Fishing for taimen is shrouded in an aura of mystery, adventure and anticipation of a trophy that is mighty in strength and size, and this is actually confirmed by the fishing practice of some lucky people who have experienced all the delights of this kind of trip. One of the brightest representatives of salmon fish is not such a common object of fishing. Due to the sharp decline in the population of this species that began in the middle of the last century, fishing for taimen is limited, and the fish itself is included in the country’s Red Book and is under the vigilant protection of the state.
Only some regions of the country provide vouchers for organizing taimen fishing, by purchasing which an angler can legitimately count on catching the fish of his dreams. But in addition to the opportunity to obtain permits, you need to understand that the trip will take a long time and you will have to seriously prepare for living in the difficult conditions of the taiga and have reliable fishing equipment with a supply of bait attractive to fish. The following article will be presented to the reader about planning a fishing session the purpose of which is taimen.
Where is taimen found in Russia?
The habitat of our today's hero extends from the Trans-Urals to the Far East. The taimen fish is found in the basins of large Siberian and Far Eastern rivers, among which the Lena, Yenisei, Amur, and Lake Baikal stand out. The further north the region, the higher the number of this representative of salmon fish, and it is larger in size. Southern Siberia, the Sayan Mountains and Altai, once famous for their catches, have now lost their leading position in the number of taimen, and meeting them in the rivers of these regions has become a great rarity and incredible luck for a fisherman.
The fish avoids industrial areas near large cities and looks for secluded areas for living in calmer and cleaner waters, avoiding polluted reservoirs with low oxygen concentrations in the water. You can find a large population of the Red Book fish outside of untouched areas, remote from civilization, where, in principle, fishing tours are organized by a few agencies specializing in providing this type of tourist services.
Secrets of fishing
Large individuals, when attacking a mouse, usually stun it with a blow of their tail, then drown it a little, and then turn around and grab it. Small fish do this right away, on the fly. At the moment of the tail impact, the reeling must be stopped. You need to hook when you feel a characteristic push.
Catching taimen with a mouse works best in a gentle current. You should prepare for it in advance by choosing a flat bank, not covered by vegetation, during daylight hours. In cases where, after hooking, taimen goes to the bottom, the fisherman should expect any “surprises” from the catch. After all, as you know, this large predator is a fairly powerful adversary. Usually he begins to make a sharp throw upstream, and if he fails, he jumps out of the water, shakes his head, and then immediately sinks to the bottom. It is especially important for the fisherman to stop powerful sudden jerks in the first seconds of the fight.
Fish habits
Fishing for taimen will not be successful without basic knowledge of the behavior and nutrition of the fish. This one of the largest representatives of the salmon species differs in habits from its relatives and prefers to live in fresh waters, never going into the seas and oceans. Only the Sakhalin branch of the population stands out from the general series, living in the Sea of Japan and falling under the definition of anadromous type. A clear predator that feeds on animal food, at the beginning of its long life cycle it actively eats insects and aquatic larvae, moving with age to small and medium-sized fish, and also does not disdain a meal of small animals that fall into the water, such as mice and even squirrels.
The fish has a mouth with small teeth and is similar in body shape to other salmon representatives. The size of taimen is impressive. A fish weighing 5–10 kg is considered a fry. But individuals weighing 20-30 kg are already fully mature specimens worthy of the title of trophy. Among local old-timers who specialize in catching taimen, stories of catching fish weighing 50–60 kg and 1.5 meters long are persistently cultivated, although the real limit of the growth potential of the largest representative of the salmon species for ichthyology still remains an unexplored corner of its life.
habits of taimen
Taimen feeds all year round, even in winter, except during the spawning period. After spawning, the time of intense feeding begins. This usually happens in June. But it doesn't last long. For the rest of the summer, the taimen behaves passively and goes to those places where cold tributaries flow and springs flow from the bottom. Because taimen feels better in cool water. In warm water, taimen becomes sluggish and less active.
In the fall, it again begins intensive fattening. This period occurs in September. During this month, taimen behaves very defiantly. It is at this time that he quickly gains weight so that in winter, when food is scarce, he can eat from his fat reserves.
Taimen lives in lakes and rivers. Young fish gather in small schools, while large adult fish prefer solitude, but sometimes form pairs.
Taimen is a “water tiger”, as fishermen also call it. And, perhaps, there is a reason for it. Of course, their main diet is fish. These are perches, minnows, roaches, graylings and others. But this is not the entire list of his diet. Squirrels, mice, frogs, ducks, and geese become its victims. It is dangerous for small animals to be even near water, because at any time a “water tiger” can attack on land, unexpectedly abruptly emerging from the water, like a crocodile.
Young individuals feed on invertebrate animals - caddisfly larvae, for example. They also eat burbot, sculpin, etc. Large taimen will not disdain even their own young.
taimen habitats
Taimen lives in fresh water. He is more comfortable in the northern regions, where rivers flow with cold and clear water. Loves cold-water lakes and fast currents. Never goes to sea. In Russia, taimen are caught over a vast territory - from the Urals (the Pechora and Kama river basins) to the eastern outskirts of Yakutia and the south of the Far East (the Yana, Aldan, Tugur, Uda, Amur rivers with their tributaries).
Taimen is distributed along all significant rivers of the Asian part of Russia, in lakes Baikal and Zaisan, it is found in small quantities in the upper Kama, but much more of it in the tributaries of the Kama - Vistula, Kosa and others, in the Ufa River and its tributaries - Ai, Krasnaya and others , in the upper reaches of the Belaya River with its tributaries, in the upper reaches of the Ob River and its tributaries - Biya, Katun, Veikara, Sobi and others, in the Lozva, Type, Tavda rivers and their tributaries. Taimen is found in the Chusovaya, Vishera and their tributaries.
Quite common in Siberian rivers - Angara, Malaya and Bolshaya Belaya, Onot, Urik, Oka (but in smaller quantities).
In Transbaikalia, taimen is preserved in the Onon and Vitim rivers, but it is noteworthy that on the territory of Mongolia there is much more taimen in the same river.
On the territory of Russia, taimen is also found at the source of the Biya River (Lake Teletskoye, Altai Republic).
In Buryatia, taimen lives in the Uda River. Also caught in the rivers Turka, Barguzin, Maksimikha.
In the Primorsky Territory, it is quite widespread in rivers flowing into the Sea of Japan - Avvakumovka, Margaritovka, Milogradovka, and is also found in Lake Khanka.
An interesting fact is that local residents of Mongolia do not fish where taimen are found. According to local beliefs, if a fisherman catches taimen, he is doomed to disaster.
Taimen are distributed over a wide area from the Urals to Yakutia. These fish live in all major rivers of Siberia and their basins.
There are no taimen only in Indigirka and Kolyma.
The original home of these fish is the Lena, Amur, Yenisei, Podkamennaya and Nizhnyaya Tunguska rivers.
The fish is found in the Lake Baikal basin, in Altai, Sayan Mountains, and in mountainous areas belonging to the South Siberian region. But these places are well developed by humans, so you won’t be able to catch a trophy there. Hundreds of kilometers from large cities, taimen are not found at all.
Taimen also lived in the Volga, which it entered from the Kama. But that was until people built reservoirs and dams.
Taimen loves the cold, but you won’t see this fish outside the Arctic Circle either, even if there are no people there. The fact is that beyond the Arctic Circle the period of open water is very short. During this time, taimen does not have time to accumulate fat in order to feed on accumulated fat reserves in the winter if there is a lack of food. The largest number of individuals live in rivers with a length of 400 to 600 kilometers. And trophy specimens can most likely be found in hard-to-reach places in Evenkia and Yakutia.
Taimen is an object of sport fishing, but in many regions of Russia its removal from a reservoir is illegal. Taimen is included in the Red Book of Russia, the Red Book of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, and the Red Book of the Irkutsk Region. Also in Bashkiria and Komi, this miracle fish is listed in the Red Book.
taimen spawning
Sexual maturity in taimen occurs when it grows to 65 cm in length. Spawning begins in the spring.
At the beginning of spring, after a long winter, fish swim to the upper reaches of the river in which they live. Taimen spawning grounds are established on clean pebble soils without any silt. On the river bottom, the female taimen digs a hole in pebbles up to 50 cm deep. This is the so-called nest, into which the fish lays eggs. The eggs are usually very large and reach up to 5.5 mm in diameter. Lays approximately 10-30 thousand eggs. And the fry usually appear in about a month. It depends on the water temperature.
Spawning grounds are generally always very far from feeding areas. This distance can reach hundreds of kilometers, and taimen in the spring make spawning migrations of enormous length. During their journey, they have to overcome great difficulties and considerable obstacles.
Immediately after spawning, taimen swim to deeper parts of the river. They can stay in pools or holes all summer, until autumn. There they gain strength and gain weight.
And by autumn, taimen leaves these places and begins to move to wintering places.
The color of taimen during spawning is copper-red with tints.
Do not forget that during the breeding season it is prohibited to catch taimen fish.
taimen in the river
Taimen has never been a commercial fish. Since time immemorial, it has been caught only by amateur fishermen. But over time, skills and fishing equipment improve. Human needs are also changing, and not for the better.
People have become so skilled at catching this fish that it has completely disappeared from the western habitats. In other areas, the number of taimen has decreased significantly. And large taimen, where they were found, are said to disappear completely. Therefore, conscious and conscientious fishermen, having caught their trophy, film their feat so that they have something to show their friends and loved ones, or just as a keepsake, and release their catch, having experienced, in their words, extraordinary pleasure. After all, you give life to someone almost equal to you in strength and remain the winner.
Catching taimen without permission is strictly prohibited. Fishermen manage to obtain a permit, which is issued by the relevant authorities, but not in all regions.
Nevertheless, fishing for taimen is very exciting and exciting, because it is the most noble species of salmon, the meat of which is very valuable, pink or red.
Catching taimen is a very exciting activity. This fish will occupy a worthy place of honor in any fisherman’s trophy collection.
Fishing for taimen is one of the most labor-intensive and expensive, but there is little that can compare with it, because it brings amazing sensations.
Nowadays, going for taimen is a real feat, because this fish lives in places where no human has ever set foot.
Promising search places
Fishing for taimen is promising in the middle and lower parts of rivers at moderate currents. The fish rise to the upper reaches during the spawning period, during which they practically do not feed, so their captures at such points in the reservoir are quite rare and are more likely to be periodic or random. Regarding the depths, it is worth noting that taimen can stand both in shallow water and in deep areas. The main thing is that the parking area is covered with a bottom anomaly, dead wood or stones that change the speed of water flow.
Important! It is at the boundaries of whirlpools, depth changes, in areas of stones protruding from the water, ridges of underwater boulders, and the confluence of small rivers into a large watercourse that predator sites are found.
The main food source for taimen are smaller salmon fish such as whitefish and grayling. By their massive accumulation in the river area, one can judge the giant’s ambush places. The small predator stays near ambush sites in a flock of 7–10 individuals, approximately equal in size. Particularly large predators occupy the area purely for themselves, hunting alone in selected underwater areas. Near the riffles on the shallows, not far from sandy or pebble spits, despite even the low water level, you can count on catching a solid trophy, absolutely not paying attention to this factor.
Habitats
Taimen lives in fast, clean rivers. The range extends from the Urals, tributaries of the Kama and Pechora, to the easternmost borders. Accordingly, all of Siberia and the Far East are the regions where you should look for trophy taimen. It is present in the reservoirs of Mongolia and northern China.
The fish tries to stick to mountain rivers, areas with rapid currents and good oxygen conditions. It descends into the lowland lower reaches relatively rarely. But in typical mountain rivers, it is the middle reaches and lower reaches that are the most promising for searching for large taimen in the summer and autumn. Only in the spring, during spawning, fish migrate closer to the upper reaches. There, already on the way back to familiar areas, you can catch good specimens in completely atypical places. It seems that the stream is so small that a pound of taimen can be placed across it, and it will completely block the flow. Nevertheless, captures do occur in such places.
The very character of this fish speaks of its love for fast flowing water, rough rocky ridges, and riffles. Such traction is observed in calm, flat areas. However, on mountain rivers taimen prefers calmer places. Avoids too fast runs. Only small fish occasionally go out onto shallow rifts and wait for prey there, hiding behind rocks. Large taimen must be tracked in places with depth and slow flow, at the border of streams with different flow speeds. It often stands in niches, in snags, and at bends in the riverbed. If they catch a riffle, then enter and exit it, drain.
Taimen is also found in flowing lakes that are formed along the river. This is not entirely typical, but there have been documented cases of encountering very serious specimens in precisely such places. The fishermen were heading to the lakes for pike, but they saw exits and candles of seasoned taimen.
When to catch
The fish is active throughout the year, and if you know where to stay under the ice, fishing for taimen in winter can bring positive results. But according to the season, the most active period is identified after the spawning of fish. This usually happens at the beginning of the calendar summer. In June, after spawning, predators begin to fatten up, bringing their nutrition to a glutton that lasts during the first two weeks of summer. Then the intensity of the bites subsides until mid-autumn, when the second wave of zhora, preceding wintering, is noticed.
Important! During the zhor season, taimen feed throughout the day, despite the night time.
In normal mode, the fish is active from dawn until 9–10 o’clock and at sunset from dusk until complete darkness. As a rule, the effective season for catching taimen is considered to be the beginning of summer and the period of time until freeze-up, when the fish, which have gained calories, exhibit noticeably less food activity. In cloudy weather, fish take bait more readily and can feed throughout the day. The bright sun is not conducive to biting, forcing the giants to retreat into the shade and wait for more suitable conditions for feeding. In the spring, with the arrival of muddy water, even a hungry predator after winter and preparing to spawn is rarely caught.
Features of catching taimen in August using a spinning rod
Air temperatures in August become noticeably lower than in July. Also, the water temperature gradually drops during August. Feeling the approach of winter, many fish begin to feed intensively. Therefore, the bite is noticeably livelier compared to July, and fishing becomes more interesting.
Also, in the last month of summer, the weather tends to become less stable. A nice warm day can easily be spoiled by sudden clouds and rain. But short-term rains and downpours often have a positive effect on fishing - they activate the bite. Prolonged bad weather, which is also not uncommon in August, worsens the bite and makes fishing difficult.
Tackle for catching taimen
All tackle used in practice for taimen are distinguished by increased strength characteristics. The most popular and widespread fishing for predators is using a spinning rod. With a powerful spinning rod, equipped with a power reel with a well-functioning friction brake, you can count on a successful outcome in the fight against a twenty-kilogram trophy. For these purposes, forms are selected 2.5-3 meters long, with dough from 35 to 50 grams. The most practical gear is medium action, which allows you to find the optimal parameters for bait control and compensate for overloads when playing large fish in rapids. For spinning, choose a power inertialess mechanism of 4500–6000 units or a multiplier version of the mechanism close to these characteristics, equipped with a monofilament line that better withstands the requirements of fishing on abrasive bottom grounds.
Fishing for taimen is much less common with fly fishing gear. The parameters of the whip are chosen according to the size of the fish, and therefore, they are equipped with the most massive gear of class 10–12, supplementing them with special medium-sized inertial reels with an adjustable ratchet brake. In specific places it is possible to use such gear as a boat and even a live bait float rod. When equipping installations, attention is paid to the thickness of the fishing line, which can withstand excessive loads and effectively resist abrasion on pebbles and rocky bottom soils. Hooks sharpened to perfection will help you reliably hook and hold massive fish that are frisky while playing, preventing them from getting away.
Lures for catching taimen in July using a spinning rod
When choosing bait for catching taimen in July, it is assumed that they should imitate its natural food at this time. It feeds on other fish, primarily grayling and whitefish, as well as small mammals - mice, squirrels, muskrats - that fall into the water.
Spoons
Perhaps the most popular baits for catching taimen in July are large rotating and oscillating spoons.
The most popular number of spinners is 6. Such large baits fly far, hold the current well and perfectly attract trophy taimen.
Oscillators are used with a length of 10-12 cm. The most common weights are 20-30 g. Of course, you always need to adapt to the depth and strength of the current.
Which models should you pay attention to?
Of the Soviet models for catching taimen in the summer, the oscillating spoons “Kola” and “Svinka” were very popular.
Modern vibrators that you should pay attention to first of all are Kuusamo Rasanen and Kuusamo Professor. The catchiest Soviet spinners for taimen were “Kem” and “Baikal”
Of the modern models, you should definitely add Blue Fox Super Vibrax and Kuusamo Haukilippa to your collection.
Of the turntables, tandems are also well suited - models with two petals located on the same axis, one after the other. This scheme allows you to make a large working bait, which is best suited for catching taimen.
Spinner baits are better suited for fishing in deep water and strong currents. In such conditions, it is often impossible to carry out turntables as needed, because they must be brought to the surface. But rotating spoons are suitable for fishing in calmer water and at shallow depths, and they perfectly attract the king of the river.
The main color options for spinners for catching taimen are bright and provocative. This is a fish that feels like the master of any body of water in which it lives. In addition, in order to feed itself, medium and large taimen need to hunt a lot, greedily grabbing any prey. Provocative colors are well suited for catching such fish.
But it’s also worth taking baits of natural colors with you when fishing – silver and yellow (brass, copper). When catching taimen in July, you need to be prepared for the fact that the fish will be capricious, and such variety in the arsenal will not hurt.
Wobblers
Of the wobblers for catching taimen in July, models with protracted (elongated) bodies, 12 cm or more in length, are best suited.
Their sizes can be 20, 25, or even 30 cm. The optimal depth for most situations in which you have to fish in the middle of summer is about 1 m. It is better to use floating models. They are well suited for taimen fishing, which usually takes place at fairly shallow depths. In addition, such wobblers can be floated downstream so that they reach the desired point. In general, floating wobblers are very effective baits for catching taimen in July. They allow you to successfully fish where no lures can help you achieve results.
Preference should be given to models with noise chambers. The additional noise that the wobbler makes when retrieving serves as an excellent additional attracting factor for taimen. Usually, thanks to the rattle hidden in the body of the wobbler, catches increase noticeably.
Examples of catchable baits are the Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow and various minnows from Rapala.
Poppers are worth mentioning separately. These are surface baits that, when reeled in, emit a loud squelching sound that attracts even taimen standing at a distance. They perform best when fishing in areas with calm water, calm or in light winds, when the surface of the reservoir is calm and smooth.
As with spinners, brightly colored wobblers are preferred, but it’s worth adding naturals to your arsenal.
Mice
Not so long ago, real rodents were used as bait to catch taimen. But today their artificial analogues are used, which are not difficult to find on sale or to make yourself.
Lures for taimen
Taimen bite both artificial and live bait. Based on the most common fishing methods, which are spinning and fly fishing, in practice artificial imitations are more applicable and convenient. In spinning fishing, oscillating and rotating spoons are most common. Large and heavy pike spoons also work well on the taiga giant. Among the spinners, they select numbers 5–6 according to the Mepps classification, using both the Aglia and Comet types, depending on the preferences of the predator at a given moment of fishing. Spinners are used in classic colors of silver, brass and copper, selecting baits depending on the lighting - the brighter the light, the more aggressive the spinner should be in flashing and vice versa.
Recently, the popularity of minnow-type wobblers has been growing, capable of operating without failures in strong currents and having their own game. In some conditions, especially often in shallow waters, poppers are used for spinning hunting. Effective are artificial baits that resemble mice or rats in appearance, which, due to their realistic resemblance to food items, are successful in targeted fishing for trophy fish. Fly fishing uses streamers and large wet and dry flies, nymphs, bug imitations and a variety of grubs. When fishing with live bait, whitefish, small grayling or dace are used in rigs, because this is a natural and well-known food for the red fisher.
taimen fish
Taimen... This “master” of the rivers of the Yenisei, Lena, Amur and other basins is a desirable and prestigious prey for the fisherman.
The law of nature is well known - the larger the animal, the more food it needs. Taimen is very voracious. A predator that keeps all living things in a body of water in fear, because of its instinct, itself becomes vulnerable.
And in this case, sometimes it is important to preserve taimen. After all, it is always pleasant to release a predator into its native element when the winning fisherman gives life to an equal but defeated opponent.
Fishing for taimen is the stuff of legends. From year to year, the taimeniad is replenished with new pages.
How to catch taimen
Once again, we emphasize that fishing for taimen is limited by law and the fisherman bears considerable responsibility for the future of this fish . Therefore, regardless of the fishing methods, it is reasonable to conduct production according to the catch-and-release principle, without causing harm to the population of the rare species and promoting its further survival in natural conditions. Despite the fact that spinning takes a leading position in taimen fishing trips as the main fishing tool, from region to region one can observe local approaches to catching the predator. In the continuation of the article, we will consider a number of technologies for obtaining this coveted trophy, starting with the most popular and moving on to more exotic fishing options.
How to catch taimen using a spinning rod
Fishing for taimen with a spinning rod can be carried out in two directions: coastal hunting and hunting while rafting down the river on a motor boat. Coastal hunting in often impassable places is difficult and does not always provide the spinner with the opportunity to fish promising areas, being content with fishing in small areas approaching the water. The boat significantly expands the possibilities, which often becomes the key to success. On a motor they rise against the current, catching promising points by feeding bait against the flow of water. The predator is not very timid and, confident in its invulnerability, rarely leaves the hunting grounds due to the noise of the engine. A spinner can be successful even if his camouflage is not particularly thorough.
The main thing is to correctly determine where the fish are staying and lead the bait close to the bottom, allowing them to play through the flow of water. Large individuals prefer massive and heavy baits. Small spinners will fall prey to lenok or perch, as well as undergrowth like a couple of kilos of timefish. In riffles and shallow waters they fish from the surface, floating imitations of mice and feeding poppers to the predator. In water areas with pike, metal leashes are installed in the rig, otherwise the spinning angler faces frequent cuts from the bait of the catfish, which competes with other predators.
Fly fishing for taimen
You can fly fish for taimen in the fall and summer using an artificial mouse. They go out for fly fishing with mice closer to dusk and at night. The delicate tackle catches large, highly resistant trophies, so the equipment uses long backing, which allows the fish to escape a couple of tens of meters. In addition to mice and popper-type wobblers, streamers identical in appearance to salmon fishing, intruders, artificial leeches, fly wobblers and fly spinners are suitable for fly fishing. Taimen prefer fly baits in natural dark colors.
Fishing in other ways
Of the alternative tackles, the most popular is a boat, released with bait in the form of an artificial fly, an oscillating spoon or a soft mouse. Local residents, with centuries of accumulated experience, successfully hunt the giant using props and hooks of various designs. As bait, these specific tackles are equipped with live bait or a bunch of large worms, feeding the rigs into the fishing zones tested by the fisherman. Often, float-based live bait fishing rods are used for these purposes. On lakes and large rivers, catching the predator by trolling is quite successful. A well-chosen working wobbler for taimen is led over promising sites for the predator, picking up especially large active individuals that react to the sharp play of the bait.
Fishing for taimen
The predator is quite aggressive when playing, moreover, large fish are incredibly strong and can easily crush flimsy tackle, not forgiving of delays in reeling in a loose cord, gaining some freedom of action and maneuver for a jerk. After poking the bait, you should make a test mark, securely place the trophy on the hooks, and immediately begin pumping out the fish. It is important not to allow the predator to retreat to cover, which is often a nearby dead tree or underwater rock ridge, from where it will be almost impossible to remove densely entrenched taimen.
Often, a powerful candle at the initial stage of fishing allows the fish to spit out the hooks, so you should constantly keep the line tight, gradually tiring the fish, while simultaneously working with the rod and reel to pump out and reel in the released line. Despite its massive size, taimen is a rather delicate fish, sensitive to oxygen starvation and microtrauma from a hook, and even more so from a hook. It is recommended to hold the caught fish for as little time as possible, take a couple of wonderful photos and release it back into the river stream.
Fishing tactics
When catching taimen, there are two main tactics. This is either walking fishing on some limited section of the river, to which the fisherman reached by car or helicopter, or rafting (ascent) along the river.
Mountain rivers are often difficult to access. So walking fishing has very limited use. Here they either head to holes previously explored during rafting, or simply stop for the night and simultaneously fish the nearest promising areas.
When catching trophy taimen is the main task of the expedition, it is preferable to move up the river by motor. Of course, to drive such a vehicle on a dangerous rapids river, you need an experienced guide.
By approaching promising places from the lower reaches, anglers have a better chance of catching the owner of the river by surprise. The fish stands with its nose against the current. The smell of motor fuel or any other traces of human presence do not alarm aquatic inhabitants as much as during rafting. Approaching from the tail, anglers feed baits upstream and they appear in the taimen’s field of view before it can notice the boat.
This is the correct approach for any river fishing. However, it is worth noting that taimen are not very shy fish. Of course, if you come close and stand above the pit where the salmon is kept, it will become wary. If you observe even a hint of secrecy, getting close to the taimen and forcing it to bite is not a problem at all. In this regard, brook trout are much more timid, and this is not only due to the smaller scale of the streams where this fish is caught.
The difficulty in catching taimen lies mainly in getting to the right river and promising places on it. There is no big barrier in terms of shyness or pickiness in baits. When geologists and foresters explored Siberia, they caused serious damage to the taimen population. But they had primitive spinning rods in their hands. The baits used were not the most elegant spinners of that period or homemade imitations of mice. Of course, one should not place all the responsibility for getting this species into the Red Book on geologists. Pollution of ecosystems and the general development of regions had a much greater impact. It must be admitted that the not very deep rivers where taimen live turned out to be very vulnerable to such effects. The only saving grace is the remoteness of the regions and the vastness of the areas.
Winter fishing
Taimen can be caught all year round, although not everywhere. In winter, you can fish for it only in the reservoirs of Siberia, where this prey is most abundant. Although you won’t catch him everywhere either. For example, on rivers flowing into the Pacific Ocean, it is not caught on the first ice. The fact is that many salmon come there in winter to spawn, so there is plenty of food for taimen, and he does not pay attention to bait.
Fishing for taimen in winter is most often carried out using a girder. Moreover, experienced fishermen often use gear of the most primitive design, which consists of a strong fishing line, a tee wound on a reel. The latter must be carefully fixed on the ice. This can be done, for example, by tying it to a wooden block and placing it across the hole.
Usually large roach, grayling or lenok are used as live bait. The last option is considered the best, since this fish can remain active for a long time. As a rule, the tackle is checked once a day.
Winter fishing for taimen using artificial baits, for example, spoons and balancers, is no less effective. They also have a high probability of catching a large fish. However, the bait must be equipped with sufficiently strong hooks. This, although it somewhat worsens her game, minimizes the likelihood of derailments due to their extension.
