Madalin Barnea

Personal profile

Before 2012 I used to fish any sort of water available, be it hyper stocked or completely wild, which I believe made me grow as an angler and build up a wealth of experience. In the last few years I’ve moved on a bit, fishing only very difficult lakes which always give me a rush: reed infested waters which offer tricky snag fishing, inland seas where finding fish is not straightforward or crystal clear gravel pits which hold few carp. How much time you need to invest, understanding the weather, where to set up and fish, all of these elements are real puzzles when it comes to such waters. On these venues your fishing always has the potential to become an adventure.

I try to fish selectively, first and foremost going for the real trophies above 20kg. A key part of this strategy for me is the bait that I use. 90% of my fishing revolves around boilies. I like to roll my own baits and then dehydrate them. My favorite base mixes are Meat & Fish and Belachan which I upgrade with little nuances to suit my specific fishing scenario. Difficult lakes offer a range of features which demand flexible fishing styles. This in turn relies on experience and good gear (boat, motor, echo sounder, prodding stick, bait boat, reliable spod rod and marker rod, markers of all sorts, distance sticks and so on).

Above everything else however it is my personal belief that a good quality bait that gives you confidence when fishing is the most important element of your angling.