Aalschokker Heini in Rastatter Rheinaue

Specially built for eel fishing
The Eelschokker ”Heini” is a ship specially designed for eel fishing, which was built in Holland in 1932 and came to the Upper Rhine in the 1950s. The so-called Schokkerfischerei is originally also a specific phenomenon of the Dutch-Belgian inland fisheries in larger rivers. The high catch results also prompted the fishermen on the Upper Rhine to introduce this fishing technique in our region. In 1938, 22 eelschokkers were used between Mannheim and Kehl. But after almost fifty years the Schokker fishery had to be given up again. The Sandoz environmental disaster in 1986 and the lifting of the night shipping ban were the main causes.A piece of fishing history
The Aalschokker "Heini" therefore represents the apparently last ship of this type preserved on the Upper Rhine and, as a museum ship, documents an important chapter in Upper Rhine fishing history. The iron, approximately 15 meters long and 5.40 meters wide ship was owned by Rosa and Alfred Hauns in Wintersdorf from 1956 to 1991. For a ship of this size, it has an exceptionally large cabin area below deck with a kitchen, living room and two berths. The whole family lived here during the fishing season.

The boat is very idyllic on the water visible from the dam

a postcard motif. Looks different in every season, but always beautiful.