edges and reed beds in the IJsselmeer and polder lakes, where invertebrates concentrate and eels can hunt without exposing themselves in open water.
- Outflows, sluices, and lock gates: current breaks around water-control structures funnel food and give eels a place to hold with minimal effort.
- Muddy, silty bottoms in slow-moving drainage ditches — eels burrow into soft sediment and are most catchable where these ditches connect to larger water.
European Eel FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for European Eel?
Lobworms and dendrobaena worms are the most consistent bait across all Dutch waters, fish a bunch of two or three on a wide-gape hook hard on the bottom. Cut bait (small strips of roach, perch, or smelt) works well for larger eels, especially in the IJsselmeer and river systems where eels are used to feeding on fish.
When is the best time to fish for European Eel?
Late spring through summer (May–August) sees the most consistent feeding as water temperatures climb above 15°C. Early autumn (September–October) can produce well before water cools, though maturing silver eels begin their downstream migration and become uncatchable.
How do you catch European Eel?
Most Dutch eel anglers fish from the bank at night, ledgering worms or cut bait on the bottom of canals, polder ditches, or lake margins. Sessions typically run from dusk into the early hours, with a baitrunner reel set to give line on a take.
What do European Eel eat?
Bottom-dwelling invertebrates make up the core diet: worms, freshwater mussels, snails, and insect larvae. Lobworms and dendrobaena worms fished hard on the bottom are the go-to bait for this reason.
Where do European Eel live?
Native to the Netherlands and historically abundant, the country's low-lying wetland landscape, river deltas, and polder systems are textbook eel habitat. Found in virtually every connected water type: the Rhine and Maas river systems, the IJsselmeer, coastal estuaries, drainage canals, and brackish tidal zones.
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