Vitali Dalke: Biography of the founder of Dalke Fishing

Early years and career
Vitali Dalke was born on December 24, 1981 in Karaganda (Kazakhstan) . His childhood was marked by frequent moves: two years in Latvia, two years in Russia, before the family finally moved to Germany in 1996 , where he lives to this day. His love of fishing was instilled in him by his father: he caught his first fish at the age of 3. At about 5–6 years old, while living in Latvia on the banks of the Daugava , little Vitali heard mysterious legends and myths of local fishermen about catfish and was even present when a powerful fishing line was prepared with pigeons roasted over a fire as bait for catching a huge catfish.
At this time he became fascinated by the work of Leonid Pavlovich Sabanejew “Life and Catch of Freshwater Fish” , in which he was impressed by the stories about gigantic and mysterious catfish.
In the late 1980s, he made his first catfish fishing trip with his father to Lake Balkhash in Kazakhstan, where the family was on vacation. All these events marked the beginning of his passion for trophy catfish fishing.

The Road to Professionalism: From the Rhine Throughout Europe

At the end of the 1990s , after moving to Germany, Vitali began to specifically catch catfish - initially on the Rhine , where he took his first independent steps. Later, as his experience grew, he expanded his area to include rivers in France and other bodies of water in Europe. His expeditions took him to dozens of rivers and lakes, where he studied the behavior of catfish and experimented with fishing methods and bait. This research formed the basis for the innovative developments of Vitali and his team.

founding of communities and brands

Euro-Som (2006) : In 2006, Dalke founded the project Euro-Som , a platform for networking catfish anglers worldwide. The focus was on exchanging experiences, developing specialized equipment and sustainable fishing methods. Vitali was personally involved in the development of unique rigs and techniques. His team's developments were appreciated in Europe and beyond for their reliability and efficiency. The first fishing tackle of the brand Euro-Som came 2013 officially on sale.

Euro-Carpfishing (2008) : An online community for carp anglers that united enthusiasts of modern carp fishing worldwide.

GIGA Bait : A brand of boilies and bait for carp fishing. It was an experimental project that never went into mass production but was remembered by many. Perhaps it is time to revive it.

Dalke Fishing (2025) : A new personal brand that produces fishing equipment, clothing and accessories for professional fishing. The idea was born at the end of 2004 , when Vitali decided to combine his decades of knowledge and experience in this project.

Innovations in fishing equipment

Since the beginning of the 2000s developed and optimized Vitali Tackle for catfish fishing:

Improved several models of Clonks to make them more effective for attracting large specimens.

Together with his team, he modernized fishing rigs, rods and fishing methods for catfish.

From 2010, Vitali worked with the company SPORTEX Inflatable Boats , which specializes in inflatable boats. As part of this partnership, numerous boat models for fishing for large catfish, carp and predatory fish were developed and improved: stable, spacious and equipped with many additional options.

Media, Education and Social Engagement

Journalism : From 2007 to 2008 Vitali was editor-in-chief of the magazine "Fishing+" (“Angeln+”), where he also published his own articles on the intricacies of catfishing.

YouTube channel (since 2008) : Here he shares expedition reports, equipment tests and practical tips about modern catfish fishing, combined with expertise and gripping stories: Vitali Dalke - Catfishing

Seminars and trade fairs : Since the mid-2000s, he has been organizing voluntary workshops for children, giving lectures at international trade fairs on catfish biology, sustainable fishing and giving seminars in German and Russian – not only in Germany, but worldwide.

Professional background
Vitali is a trained screen web designer with a focus on photography, video and marketing. He successfully uses these skills to market his projects - from YouTube content to advertising and product design for Dalke Fishing .

Family and Philosophy

Fishing is a family tradition for Vitali. He introduced his children to this hobby from a young age and taught them not only skills but also respect for nature. He actively supports the catch-and-release principle , works with ichthyologists and is committed to protecting aquatic fauna.

Legacy and Future

Vitali Dalke is a pioneer who turned his passion into an international movement. His projects changed the approach to catfish fishing not only in Europe, and his developments set new industry standards. Today he drives the brand Dalke Fishing continues to move forward, integrating modern technologies into angling and inspiring a new generation to treat nature responsibly.

Dalke Fishing is more than a brand – it is a philosophy that unites professionals and enthusiasts around the idea of ​​combining passion for fishing with environmental protection.

Join our community and help make fishing better!

More about products, expeditions and projects on Dalke-fishing.com