Having once again over 1000 km ahead of us and struggling to handle the 34⁰C outside, we’re happy to continue our “summer adventure” in our beautiful homeland. The hot air from the cities makes us yearn for the mountain freshness and the chilling, loud mountain waters we fished last summer. Thus the decision is clear: the sooner, the better – up in the mountains we go!

Where to? There, where we also invite you to join us fishing next year probably at the end of June ;) in the Apuseni Nature Park, one of the “European Destinations of Excellence” designated by the European Commission like that, for its picturesque karstic landscapes, the authenticity of its local culture and for the promotion of a sustainable tourism.

We would definitely designate at least a part of it as a destination of excellence for fly fishing in an almost untouched Carpathian nature, and you’ll see why :)

After approx. 2:30 hours of driving from Oradea, there it is: the river Somesul Cald, which we wanna take you fly fish, welcomes us in the evening hours with clear, cognac waters and, most important, with lots of young trout and grayling.

While the last rays of light warm up the colours of the landscape around us, the bites get heavier. The fish seem to awaken.

One after another, until my tippet doesn’t cope anymore and lets a beautiful 30 cm wild brownie escape with the “missing link” in its mouth. I couldn’t believe though what had just happened: I’m fly fishing and I’m actually catching fish! And that happens at almost every cast! I’m stunned and I here myself scream, so that Liviu can hear me: “anooother ooone!! Incredible… one mooore!! Wooow, haha!!” Now that’s the way I wanna fish. This way I forget I’ve been standing for over three hours and I forget I’m tired, or that I have to take some proving pictures of the fish I salute out of the water :)

The weather conditions with heavy rain next morning hold us in our beds almost till midday, when finally the thick cloud cover starts to scatter. One can call this though a normal weather at this altitude (1050 m a.s.l.), but still, I’m personally happy not to go fish in the rain and just turn to plan B: the planning of next year’s river stocking.

We’re happy to meet the local forest guard and some of the representatives of the Natural Park’s administration, from whom we get a positive feedback in this matter. It’s great to see, projects like this get all the formal support they’d need! There’s even an old nursery that can be used in this project, it just needs some restoration.

More about the project we’ll write in a separate article and in the meantime everyone who’s willing to help us with the fund raising in this project, is welcome to contact us! Thank you!! ;)

Later in the evening our American friend, Jonathan, arrives from Bucharest and is willing to go fishing with Liviu.

The water is a little blurry and seems to be perfect for nymphing. The guys have found a perfect spot for catching grayling and they enjoy it at the max till late in the evening, when finally the sun decides to shine again.

Preparations, preparations – the next morning the guys are proving their talent in fly tying. Some new “missing links”, “adams” and some streamers need to be prepared for the next fishing spot: the Lake Belis.

Getting at the lake, we notice that the coziness outside had made the fish also too lazy to hunt for our bugs and streamers. Midges and sedge flies were hatching, but not even these ones don’t seem to get the fishes’ attention.

The landscape is nevertheless breathtaking so after a gorgeous sunset on the lake, and a struggle with the heavy boats, we head again towards the accommodation, where our Slovenian fly fisher friends, Matevž and Lucia from Slovenia are already waiting for us.

The following sunny morning we explore together with all of them another part of the River Somesul Cald.

We’re extremely pleased to see the water’s clear again, but we know that makes it more difficult to cast without scaring the fish away from all the amazing spots we notice. Liviu seems though to know what he’s doing, ‘cause he’s having bites with almost every cast and he’s also catching some nice ones.

The other ones are a little far from me, but they seem to have a nice time on the river as well.

We get home at noon and because of the burning sun we skip to out huts for 2 hours of sleep. In the evening Liviu takes Jonathan to the lower parts of the river, where its wild, pristine side comes to sight.

They fish the whole evening through until they get to the point where the river enters the lake. The river here is wider and the fish bigger, though they are very cautious at everything they throw at them – the water is still crystal clear. In the setting sun they manage to fool some bigger brownies and graylings before they return and tell me all about their interesting evening encounters.

Cheers! :)

Smara