I’ve been to this oasis before and it was love at first sight, a real coup de foudre, the lake playing the role of the mysterious, exotic stranger. Simply irresistible.
I wasn’t ready though back then. Too young, too undisciplined, had no proper equipment whatsoever. Watching the big boys doing their angling business made me dream, so I became eager and determined that one day I’d be ready to step up to the challenge and make the most of it.
I had several attempts and recently even missed a Champions League-like competition over there (i.e. during the previous week – 13th – 17th of July), but unfortunately something has come up every time.
I haven’t given up on my dream though so I’ve decided to try the lake together with the great Viorel Ionescu immediately after the competition. Tough choice for any experimented angler as the pros participating in the contest (i.e. 24 teams of 4 members each) usually undergo a heavily baiting process.
Therefore, I erased all hopes and expectations and entered the venue like a pilgrim to Mecca on Sunday afternoon (i.e. 19th of July), seeking for peace, quietness, friendship and substance (which I’ve been struggling to add in my life).
I took the time to embrace the surroundings and let the lake overwhelm me with its history, magnetism and inhabitants (one angler can discover here large commons, grass carps, silver carps, catfish, bass and so forth). The real Cornucopia is near Bucharest, not Ancient Greece.
No more noise, I said to myself, as I prepared my ballistic missile launcher, the Cygnet Grand Sniper pod.
For the next 60 hours, the Lake of Plenty gave me everything I wanted and much, much more. I finally found what I’ve been looking for.
The grass carps were amazing, fighting like real Spartans at Thermopylae, giving me serious thoughts about my Velocity’s safety. From 17 kg to almost 25 kg, all were stunners (explosive grass carps if I may add, hard for me to hold for pictures).
Unfortunately, we lost something bigger (probably a larger catfish) that shook my Ultegra reel and left a sour taste in my mouth as I would have loved to see its face.
For the carps’ safety I used the Trakker XXL Sanctuary Retention sling. Unbreakable it seems so far.
I baited the selected areas with maize, tiger nuts and some fresh boilies, while using 14 mm pop ups from #Baitmaker on my rigs. Pineapple, toffee&tiger nut or ala salar flabours, they all did the trick.
It was probably the hardest game I’ve ever had on the bank, filled with new info for me, but I loved every second of it.
My colleague, the distinguished and evergreen Viorel Ionescu, is a master angler, a one man show and was unplayable during the whole game, with a full array of tips and tricks. That’s why people fondly call him the Professor. He usually gives his all, a 500% effort (before and during the game), while keeping his composure and enthusiasm during the entire period of time. Brilliant on and off the pitch, as one would say. Head and shoulders above many others. Chapeau!
As for me, having completed this pilgrimage, I fear that my mind and heart are fully committed to dedicate my angling time exclusively to my personal Mecca, i.e. Tancabesti Lake.
