Raduta - Romania. 26th May – 5th June.
‘Beep-beep, beep-beep’, the alarm clock sounded, 3.00am, the time had finally arrived! I jumped out of bed and switched the alarm off, no need for the snooze function on this occasion, I wanted to be up and awake. I quickly shoveled in some breakfast, before loading the remaining few items into the car. It was dark, cold and wet outside, stark contrast to what I was expecting for the next 10 days.
Make sure everything is ship shape at home, triple check that I have everything packed, and I was away, full of excitement and enthusiasm for the following few days, I was going on a trip run by Rob Hughes at Angling International to the famous Raduta in Romania. I had wanted to fish there since it first made the headlines, and when asked by Jason Cann if I fancied going with him and Frank Warwick, it didn’t take much consideration. Ten days fishing for some Romanian heavyweights, glorious weather, with my best mate, and one of my angling idols for company, how much better could it get?
I duly arrived at Franks and we loaded his van, parked my car and began our trek to Heathrow. The journey flew by catching up with Frank and listening to some of the stories of the last trip really wet my appetite. We met Jason outside the airport and bar a lucky escape with the camera bag and a large van, completed the check in without a hitch and with enough time for a quick drink and a chat with the rest of the group before we set off.
A slight delay in the flight and the 2 hour time difference meant it was approaching 7pm when we left Bucharest airport. Two hours later we where there, Hotel Raduta. I looked out at the lake and wondered what the trip had in store for us. By this time we where all very hungry and tired, so decided to stay in the hotel for the first night, have a decent meal and get started in the morning. As we made our way inside, I was surrounded by photos of some of the many great fish caught from the venue, as I looked round I spotted the infamous ‘fish on the wall’, how nice it would be have a fish like that!
We arrived at our chosen swim mid morning, and once we had set the houses up, we turned our attention to finding some “fishy” looking spots with the boat. A couple of hours spent rowing, and we had located a few likely looking spots, which we baited, and dropped our rigs on, these would do for our first night. Frank started the ball rolling with a lovely 29lb Common on his Century FS -an hour or so before dark, and it was encouraging that our selected spots seemed to meet the fishes approval. As we sat discussing the first fish and our hopes for the trip, a huge storm brewed up, and in a matter of minutes, we where confined to the bivvy’s trying to hold everything down! This weather continued for a few hours, with a strong wind pushing off our backs into the bay we where fishing.
By morning we where all off the mark, with a couple of fish each, mine being a lovely mid double mirror and a 20lb+ common. As we sat discussing the perverse weather conditions, we noticed a couple of fish crash far into the bay. We decided to sit out, eat our breakfast and continue to watch the water for any more signs. Soon it became apparent that the wind had caused the fish to push right down into the bay, a move was imminent.
We soon had everything set up again in the new spot, so it was back in the boat to find some new spots. The new area was slightly shallower, so we where hoping to be able to find an area within casting distance to make things a little easier, and reduce the amount of time we would be using the boat. Likely spots where marked and baited, before we returned, and my trusty 12ft 3 1/2lb Century NG’s where soon delivering my Squid & Octopus hook bait’s to the spot.
We began catching steadily from the new spots, baiting up in the morning, and the evening, hoping to draw the bigger fish in, as Franks fish from the first night was still the biggest landed. We where unfortunately having some problems with the renowned Raduta snags, and on several occasions had to take to the boat to ensure the fish where landed. In this situation the lovely playing action of the NG’s came into there own, and it was great fun getting towed round by the unseen carp.
The weather extremes had continued, hot and sunny one minute, then strong winds and torrential rain the next! This was starting to cause a problem as the water lever was consistently rising, as soon as we left the bivvy we where ankle deep in water.
Jason Cann Mike Hill Frank Warwick
Day 4, we needed a break, the constant wading to get to the rods had taken its toll, the wind had died and we were looking at a full days sunshine with the temperature in the mid 30’s. We made a group decision it would be better to roast in the hotel, than in the bivvy, Jase in particular agreed, so we reeled in, and used the boat to take us back to the hotel to freshen up, have some decent food, and return with renewed vigor.
I awoke to find gale force winds had sprung up over night (something I was growing used too!), and 2-3ft waves all across the lake! Our helpers at the lake said there was no way we could use the boat to return to the swim, as it was too windy and dangerous. After some gentle persuasion, we managed to get them to agree to take us back by car. As we rounded the corner of the track which allowed us to see our bay, we where greeted by the sight of some very flat bivvys! We were a little disheartened by this, and the fact that getting the rods out was going to be very difficult, if not impossible. I tried in vain to get a bait out to the spot, but the 5oz leads I was using couldn’t reach in the cross winds.
I was gutted, and while Jase and Frank smoked a cigarette and began formulating a plan, I could think of nothing but getting a rod out there, I was convinced the fish where going to be having it, just as long as I could get a bait to them.
I had to fish, so like a man possessed I marched out as far as I could, no place for waiders this time, out up to my chest to gain as much distance as I could and a big heave hoo and I wasn’t a million miles off the money. I repeated the process with another rod and returned to the bivvy to make an assessment of what to do next.
By now Frank and Jason where looking at me a little odd, wondering if I had finally lost the plot, or if the sun had gone to my head! I must admit I was starting to wonder, but before I had a chance to book myself into the priory clinic, the left hand rod whooped over and I was in! We all looked at each other for a split second in a vague disbelief, before I ran over to the offending rod.
I was buzzing now, and was soon out up to my waist trying to gain control over the angry fish. It was very difficult to control the fish as I was being buffeted by the wind and waves, and was grateful when Jason joined me to take control of the net. At the second attempt she was ours, the first 30 of the trip and the first of many.
We rattled off some quick photos before setting about the task of getting all of the rods out as best as possible. We were soon sorted, with me repeating the wading trick to enable us to hit our spots. Frank was fishing directly into the wind, and it wasn’t going to be easy to get back out on his spot. I needn’t have worried, anyone that knows Frank knows he is a bit no nonsense, and he simply swapped over to an 8oz lead to counter the wind, and with a bit of his animal casting was soon back out there. The Century FS’s he was using coping with the additional casting weight admirably, it was a real eye opener, as he could get the baits in position without the tiring and uncomfortable wading process. I had to have a go, and found I was able to hit the mark with the FS’s without needing to wade out first. I was very impressed, and soon starting thinking of those long-range spots at home I would be able to hit with a P.V.A bag attached.
As the strong wind continued, the fish kept coming, at one point, Frank had 2 on at once, which gave me the chance to assess the fish playing attributes of the rod, something which was important to me, and so nice with my NG’s. They felt great, and I was soon grudgingly giving Frank back the FS rod, with the carp still attached.
Once the wind died down, so did the amount of takes we where receiving. By the end of the trip we had accounted for around 90 runs between us, Frank landing the biggest fish of the trip, 2 commons of 34lb. Jason and I both had a couple of 30lb+ Commons each, and also a couple of 30lb+ Grass carp. The fishing had been hard at times, struggling with the weather, having to move the bivvys several times as the water level kept creeping up and flooding the bivvys. Most of the action was coming during the night, and what action it was, and with not much chance to sleep during the day due to the heat, we where all very tired. At times it was difficult to find the motivation and energy to keep going but there would always be one of the group still going and the sense of camaraderie kept us all muddling through
I’d had the time of my life and we where already discussing our next trip, October the likely time, giving us a better chance of a real leviathan. I had caught the Euro bug! I was actually in a rush to get back to work as I needed to book a week in September to fish the world Cup at Lac D’Orient and another 10 days for Raduta part 2. Also a quiet word with my boss to arrange a little overtime to pay for the next trip, and also the new set of Century FS’s I had just ordered!
Michael Hill - June 2006