Don't let the title fool you — canal fishing has nothing to do with fish. You will, however, need a length of rope and a hook. The practice is born of desperation, the kind that comes with having your bike stolen for the umpteenth time. Many of Amsterdam's stolen bikes end up in the canals, and unless someone fishes them out they stay there in an ignoble grave.
To try your luck, gather your equipment, walk the older canals slowly, and peer over the side for likely spots where bikes accumulate. When you find a promising location — preferably out of plain sight — toss out your hook and drag it across the bottom. If your aim is true or your luck is extraordinary, you may land a bike. If you are really lucky it will be an omafiets, the classic Dutch granny bike, and then you are riding in style. Whether this is strictly legal is debatable, so proceed at your own risk.