Taimen is not just a fish of the salmon family. This is its largest representative, reaching a length of up to 2 meters. Such a fish can weigh up to 80 kilograms. There is an opinion that there are larger taimen, but there is no officially confirmed evidence for this.
Taimen has a slender and beautiful body. Its shape is perfectly streamlined. Narrow and elongated body, covered with small scales. The head of taimen is similar in structure to the head of a pike. After all, it was not without reason that it received the name “red pike” in the Urals. From the sides and top, the head of this fish seems to be slightly flattened. The mouth is large, simply huge, powerful, taking up exactly half of the head. The entire jaw is strewn with sharp large teeth, the ends of which are curved inward.
Taimen is capable of moving very quickly. And its own structure helps it in this - the fins are offset and located near the tail, and their blades are very large. The tail is powerful and strong.
In general, taimen has similarities with salmon and trout. This fish took its enormous size and lifestyle from salmon, and the taimen owes its body structure to trout.
The color of taimen directly depends on its habitat. In general, it is usually silver in color, but can take on brownish-red shades, as well as greenish and grayish. But at the same time, its abdomen is always light, and there are always black spots on its back and sides.
The tail fin is very beautiful - red, with a small notch. The anal fin is the same color. But the dorsal is dark gray, the pectoral and ventral fins are light gray. During spawning, taimen acquires a copper-red color. And young individuals have transverse dark stripes in their coloration.
It is clear that the whole appearance of this fish suggests that taimen is an ideal predator. Large, with a huge toothy mouth and a powerful tail - it knows no competition. No wonder he is called the “master of the rivers.” After all, he eats not only fish. It devours mice and squirrels swimming across the river, waterfowl - ducks, geese, etc. Taimen can even grab a dog, not to mention water rats and other small mammals.
It happened that even stones and sticks were found in the taimen’s stomach. Apparently, this fish doesn’t really know who to hunt. He grabs sticks, confusing them with something living, floating on the surface, but grabs stones, perhaps by accident. Nobody knows.
These fish, as mentioned at the beginning, are of impressive size. They can grow up to 1.5-2 meters in length, and their weight can vary between 60-80 kilograms. But it is clear that such specimens are very rare. Only adult individuals grow to such enormous sizes.
Taimen grows throughout its life, but their life is not always that long. The largest taimen was caught in the Yenisei - 210 cm in length and 105 kg in weight. But this is rather an exception. To gain 45 kg, taimen must live 55 years. And the average size of 7-year-old taimen is 60-70 cm, and weight up to 4 kg. These are usually caught. And until the age of 7, we also need to manage to live with our human needs.
Among salmon fish, taimen can truly be called a giant. It is extremely difficult to catch even a 10-kilogram monster. And taimen weighing more than 10 kg is already considered a piece product.
Taimen is a very strong fish. Large taimen can knock a person out of the boat with one blow of their tail, so be careful, because even experienced fishermen cannot always cope with them.
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.
Habits and characteristics of taimen
It is not so difficult to discover fish hiding in the depths and holes of rivers. In the morning he prefers to lie down. It can be seen in snags, branches, and underwater accumulations. At first it seems that there is some kind of log in front of you, but in fact it is a beautiful taimen, which, like a torpedo, can suddenly float away to another place.
Experienced fishermen usually look for taimen in two places: in steep holes or on shallows with little access to depth. The fish cannot refuse the rocky bottom; it stays alone. That is why, if you managed to catch one individual, do not expect another bite to follow in the same place.
Many amateurs believe that only large spoons should be used to catch this predator, but this is not entirely correct. Quite often, taimen swallows the bait, but the fisherman thinks that it is caught on a stone or log. And while he is thinking about how he will free the stuck spoon, he feels a sudden sharp jerk. Sometimes especially large specimens simply go to a deep place to lie at the bottom.
Taimen often uses the technique of releasing the spoon, which is popularly called a “candle”. Having made a sharp jerk, this fish, jumping out of the water, opens its mouth very wide and shakes its head. The fisherman should not loosen the fishing line at this time, although this is quite difficult, especially if the prey moves in his direction before the “candle”.
The coolest temperament is found in individuals that reach a weight of eight to twelve kilograms. From the outside, fighting them is very similar to a real fight, which requires incredible physical effort from a person. Large specimens are very exhausting for the fisherman, since sometimes the fight drags on for a long time.
We invite you to read: How to catch pike on girders in winter: settings and fishing process
Fishing for taimen has one more feature: if the adults leave the spoon, then in the near future they will no longer bite on this bait.
catching taimen
It is best to catch such a giant in May-June or from late August to November. Fishing is excellent during the post-spawning period, as well as from September until the ice covers the river. These days, taimen feed intensively.
according to fishermen
- Fishermen have long noticed that the best biting times are morning and evening dawns. Frequent bites occur throughout the day, but in cloudy, gloomy, but calm weather, usually in the fall. In sunny weather, taimen take bait much worse.
- When the water becomes cloudy or decreases, the bite usually worsens.
- It has also been noticed that if, when fishing, small taimen (up to 1 kg) are chased and pecked by the lure, then you will not be able to catch a large fish in this place. Because, according to experienced fishermen, large individuals usually travel in pairs, less often alone. And the young animals unite in small flocks. Therefore, the fishing sign that if you catch one fish, then in a short amount of time another of approximately the same size will appear, operates and is based on the lifestyle of this fish.
- Fishermen also believe that during the waning moon, taimen fishes worse than during the new and full moon.
- The most convenient cool time for catching taimen is the morning hours - from 9 to 10 o'clock and the evening hours - from 17 o'clock.
- If the taimen begins to jerk briefly and often float up, then this means that the tee is not inserted well. The fish can easily get away from you. In this case, it is necessary, albeit at risk, to make a second vigorous strike.
Basically, the fish stays at the bottom, so you need to catch taimen from the bottom. On the surface of the water or from the middle, taimen are found less often. Taimen often indicates its presence itself.
Every dawn, with the noise and splash of water, it floats to the surface, can suddenly fly out of the water, and then go back into the depths.
A stunning unforgettable spectacle! It may float up once or twice.
And also on fine days, taimen reveals itself with deafening blows of its powerful tail on the water surface - this is how it chases fish at dawn in calm weather. Where you saw or heard him, you need to catch him.
There are quite enough ways to catch taimen - fly fishing or live bait, spinning with spinners, wobblers and of course with an artificial mouse.
catching taimen using a spinning rod
Taimen are caught using spinning rods mainly with the onset of spring.
Since fishing for taimen involves overcoming long hikes along mountain rivers, the spinning rod should be light and comfortable. Nowadays, light and ultralight class rods are often used. But this is already extreme, it is better to use a mid-class rod. The fishing line is better than “braided”, a time-tested company. The diameter of the line is approximately 0.18 - 0.28 mm.
Experienced fishermen advise using a rod 2.7 m in length or more - you have to cast the bait over a considerable distance. It is better to use a multiplier or inertialess power reel on a spinning rod. And the use by classics lovers of an inertial reel with a large drum of the “Nevskaya” type often leads to serious hand injuries.
You shouldn’t take any tricky modern novelties with all sorts of intricacies. According to fishermen, they often fail at the very peak of fishing.
The material of the spinning rod's passage rings must also be durable, for example, made of silicon carbide (SiC), aluminum oxide (Al2O3).
Please note that there is no need for a leash when fishing for taimen, since this fish is not able to bite through the fishing line, this is the peculiarity of the structure of its teeth.
Also, the success of fishing can largely depend on the carbine. Try to use brass or iron frame molds. This also applies to fishing for taimen in winter.
Use rounded and elongated weights. The bait should be chosen after studying the body of water where you are going to fish. When the river flows intensely, it is preferable to use heavy oscillating spoons. At greater depths, where the current is less strong, large castmasters are suitable. The color of the bait should be natural. You can't fool Taimen. Mostly brass spoons with a yellow tint are used.
spinner for taimen
Mepps Lusox
In summer, it is best to fish with spinners in the early morning or evening before dusk. When the taimen is in its feeding period, it is not at all picky and not very picky about lures; it takes almost everything. But still, the fisherman must have a varied supply of spinners ready. Because taimen, like all fish, can behave in such a way that you can’t figure it out right away. It happens that taimen ignores oscillating spoons, but willingly takes rotating ones. It happens that they bite only on white or only on yellow or two-color baits.
Mepps Syclops
Beginning fishermen often believe that only large spoons are preferred to taimen. But fishing experience shows that even for solid trophies, small “spinners” with a petal length of 40-45 mm can be suitable. Example – Mepps Lusox.
Or oscillating spoons with a length of no more than 90-110 mm. For example Mepps Syclops, Abu Garcia Toby and the like.
The jaws of taimen are very strong and powerful, so carefully check the strength of the tees.
Large spoons, 10-12 cm, should be used closer to autumn. Many experienced spinning fishermen use homemade spinners.
Devonian
For example, Irkutsk fishermen use “Devons” to catch taimen, which are made of tin and painted greenish-brown, with one tee in the tail, which is built in motionless. Now industrial enterprises have begun to produce Devons of excellent quality. The photo on the left is Devon made.
Catching taimen with wobblers gives good results. About fishing with wobblers, see here. In the fall, they are caught using a tackle, with local fish - char. When catching large specimens, you must have a hook.
taimen "on the mouse"
Taimen feeds not only on fish, but also likes to hunt all sorts of small rodents. Witty fishermen have come up with a bait that imitates a mouse. Previously, such bait was made from ordinary wood, which was covered with sandpaper. But over time, new lightweight materials were invented that are currently being successfully used.
"Mouse"
The size of such an artificial mouse for taimen is 10-12 cm and about 50-60 g. The diameter is approximately 5 cm. The “mouse” can be smaller or larger. The shape should be streamlined so that it can glide easily and beautifully through the water, and in principle it is not necessary to imitate whiskers, paws and a tail. You can make a “mouse” with your own hands from cork, hard foam, or sponge rubber. And the blank can be sheathed with the skin of some animal or, in extreme cases, with fabric. To ensure that the “mouse” flies further when casting and does not rotate when moving in the water, a thin lead plate is attached to its abdomen.
They usually catch taimen “with a mouse” in the dark, although during the feeding period he can grab this bait during the day. The “mouse” leaves behind itself a small, but attracting the predator’s attention, groove in the water in the form of a “whisker.” She must stay afloat. The “mouse” is carried through the water more slowly than the spoon.
At the moment of impact, winding should be stopped for a while. As soon as you feel a push (and you will understand it immediately), you need to quickly hook. You need to quickly bring the taimen to the shore and grab it by the back using a hook.
When planning to catch taimen “on a mouse”, it is still necessary to choose the smoothest bank (if possible) while it is still light, a place where there is a quiet current and there are no overhanging plants and bushes.
“On a mouse” taimen goes better on dark nights. In moonlight, bites are uncertain and by no means frequent and may stop altogether.
fishing for taimen
The taimen bite, despite its size and menacing appearance, is cautious. And the grip is sharp. Beginning fishermen often confuse biting taimen with hooking. Then comes the jerk.
You need to hook the fish right away and take the fish out slowly. If the taimen pulls to the side, then you need to slack the line in time, and if the fish goes to the shore, you need to rotate the reel as soon as possible.
Fishing for some trophies can last several hours, taking all the strength and nerves from a satisfied fisherman. The fish rushes madly from side to side, rushing against the current with all its might. And, according to the fishermen, it happens that it sinks to the bottom and, having pulled the fishing line, quickly rushes to the surface of the water and, soaring into the air, strikes with its powerful tail with all its might. Amazing picture! Basically, the fighting area is always limited to the place where it bites.
Taimen often uses a rather cunning technique. It goes to the bottom and lies between the stones. In this case, fishermen drive it to the surface by hitting the rod, but not hard. Or they throw stones, thereby scaring the fish.
An adult taimen that comes off a spoon or is pulled ashore and released usually does not take it again in the near future.
When to catch
Fishing for taimen begins in June, as soon as the salmon spawn and continues until the freeze-up. Moreover, taimen can be found even in winter. The most active zhor at the beginning of summer is June-July, immediately after spawning, and taimen also become active before winter, when it tries to gain strength and energy. Therefore, its bite is very active from September until the arrival of sharp cold spells and winter. Taimen are caught around the clock and even at night, when you have to throw bait in the pitch darkness, this fish is perfectly caught. The coolest hours for catching taimen are in the morning around 8-10 o'clock, as well as in the evening around 17:00 - 20:00.
catching taimen in winter
In general, it is generally accepted that taimen are an exclusively heat-loving fish, and therefore there is no chance of fishing in winter. But everyone knows that the main thing is the desire. Fishermen have proven that taimen bite, albeit not so well, but still take the bait throughout the cold period of the year.
During winter, taimen are more likely to be caught in the northern regions - this is the main condition that must be remembered.
Finding taimen is a simple process, because in Russian reservoirs the water in winter is clean and transparent, and observing fish becomes much easier than in summer.
Tackle for taimen must be chosen based on the experience of professional fishermen who already know everything about such fishing, disappointments and tears of happiness from catching have passed, and who have many kilometers behind them in search of this fish.
For catching taimen in the winter, a girder is well suited; the tackle does not necessarily have to have any special design.
A suitable girder design consists of a strong fishing line and a tee, which is wound on a reel. The bait must be secured on the ice as best as you can, otherwise all the previous efforts put into catching taimen may be in vain. You can also tie the reel to a wooden block, and place it in the hole in a transverse position. Look here at the designs of the vents.
For live bait when catching taimen in winter, large roach, grayling, or lenok are well suited. But fishermen have long noticed that lenok remains active much longer than other fish, so draw your own conclusion.
Remember that the tackle must be checked once a day.
Artificial baits, spinners, and balancers can also do an excellent job. After all, experienced fishermen claim that large taimen are caught well with artificial baits, only for such fishing you will need very strong, reliable and proven hooks.
Beware of hand contact with the fishing line, otherwise serious injury may occur, because taimen bite extremely sharply and powerfully. You need to dampen taimen jerks either with a fishing rod or with the help of a reel brake, which will also come in handy for winter fishing.
You need to drag taimen onto the ice not with the help of a reel, but simply by retreating from the hole. And so that the edge of the ice does not cut the fishing line, the edging of the holes must be rounded. All this, of course, is troublesome. But one wrong step can put your entire fishing trip in jeopardy. If you managed to bring the taimen to the surface of the water, that is, to the hole, carefully pull out the fish using a hook.
Tackle for taimen
Spinning fishing. The most popular tackle used for catching taimen is a spinning rod. The spinning rod for catching this salmon must be very strong. It is advisable to use a two-handed stick, at least 3.5 meters long. Such powerful tackle is needed because taimen reaches truly impressive sizes, and even not the largest specimen can give the fisherman such a fight that not every spinning rod can withstand such a load, and sometimes fishing for taimen lasts for hours.
The fishing line is used with a diameter of 0.7 mm and above. A thinner line runs the risk of being torn after the first bite. There is absolutely no need to use a metal leash, since taimen are not able to bite the fishing line with their sparse teeth. Due attention should be paid to the hooks. They must be very strong, because weak hooks are often broken by the powerful jaw of the taimen. Also, when catching taimen, you cannot do without a high-quality, powerful reel that will hold enough fishing line to starve out the fish. You must set up the reel and drag in advance so that it can easily absorb the powerful jerks of the salmon along with the spinning rod.
where to catch taimen?
You need to look for taimen near the mouths of small rivers and streams that flow into the river. He can also go into the rivers themselves if they are suitable for his life.
Taimen can stay below the islands on the merging streams that wash the island. This fish also stands in front of and after pits, behind stone slabs lying at the bottom of the reservoir, behind large stones, behind many artificial structures, near riffles or a stormy and strong stream of water, on the banks below and above pits, if they are located in the riverbed .
Taimen are caught in quiet but deep currents, as well as in places where there is a reverse current. You rarely see it in a shallow backwater, but during periods of intense feeding, taimen also enter places unusual for it, actively chasing prey.
The most famous modern habitats of large individuals of taimen are the Yenisei, Lena, Amur basins, as well as Lake Baikal. Unfortunately, the areas of the Sayan, Altai and other mountain systems of southern Siberia are densely developed by humans, and therefore large taimen are unlikely to be found in these places. And around such large cities as Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Ulan-Ude, Yakutsk, Mirny, etc. For hundreds of kilometers, taimen are absent as a species.
The further north you go, the better it is for taimen, as it loves clean, cold and fast northern rivers. But north of the Arctic Circle, taimen are found less and less often. And although many areas of the Arctic Ocean coast are not inhabited by humans, taimen are not there, since the short period of open water is not enough for this fish to accumulate fat, without which it simply will not survive the winter.
In the northern regions there are well-known places where there are a lot of taimen, including large specimens. But they are located in the most remote and inaccessible places of Yakutia and Evenkia. Moreover, taimen can live in rivers of any size, but no less than 400-600 km long.
During the heat, which can come quite unexpectedly in the climate of Siberia, taimen rushes to those parts of the river where there is cold. And these are springs and waters of melted swamps on permafrost. Taimen also stays near the mouth of a cold stream.
Taimen is a large and powerful fish and, according to the law of nature, it requires a large amount of food. And the larger the trophy, the higher the food requirements. Therefore, where there are good reserves of small salmon species such as grayling and many types of whitefish, that’s where you should look for taimen. Where potential food lives - near obstacles in the form of rapids, whirlpools, underwater ridges, sharp changes in depth - there is also taimen.
It has also been noticed by fishermen that if there is something outstanding on the river, for example, a large rapid, a reach, an exposed rock or something similar, then there may be taimen there.
How and what to catch taimen, where it lives and when it spawns
Taimen have a recognizable body shape and general appearance. However, regional differences are possible. The fish grows slowly, but lives longer than other salmon and grows throughout its life. In the past, there have been cases of catching fish weighing more than 100 kg, but the recorded specimen weighing 56 kg is considered official. Common taimen is a freshwater anadromous fish that lives in rivers and lakes.
Does not form large flocks. At a young age it can live together with grayling and lenok, in small groups, and as it grows it switches to a solitary existence. At a young age, taimen can live in pairs for some time, usually with a “brother” or “sister” of the same size and age. This is most likely a temporary protective device when adapting to independent life.
composition and benefits of taimen fish
The composition of taimen is not as rich as we would like. But it contains something for which all types of salmon are valued. These are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including Omega-3, as well as protein, which is much easier for us to digest than meat protein.
Taimen also contains vitamin PP, macroelements sulfur and chlorine, microelements nickel and molybdenum - in small quantities, more chromium and fluorine, and taimen is quite rich in zinc. Despite the fact that salmon are famous for their rich calorie content, taimen has very few calories - only 88 kcal per 100 g of fish.
The fisherman needs to know that during spawning, taimen meat does not taste great. It contains almost no fat, which is consumed very quickly during this period. The most nutritious middle-aged taimen is not old, but not young either.
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 fishing methods, it is reasonable to conduct production according to the catch-and-release principle, without causing harm to the population of a 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 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.
taimen recipes
Many fishermen believe that the best way to prepare taimen is to moderately salt it. With such meat you can even have appetizers, even salads, or even eat it just like that. The main thing is not to spoil it. Do not over-salt or under-salt. But everything comes, as they say, with experience.
There is a dish of Siberian fishermen called “Crystal”. This is a broth for which only heads and fins are taken. This is usually cooked over high heat until done, about 15 minutes. Then cool, filter, add raw chicken protein and a little pressed caviar. After this, the broth becomes clear, like crystal. Then add a couple of hot pepper pods and dill. This broth is not eaten, but drunk with crackers as a bite. If desired, you can also cook “royal” fish soup using this broth, adding pieces of taimen, salmon, sterlet or other noble fish into it.
Between the muscles of taimen there are layers of fat, which is why its meat is so tender. It is this fat, rich in PUFAs, that makes taimen a healthy product.
In Siberia, taimen heads are also eaten, and in their entirety. Usually we throw away the fish offal, and they eat them there too. But they, like the heads, can only be consumed if the fish is very fresh and there is no doubt about it. When the taimen is gutted, the heart, liver, cleansed stomach and bladder are thoroughly washed. And then all this is fried in a frying pan with the addition of a sufficient amount of oil, as well as seasonings and salt until crispy.
Taimen can be bought frozen. It is better to cook this with the addition of carrots, onions, parsley, black peppercorns and allspice. Cut the fish into large pieces and add salted water, add all the other ingredients and cook for about 20 minutes. Usually eaten hot, with potatoes or salad. But if someone likes cold fish, then please, cold taimen goes well with horseradish and fried porcini mushrooms.
Grilled taimen is good. Taimen is also fried on a spit in large pieces, with salt and ground allspice; it is a good idea to drizzle it with melted butter. You can serve with wild garlic, green onions and any fresh vegetables!
Taimen is delicious baked in the oven. It is baked with mustard seeds. Fish fillets are cut into steaks approximately 3 cm thick and weighing less than 100 g. Thickly coat the pieces with mustard seeds, and then breadcrumbs with chopped parsley. Then place in a mold, spread butter on top and place in the oven, heated to 180 degrees. It is recommended to bake for about 10 minutes.
You can also smoke taimen. Smoked taimen is truly considered a delicious delicacy.
Sections
Probably everyone, even the least romantic person, has a crystal dream. I don't know about you, but I dream big. Both about the realizable and the unrealizable. Although I still try to be realistic in this. I also have my deepest dreams, which, like good wine, become more desirable and brighter from year to year. There have already been moments in my life when the brightest and even seemingly unlikely to be fulfilled desires came true. Their implementation made me momentarily the happiest person, making me experience a feeling of incredible intoxicating euphoria. These are exactly the emotions I experienced quite recently, when I put a bold tick next to the “Taimen” item on my wish list. You probably have a question: “Why exactly taimen?! What's so special about it?" Before this trip to the Primorsky Territory, I myself could not formulate the answer, but this fish, like a magnet, was strongly attracted to me. Now, after meeting the owner of the taiga rivers, I can give a detailed answer, which can be understood by reading my entire story.
Taimen is the largest representative of the salmon family on the planet. Currently, ichthyologists distinguish two types of taimen: the Siberian taimen, which inhabits the basins of the great Siberian rivers, and the Danube salmon, which lives mainly in the mountain rivers of the Danube basin in central and eastern Europe. Both species are capable of growing to very large sizes, becoming top predators in their respective rivers. There is a third variety - Sakhalin taimen, which differs from the other two in its lifestyle, being a migratory form. The body shape and size of the Sakhalin taimen is similar to both the Siberian and the European ones, but, nevertheless, ichthyologists tend to classify the Sakhalin taimen as a separate species of anadromous salmon.
Even as a child, I remember I was fascinated by the stories of my grandfather, who grew up on the Yenisei: “We’re going with the guys to the river to swim,” he said, “we look - a man is coming towards us from the river and dragging a raincoat. And when we got closer to it, we were stupefied - it was not a tent at all, but a huge taimen with a black back, which the guy held over his shoulder under the gill cover, and the tail stretched along the ground! Later, when I became actively interested in spinning, I began to re-read periodicals with stories about taiga fishing and review stories about taimen expeditions. In general, this topic interested me very much. I set myself a goal: to be sure to visit the “correct” river, where these fascinating giants live.
The choice of one of the rivers near the Sikhote-Alin ridge, in Primorye, was not accidental. This is one of the few places where the habitats of large taimen can be reached by river without a helicopter transfer. Of course, such a lift by boat takes much more time, but it saves a lot on the budget.
The journey by car from Ussuriysk took almost a day, and here we are on the river bank.
We reload our luggage from the trunks into two boats and begin our ascent early in the morning of the new day.
Everything is unusual for us here. It’s hard to imagine that tigers live in the forest along the banks of the river! If you believe the words of our local guide Sergei, there are a lot of big cats in these places - much more than official statistics. But, unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, we did not meet any tigers. Although, I must admit, I really want to see this “kitty” in the wild.
I was already here last year. Then we did not ascend the river to the upper reaches, as we are planning now, but remained in the middle reaches. But I liked the fishing there so much that, without hesitation, I planned a trip for this year with the goal of catching not only the ubiquitous lenok, but also taimen (Sikhote-Alin: fishing in tiger land Part 1 and Part 2). As I now understand, we were unlucky with water that year: the level compared to the current one was a meter higher, and the transparency was extremely low. Now I see a completely different river: transparent, rolling, with a large number of stone spits, which were then flooded.
We climbed almost without stopping, occasionally mooring to the shore to change the next fuel tank. After lunch, when most of the journey had already been completed, one of the boats in which Vadim Grushko and Alexey Ivashkov were traveling went uphill for about 20 minutes. We kept in touch by radio, so we always knew each other's positions. On one of the reaches they decided to wait for us. Ivashkov, of course, could not resist the temptation: he took out a tube, took out a Pontoon21 Stylo SL732L-T rod with a test weight of up to 10.5 g, put an old “best-of-life” Certate'10 2500 reel on it and tied on a Pontoon21 TB spinner Trait #1. In this form, the tackle is ideal for quickly catching lenok. While we were overcoming rapids and creases, the helmsman of the first boat suggested rafting along the long stretch of logs and branches piled up near the shore. Alexey happily agreed. With one of the precise casts, Ivashkov placed the spinner under the snags... The small “spinner” of the first number attracted the attention of some huge fish - it was him! Taimen!
Alexey, realizing the low probability of defeating his opponent, holding such a light tackle in his hands, said to Vadim and Sergei: “There is no chance...” But Sergei, starting the engine, replied: “You will take it!” This is where the experience of the helmsman was decisive: carefully backing up and moving the fish away from the rubble, Sergei approached the rocky spit, where it was much easier for Alexey to cope with the giant.
On the tenth attempt, Ivashkov brought taimen into shallow water and recorded the catch by taking the fish by the tail - eat!
Incredible! With such light tackle he managed to defeat taimen, whose weight was 11 kg!
Of course, after the memorable photo, the taimen was released. We arrived when it was all over... Although, no, Ivashkov’s eyes continued to “burn,” and he himself was in a half-drunk state, not believing what happened right now. By the way, this is his first fish weighing over ten kilograms caught with a spinning rod!
This episode did not in any way affect the schedule of our ascent along the river. Late in the evening, almost at sunset, we landed on the spit, where we set up a tent camp.
On the morning of a new day, we get into the boat and set off upstream.
The river here has become more distinctly mountainous: the current is stronger, there are more sharp turns and creases.
Sergei says that few people go up here: the river is complex and not everyone knows the passages along narrow channels that allow you to bypass blind creases. As a rule, they are used only by local guides.
That is why there are still a lot of fish here. However, it cannot be said that people are a rare guest here. Fishermen purposefully go to these places, but what’s good is that most of them are “head-to-head” and are not involved in outright fishing. And, what surprised me most of all, according to Sergei, in these places taimen are caught much more often on the “catch and release” principle than downstream, where the fish are “strangled” mercilessly and all in a row. His words were confirmed later; I will talk about this in more detail below.
After walking up for about two hours, we find ourselves in a narrow channel, where we begin fishing with light tackle for lenka, of which there are so many here that schools of fairly large fish (1-2.5 kg) are visible everywhere in the clear water. However, due to the warm water and brightly shining sun, the lenkas were in no hurry to react to our baits. Of course, we managed to find the keys to the intractable fish, but I will tell you about this in a separate publication.
There are also a lot of grayling in the river. Although it is not large, it is very contrasting and beautiful.
However, I note that in the by-catch with lenkas, in addition to grayling, medium-sized (up to 1.5 kg) timefish were always present. During the day, each of us managed to catch up to a dozen of them with light tackle!
This number of juveniles is very pleasing - it means that there is a stable breeding stock in the river, on which the entire population rests.
Of course, you can purposefully catch large taimen from the shore. Only this can take a lot of time, therefore, it is much easier, if you have a boat, to find fish by rafting. Here we calculated everything very clearly: from the morning until about three o’clock in the afternoon we catch lenok from the shore, swimming from one interesting place to another, and in the evening, continuing to catch, we begin to raft in the direction of the camp.
Today is our orientation day. We experimented a lot with gear, selecting the most optimal options for lenka. Well, at the appointed hour we got into the boat and began the rafting.
Considering that the river is mostly not wide, I decided on the gear during the ascent. Taking into account last year's experience and assessing the fishing conditions, the choice fell on the following set: Megabass Blizzard Manipulator BMS702MMHF rod with test weight up to 24 g, Daiwa Exist'15 2510RPE-H reel, Pontoon21 Eighteria 20 Lb cord.
Pike in these places are found exclusively in oxbow lakes; you shouldn’t expect a bite on the main channel, so it’s enough to use fluorocarbon as a leash. The power of my cord is 20 Lb., based on this, I took a “flur” with a power of 16 Lb. The use of a fluorocarbon leader is not caused by the fact that taimen will “bite” the line. There are a lot of logs, stones and branches in the river, with which the cord, every now and then, in contact under load, is deformed and quickly loses strength. A half-meter leash made of fluorocarbon, known for its resistance to abrasion, allows you to minimize the likelihood of chafing the “braid”.
Let's go rafting. The current is very fast, the boat is carried so quickly that in many promising places it is possible to make just one cast and a very fast retrieve. In such conditions, there is no chance to fish a promising area in detail: the shore rushes by like a fast train. Therefore, everything must be done very accurately, quickly and accurately. Involuntarily, the emphasis is placed on a quick search for active fish.
Counting on catching an adult taimen, I decided not to waste time on trifles and set exclusively large baits. I took with me the most suitable large minnow wobblers that work steadily in strong currents. The first bait offered to taimen was my favorite OSP Asura Rudra 130SP. Of course, taking into account the expected loads of the resisting “monster”, I replaced the original tees with more powerful Owner ST-56 #4.
Initially, we didn’t have much of an understanding of where to look for taimen. Drawing an analogy with fishing for brook trout in similar conditions, I began to “read” the shore and look for places where, as I think, a large specimen of the “brook” would most likely stay. On Caucasian rivers, any hole is a “home” for large trout: it is both a shelter in case of danger and an excellent place for an ambush. My guesses regarding taimen are confirmed by Ivashkov’s case yesterday - the bite occurred right at the crease. But I didn’t have to wait long for additional confirmation: after another cast under the snags, when the wobbler barely touched the surface of the water, a healthy fish suddenly jumped out, but missed the “Rudra”. This episode once again convinced us that it is the creases that need to be given the most attention.
Around the next bend, the river approaches a steep bank, in front of which there is a section of calm water with good depth. I stand ready and, after waiting for the optimal moment to cast, I place the bait under the rock and begin a quick jerking retrieve. At the moment when a powerful stream has already taken the boat below this bay, in the clear water I see the side of a large fish flashing and, at the same moment, a bite... Hooking... A jerk under a very strong load and a cliff! But why didn’t the cord hold up?! The reason for this is complex: the bite occurred at the moment when the boat, carried away by a strong current, began to move away from the bay, and the friction was configured so as to fend off jerks under lighter loads. The cord itself was not in my favor; I have been using it all season, so signs of wear were already visible to the naked eye. Usually, when fishing for pike, I allow the cord to be in such a state, since I know the wear patterns of the Eighteria, especially since this model is one of my main ones. The conclusion is made - tomorrow I will install a more powerful fence.
To get bandaged, I ask Sergei to land on the shore. I didn’t take a spare spool with a more powerful cord with me on the water, so now I’ll fish more carefully and loosen the clutch. Having cut off the most worn four-meter piece of “braid”, I tie on a “shock leader” made of fluorocarbon and put on another cool large minnow Pontoon21 Cablista 125SP-SMR. I haven’t used this wobbler in such a strong current yet, but I know for sure that it holds steady in the stream.
We move away from the shore and raft to the next creek nearby. I choose the most promising place for casting, place the bait under the snags and, having started a quick jerking retrieve, I notice that a taimen about a meter long has attached itself to the wobbler. He escorted the wobbler almost to the boat and, finally, reluctantly butted the bait, but did not catch it. This inspired me - the wobbler works! And when retrieving, the Cablista 125’s action is so active that the flickering sides of the wobbler are visible even at a great distance.
During today's rafting, we already had many chances to catch a standing taimen, but, alas, so far everything is off the mark... Alexey Ivashkov decided not to repeat himself with me on baits and, according to my recommendation, installed a smaller wobbler - DUO Realis Jerkbait 100SP. This minnow has hydrodynamic properties very similar to wobblers of the very popular trout-salmon series DUO Ryuki , so it is very suitable for strong flows of mountain rivers. But the taimen are still ignoring this bait, but the lenkas, often large, do not allow passage!
Cablista 125 is probably too large for lenok, since I have had their bites many times less often. But that's good. A larger bait allows us to cut off the bites of lenks, which we had already caught in the first half of the day, and concentrate exclusively on the taimen.
The sun is nearing sunset. It is this period of time that is considered the best: activity increases, fish that stayed hidden during the day go out hunting.
Having reached the next crease, I saw an interesting place: a local crevice into which a strong stream flows, and immediately behind it lies a huge tree root. I cast under this root, start retrieving and, at the same moment, I see taimen, which “flew out” from the depths towards the bait. I stop the wiring, the fish stands in front of the wobbler... A couple of seconds and, unable to bear it, opens its white mouth and grabs my “Kablista”! Eat! Taimen on hooks! The first moments of resistance, when the fish was actively flashing its sides, it seemed to me that this taimen was simply unrealistic in size!
Sergei started the engine and, slowly, headed for the nearest spit. When the depth became no more than half a meter, I jumped overboard and began to carefully fish for the trophy. The emotions are simply indescribable!
Only one phrase was spinning in my head: “Don’t get off!”
The tackle in my hands was appropriate, so I managed to tire the fish quite quickly.
In shallow water, it was not difficult to defeat a large fish, and soon, taking the taimen by the tail, I recorded the catch!
Until now I have never even seen such a taimen! Of course, pictures from the Internet don’t count. This is my record at the moment!
I try to be careful with taimen, so I don’t take it to the shore, where it could get injured on the rocks.
The weight of this fish is exactly 10 kg.
Remember, I quoted Sergei’s words that it is customary to release taimen here? So, this fish I caught had been caught at least twice before me! This is evidenced by two protracted cuts on the adipose fin.
Before releasing, many fishermen make an incision in the fin with a knife, which is a mark indicating the capture of this fish. Apparently I am the third angler to take a photo with this beauty.
However, I did not make any marks on the taimen’s body. But, for sure, this fish will be caught by someone else.
After releasing the mighty fish, it took me a while to normalize my emotions. However, dusk is already approaching and you need to go to the camp, which is located two dozen kilometers downstream. Local guides freely travel along the river even at night, but we don’t need such extreme sports. Tomorrow we will continue fishing, and today’s reconnaissance day was just great.
To be continued.
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.
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.
Promising habitats of taimen
To spawn, with the beginning of ice drift, taimen rise to the upper reaches of rivers. The eggs are laid in nests in sand and pebbles on small rocky areas in May-June, when the temperature rises above 10ᵒC. After spawning, it gradually moves to the lower reaches, sometimes lingering in the middle parts of rivers. The most effective fishing for taimen using a spinning rod is in September and before the freeze-up begins.
Read more
Spinning fishing in winter
Taimen lives in places rich in food suitable for it - mainly small salmon (whitefish, grayling). If a fisherman discovers a place where such fish accumulate, then you can be sure that taimen are also present nearby.
However, you should not look for taimen in places with uniform water movement, but you should pay attention to areas where the current is calm, but there are certain obstacles and obstacles:
- near whirlpools and deep holes;
- on the reaches;
- close to rapids and rifts;
- near arrows and scythes;
- at changes in depth;
- near underwater rocks, protruding stones and boulders;
- at the confluence of streams and small rivers.
In order for spinning fishing to be effective, having decided on the fishing location, you need to choose the right tackle for spinning.
Taimen prefers rivers more than 300-400 km long, although in fact it can live in rivers much shorter in length
Spinning fishing
You should catch taimen at morning or evening dawn. It also bites throughout the season with a slight deterioration in the bite by mid-summer. Since taimen is a fairly strong fish, it is worth taking high-quality equipment with you when fishing. It is better to take a fishing line thicker than usual. Large rotating and oscillating spoons, Devons and wobblers are used as bait. There are a huge number of ways to catch taimen: fly fishing, spinning, live bait or mouse.
Retrieving the spinning rod takes place at low speed at the bottom of the reservoir. The fish’s bite is cautious, similar to catching grass, so you need to hook it right away. In general, fishing with a spinning rod should not cause any difficulties.
It is known that taimen are not averse to eating a mouse that has fallen into the water, so cunning fishermen have come up with a bait that looks like a mouse. Initially these were pieces of wood covered with sandpaper. Over time, new lightweight materials were invented and are now used. Most often, the size of such a mouse reaches 10-12 cm and a weight of 50-60 g; the shape and position of the bait in the water should contribute to obtaining an even and beautiful mark on the surface. Imitation of whiskers, paws and tail are not necessary.
Live bait fishing is still used in Mongolia. For this you need a spinning rod, fishing line, and an olive sinker. Most often, the fish is secured in the area of the tail bulb to avoid damaging the spine. Agree, live fish have natural movements and it is much easier to catch a predator.
Fishing places and habitat
In the West, the border of the distribution area runs along the basins of the Kama, Pechera and Vyatka rivers. Was in the tributaries of the Middle Volga. Taimen lives in the basins of all Siberian rivers, in Mongolia, and in China in the rivers of the Amur basin. Taimen is sensitive to water temperature and its purity. Large individuals prefer sections of the river with slow currents. They look for taimen behind obstacles, near riverbed edges, rubble and creases in logs. On large rivers, it is important to have large holes or bottom ditches with ridges of stones and not a strong current. You can often catch taimen near the mouths of tributaries, especially if there is a difference in the water temperature of the main reservoir and the stream. During the hot period, taimen leaves the main body of water and can live in small rivers, holes and gullies. Taimen is considered a rare and, in many regions, endangered species. Its fishing is regulated by law. In many regions, its fishing is prohibited. Therefore, before you get ready to go fishing, you should clarify the rules for catching this fish. In addition, fishing for taimen is limited by season. Most often, licensed fishing in permitted reservoirs is possible only from mid-summer to early autumn, and in winter after freeze-up and before the ice melts.
Fishing places and times
Fishing for taimen should be carried out in the habitats of this fish, the range of which is quite limited. Most often it lives in the lower or middle parts of reservoirs. Taimen rise to the upper layer of water only for spawning. It feeds on smaller representatives of salmonids. You should not give preference to areas with a uniform flow. Fishing for taimen is more effective in those areas of the reservoir where there is a fast current.
You can catch this fish in the following places:
- reaches and rapids;
- whirlpools;
- arrows;
- in holes and at changes in depth;
- underwater ridges;
- places where the current is cut by obstacles, stones, boulders;
- confluence areas of smaller rivers.
The best hours for fishing are morning (from 8 to 10 o'clock) and evening (from 17 to 20 o'clock). It is not difficult to recognize the taimen bite. He firmly clings to the hook and tries to swim to deeper places. An amateur will have to spend a lot of effort and choose the right tackle for catching taimen in order to catch this fish. After she gets tired, you can get her out using a hook. Even if the taimen breaks loose, it runs the risk of being caught in the same place, as it returns to the area of the last bite.
Catching a mouse
There are several effective ways to catch this representative of the salmon family. It is very interesting to catch taimen with a mouse (that’s what experienced fishermen call this tackle - in the masculine gender, apparently, to distinguish it from live bait) - with an artificial bait five centimeters long, made of cork, wood or foam, and covered for authenticity of appearance fabric or fur. Fishermen do it themselves. Catching taimen with a mouse is most effective in the autumn months, in particular in September and October. At this time, this representative of the salmon family moves downstream to its wintering grounds. He grabs this bait best in the dark, although during the period of active feeding he attacks during the day. For those who go out for night fishing, it is better to use the mounted version, i.e., not weighted. You need to know that this type of bait needs to be moved through the water much slower than, for example, a spinner.
When using a riding mouse, you need to make sure that it does not hide under the water, but leaves so-called “whiskers” when moving - diverging water paths that will attract taimen. Most often, the predator tries to grab the bait by the head, so tees need to be attached to it on both sides - both in front and behind.
Spoons
One of the oldest and at the same time popular methods of catching this predator is fishing with iron. Taimen spinners demonstrate very high efficiency, and due to the diversity of their shapes and varieties they can be used in a wide variety of conditions. Lures of this class are divided into two main types: spoons and spinners.
Hesitating
This type of bait is excellent for fishing in mountain rivers, since the current enhances their play, and the weight allows them to be cast far enough. The color of the spoon is chosen depending on visibility in the water: if the water is crystal clear, it is better to use colored baits in neutral tones: white, gray, copper. In conditions of limited visibility and muddy water, it is best to give preference to shiny silver and golden spoons.
Read Catching perch with a jig in winter and choosing bait
When fishing in conditions of good visibility, experienced fishermen recommend using lures not coated, but made entirely of unpolished copper. Their matte reddish color has a positive effect on the interest of fish.
The choice of the size of such a bait is an important and serious point, since in mountain rivers slightly smaller fish, lenok, also readily bite on them. In most other situations this would only be a plus, but in this case this factor cannot always be considered positive
The fact is that by making about ten casts, and even more so by pulling out a couple of fish, you can scare away a cautious predator from the fishing spot, after which you will have to either move upstream or wait quite a long time for the bite to resume
Many companies make special spinners aimed specifically at taimen. A striking example is the thirty-gram Mepps S DE MER, which, according to the manufacturer, has ten shaping planes, which improves the play and refraction of light. One way or another, this spinner, which is a modification of the well-known SYCLOPUS model, is popular among fishermen.
More budget options also work well, such as the Koleb-stand Taimen from Helios. Its weight is 18 grams, and its dimensions are excellent for catching both taimen and large lenok. This is a brass spoon with a scale-shaped relief applied to it, which allows it to refract light in an unusual way.
Oscillating spoons for lenka and taimen differ, for the most part, only in size, therefore, if an angler is hunting for a trophy, the size of his bait should be at least 10, and preferably 12 centimeters in length. If he is satisfied with lenok in the by-catch, you can also use smaller spoons - they work great on this fish, and small specimens of taimen will also not deny themselves the pleasure of attacking them. Such baits are used mainly in autumn and winter.
Oscillating spoons can also include such bait as castmaster. This thick, massive spoon is designed for fishing at fairly large depths, which makes it ideal for fishing holes and pools, so it is used mainly during the summer heat.
Rotating
Pinwheels are somewhat less popular among taimen fishermen than spoons, due to some difficulty in their animation at depth with strong currents. However, moderate water flows and still waters are excellent places to fish with such baits.
The color of the spinners is chosen according to the same principle as other spinners: depending on the transparency of the water. The size, in turn, is also quite significant: as a rule, these are numbers 5-6.
The petal shape of the spinner is preferably wide or medium, but the “willow leaf” in the case of catching taimen is not so popular. A big plus is the presence of feathers or woolen threads on the bait tee, which increases its appetizing to salmon.
The best time to use turntables is spring and autumn. The main advantage of these baits is that the depth and speed of their movement can be completely controlled, especially in the absence of a strong current. This helps to fish with them both in mid-water in the fall and closer to the surface in the spring, which is especially important in pebble shallow waters, where it is quite easy to tear off, for example, a spoon, hooking it on the bottom.
A popular spinner among taimen fishing enthusiasts is Blue Fox Salmon Super Vibrax 33 grams. It is available in nine colors, which allows you to choose the optimal one for a specific time and body of water. Size 6 makes it possible to cut off a significant part of insufficiently large fish and concentrate on catching trophies.
Fishing for 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.
