Belgium's fly fishing scene is marked by its spectacular water bodies, each offering a unique experience to the avid angler. The Ourthe river, flowing for 165 kilometers through the Ardennes in Wallonia, is a popular destination. Formed at the confluence of the Western and Eastern Ourthe, this river offers picturesque landscapes along with a rich fishing experience.
In East Belgium, the Eifel-Ardennes region stands out for its exceptional abundance of water, providing a diverse range of fishing spots - from tranquil lakes to flowing rivers. The outstanding water quality supports a rich biodiversity, inviting carps, pikes, and rods into the anglers' view. These idyllic settings, often nestled in breathtaking natural landscapes, offer more than just fishing - they promise relaxation and adventure in equal measure.
Note that you'll need a different license for North Belgium (Flanders region) and the South of Belgium (Wallonia region). We have listed the details of each license on this page.
Fishing license in Belgium
Flanders and Wallonia
Belgium has 2 major regions: Flanders and Wallonia. They each have their separate rules and licenses, so you first need to check in which region you're going fishing. The licenses for each region work as follows:
Flanders fishing license
Visverlof is how the license is referred to locally.
You're allowed to fish from 2 hours before to 2 hours after sunrise, they're valid for 1 calendar year and you can buy them online or at a post office.
Youth fishing license for both bank fishing and wading. For people up to and including 17 years old. €5 online, €9.85 at the post office.
Regular fishing license for bank fishing only. €13 online, €17.85 at the post office.
Large fishing license for both bank fishing and wading. €48 online, €52.85 at the post office.
Wallonia fishing license
See the types of licenses below. Note that there are a few additional rules. For example, you're not allowed to fish for certain species, like Asp, Sea Trout and Atlantic Salmon. More details on this page. That page also lists the minimum sizes below which fish has to be put back immediately.
There are also rules for when you can fish certain 'water types'. Water types are classified as 'calm waters', 'mixed waters' and 'wild waters'. This page has all the information and this page lists which water belongs to which water type.
Type A license for bank fishing only. €12,39.
Type B license for both bank fishing and wading. €37,18
Check if you're going fishing in Flanders or Wallonia
Decide if you're going bank fishing or wading, and buy the right license online
Check additional rules regarding species and water types
There are a lot of spots you can fish with just the license, however some stretches of water require an additional private license
Flanders license information (Dutch)
Wallonia license information (English)
Fly fishing in other countries
Is your country not listed? Let us know.
