'Dreaming of fish', or the miraculous catch of fish

This sculpture by artist Maarten Ceulemans was created after the Van Thielen bridge was renovated in 2013. The then mayor André Peeters expressed it as follows: 'This is the cherry on the cake of the construction of the Pater Raskinkade. The fish illustrates the positive evolution of the Demer as a beautiful biotope. Just as the title ‘Demerdreams’ sparks the imagination, this sculpture stimulates fantasy. Everyone can imagine their own story related to the sculpture.'

As late as the 19th century, the Demer was a very fish-rich river. But not everyone was allowed to fish freely in the ancien régime. The local lord had the right to 'water and wind'. Thus, the Duke of Aarschot was in charge of the Demer within the city. The lord leased this feudal right as early as the 13th century, and we know that the house 'the red shield' was allowed to fish with a fish trap since 1596 for almost 200 years. These traps included a narrowly tapering net so that fish could swim in but could not escape. Especially eels, which search for a dark spot during the day, are the victims.

It was only from Napoleon's time that a distinction was made between public and private waters. The public waters were owned by the city (usually the 'OCMW') or by the state. There was also a difference between professional and recreational fishermen. Accordingly, one could obtain a fishing license. For a long time, these were allocated via a public auction to the highest bidder. In the 1970s, one would pay 300 francs (7.5€) for a year in Aarschot. Retirees paid half, and non-Aarschot residents paid more than three times as much.

Fishing was also done with a rod. The bait was worms, maggots, and flying ants. Sunbathing pikes were caught with a noose. But eel was the fish of the Demer par excellence. Demer eel cost more than other eels in the fish market in Leuven. 'Poeren' was a common fishing method. Here, a clump of worms is simply lowered into the water on a woolen thread, and the eels attach themselves to it. The art was to carefully bring up the catch because the eel could easily let go. Being timely with a fish net or even an upside-down umbrella was essential.

A well-known sport fisherman in Aarschot was Karel Rutgeerts (1875-1939), not so much for his achievements, but because he was a journalist. He published several books on fish species and was especially known for his column 'Fishermen's Column' in the weekly 'De Klok'. He closely followed developments and predicted in 1937 that fishing with artificial bait, 'reels', and casting reels would mean a revolution in the sport.

Jan Rymenams