Some catches are truly special — especially when the action just doesn’t stop!
For this unforgettable memory, we find ourselves on a warm summer evening at the end of July 2022. Although the beautiful Volkerak is famous for its giant monster pike, it also holds record-sized specimens of nearly every freshwater species. A week earlier, I had spotted a nice group of asp and caught fish up to 83 cm! So I didn’t hesitate for a second to call my best friend Didier, because asp fishing is one of his absolute favourites. It became a short evening session, and once we arrived at the spot, the asp were already there, clearly revealing their presence.“Jesus, they’re hunting — the water is literally boiling!”
We cast towards the hunters from a distance using small vibration baits. The trick is to retrieve extremely fast and… BAMMM!!!
On the very first cast we get a strike. The bites are brutally hard — that’s exactly what makes this type of fishing so exciting.
Asp are incredibly fast swimmers, but also fantastic fighters. Silver torpedoes with massive tail power.
The fun just doesn’t stop, and one beautiful 70‑plus asp after another comes aboard.
A true delight, and every now and then even an 80‑plus fish joins the party.
Didier and I are having the asp session of our lives — and all of this on the Volkerak!
And BAMMM — this session also delivered another 83 cm fish!!!
The counter stops at 20 fish, and the smallest measured 71 cm!!!
Slowly the sun sets, and we head home happy and satisfied — a golden evening session.
WHAT AN ASP SESSION!!!
When one battle after another warms your heart, and each time such a magnificent silver ‘Tarpon of freshwater’ rises to the surface!
Unforgettable memories.