Back to overview VISpas Hotspots: Lateraalkanaal (Limburg)
The Lateraalkanaal Linne-Buggenum runs more than eight kilometres from Buggenum to Linne, a little below Roermond. Thanks to its excellent accessibility, this canal is extremely popular among coarse fish anglers, and is also of significant interest to predatory fish and carp anglers.
At the northern end, the Lateraalkanaal connects directly with the Maas, with the Heel lock complex on the southern end bridging the difference in height. The banks of the canal are easily accessible by means of paved roads on both sides along almost all of its length. The Lateraalkanaal enables inland waterway boats to bypass the winding course of the Maas at Roermond, halving the distance and significantly reducing the travel time on this route.
Closed cage feeder
Coarse fish anglers can catch bream and roach all year round along this canal, with autumn being the high season. Anglers using a pole will need to find a flat, clean bottom at a distance of at least 11.5 metres (due to the many boulders). Despite the fact that the water quickly reaches depths of four to five metres, a 1.5 g float will suffice. If you prefer to use a feeder rod, then find a clean spot at a distance of 30 to 50 metres. Use a closed, plastic cage feeder so that the feed is only released once it reaches the bottom. Refined angling leads to better catches, with casters, pinkies and bloodworm being the most successful types of bait. When feeder fishing, rig a trace of 12/00 nylon, with a size 16 or 18 hook. Using a pole requires a somewhat more refined approach, with 8/00 to 10/00 traces and size 18 or 20 hooks.
Large Perch
Perch and pikeperch are the bulk of the catch on the Lateraalkanaal for predatory fish anglers. Due to the rise of the various goby species, there are many prey fish available, and the previously mentioned predatory fish have therefore undergone a considerable growth spurt. For this reason, you shouldn’t be surprised to encounter perch of 45 cm or more in size. You will mainly find these in the stone-lined shore zones along the canal, which is 100 m wide on average. The stones extend to a depth of up to four metres and are often covered with mussels. It is therefore wise to use soft bait on a dropshot rig to minimise the chance of getting stuck. Pike perch anglers can also land large specimens, and achieve regular successes with the use of dead bait. Bonus tip: despite the ample opportunities, the canal is fished surprisingly infrequently by predatory fish anglers.Carp fishing
The Limburg waterways are well-known among carp anglers for the high degree of difficulty and the large carp to be caught there. However, little is currently known about carp fishing in the Lateraalkanaal. Given that the canal connects directly with the Maas, there are sure to be large specimens there. The natural food supply available and the fact that coarse fish anglers have landed smaller carp is a sign of the potential. Use sturdy equipment and ‘go in search of the carp’ is the advice given by various Limburg open-water anglers. If you don’t achieve results, don’t keep returning to the same spot week after week – try other spots instead. Highly recommended for anglers who enjoy expansive waters, peace and quiet, and the chance of surprises.
120 fishing spots
At Horn, Sportvisserij Limburg (supported by grants from Sportvisserij Nederland and the province of Limburg) has established 120 fishing spots along the Lateralkanaal. These spots are 1.5 x 1.5 m in size and offer ample space, with a more stable surface than the banks littered with boulders and pebbles. Most of the spots (96 in total) are located to the north of the Hornerbrug, while 24 are located to the south of this bridge. In consultation with the angling community, Rijkswaterstaat has installed stiles and swing gates along Kanaalweg and Roermondseweg.