Claudia Darga: Family, Fresh Air & Fishing

A refreshing article from Claudia who details a family fishing trip to a large reservoir which, despite being daunting in its size, paid off big time with a number of fish banked! Read on to find out how Claudia ended the session…

Claudia Darga says:

My last trip took me to the well-known paylake Pelagičevo in Bosnia—a place of comfort, structure and predictable fishing. But not long after, I found myself at the complete opposite end of the angling spectrum: wild, open water, a huge public reservoir, with my husband Jakub, our child, and our dog by my side.

Fishing with family is a whole different rhythm. It’s not just about rigs and rods—it’s nappies, snacks, weather apps and wondering if the dog will roll in something smelly again. But it’s real. It’s grounding. And honestly? It’s a kind of magic I wouldn’t trade for anything.

In Germany, there’s often heated debate around paylakes. Some love them. Some don’t. Personally, I’ve always believed every angler should fish the way they want to—whatever fits their life, their style, their goals. For me, it has always been about balance. The solo trips with a carry-on bag and a few trusted baits… and the full-on family adventures like this one, where every square inch of the car is packed to bursting and you’re still convinced you forgot something.

This time, we decided to stay mobile. With a lake this size, sitting still just didn’t feel right. Every day, we moved to a new spot, keeping our eyes on signs of carp activity. On the first day, we set up in a quieter section of the lake, where we had seen a lot of surface movement—probably carp feeding on bream spawn. It looked promising.

But looks can be deceiving.

The fish weren’t really in the mood to bite. Luckily, we had planned for that, and after one quiet night, we packed up and moved on. That’s the thing with wild waters: flexibility is key. You can’t expect the fish to come to you—you have to go to them.

Once we settled into the new spot, everything clicked into place. Jakub and I have been doing this together for years, and even with the added challenge of a toddler, we function like a well-oiled machine on the bank. Weather, wind, water clarity—we take it all in and decide, together, how we’ll fish.

For this session, we trusted two of our favourites: Peppered Squid and the timeless legend, The Source. We went for bold 26mm boilies, topped with brightly coloured pop-ups in pink and yellow—classic snowman presentations with a twist of visual flair.

The first night passed in silence. Not even a beep.

But just as the sky began to lighten, things changed.

It started slow—one take, then another. Soon we were into a steady rhythm. Bite after bite. Gorgeous carp gracing the mat. Long commons, deep-bodied mirrors, wild fish that fought like fury.

Two fish, though… slipped away. A strong, heavy take, right at dawn. I felt it instantly—this one was different. But between us and the fishing spot is a mess of submerged branches, and that’s where the battle ended. Two lost fish, yes—but never a lost moment. Because these are the kinds of stories we carry with us.

By the end of the trip, we had landed some truly beautiful carp. Nothing monstrous, but every fish hard-earned and full of character. That’s the beauty of wild water fishing. A 10kg carp from a vast public lake means something. It’s earned. It’s real. And sometimes, I feel like that gets forgotten in the numbers game.

People ask if fishing with a child is difficult. Sure—it’s different. But watching our little one grow up with rods, reeds, and rivers all around? That’s a gift. And when the dog curls up beside the cradle while we watch the water? That’s family fishing at its finest.

We’re already counting the days until we return. Because in the end, no matter how many rods you bring or how big the fish are, angling is always about time together—under open skies, surrounded by nature, chasing moments that live longer than any photo ever could.

-Claudia Darga