How does taimen fish live?

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Taimen (Hucho taimen) is a true river monster, also known as Siberian taimen, which can grow to sizes that seem incredible, almost the height of a person. Armed with strong rods and foot-long articulated streamers, fishermen in Mongolia or Russia can spend days searching for taimen ready to swallow their bait, but once the fish decides to pursue its prey, it does so with surprising speed and aggression. If the angler's skills are up to the task, he will be left with an unforgettable trophy for life. You can learn more about this amazing inhabitant of Russian rivers from this material.

Origin of the species and description

Photo: Taimen

Taimen, known as Siberian taimen and also as Siberian giant trout, is a unique species of fish in the salmon family. According to a study of the genotype of the fish, this is the oldest salmon fish, the age of which is estimated at 40 million years. Recently, data has appeared showing a closer relationship of taimen with the Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus, as well as the noble Pacific salmon belonging to the genus Parasalmo.

Video: Taimen

Extant salmonids have three lineages, considered as subfamilies:

• whitefish (Coregoninae);
• grayling (Thymallinae), including char;
• moose and trout (Salmoninae).

All three lineages are accepted to identify a set of derived characters that stand out as a monophyletic group. Salmonids first appear in fossils in the Middle Eocene. Fossils of Eosalmo driftwoodensis have been found in Driftwood Bay. This extinct genus shares traits found in the salmon, whitefish and grayling lineages. Based on this, E. driftwoodensis is an archaic salmon representative, demonstrating the most important stage in the evolution of salmonids.

Some of the species appear to belong to Oncorhynchus, the current genus of Pacific salmon and some species of trout. The presence of these species on land established that Oncorhynchus was not only present in the Pacific basins before the early Pliocene, but that these lineages diverged into other aquatic areas. The split between Oncorhynchus and Salmo (Atlantic salmon) occurred long before the Pliocene. Most likely in the early Miocene.

Appearance and features

Photo: What taimen looks like

Taimen have small cross-shaped dark spots on the head and sides of the body. The upper jaw extends back beyond the posterior edge of the eyes. The scales are oval, small, without radial grooves or rings, and extremely distinct. The adipose fin is well developed.

The species differs from other salmon species in central and eastern Europe by a combination of the following characters:

• the teeth represent a continuous stripe in the shape of a horseshoe;
• small round dark spots on the head and dark X-shaped or crescent-shaped spots on the body;
• the head is long and dorsally flattened;
• very long jaws;
• in adults, the upper jaw reaches the posterior edge of the eye;
• shallow cylindrical body;
• caudal caudal region, deeply prominent and reddish in adults;
• there are 9-18 gill slits, usually 11-13.

Coloration varies geographically, but is usually olive green on the head, fading to reddish brown on the tail. The adipose, anal and caudal fins are often dark red. The belly varies from almost white to dark gray. Taimen appears to be the largest salmon in the world, being heavier at average and maximum size than the largest North American salmon. Most adult fish caught weigh between 15 and 30 kg. The average length is from 70 to 120 cm.

The maximum size is not guaranteed, but a fish caught on the Kotui River in Russia in 1943 is believed to have been 210 cm long and weighed 105 kg, which is the largest size recorded. The maximum length of individuals is from 150 to 180 cm. The World Fish Association recorded a world record of 41.95 kg with a length of 156 cm. To reach such sizes, the fish needs to grow for at least fifty years.

Nutrition and lifestyle

Taimen is an active shadowhunter. On sunless or rainy days, he switches to round-the-clock nutrition, and his diet:

• other fish (burbot, char, sculpin, tugun, perch, grayling);
• amphibians (frogs, newts);
• small mammals (mice, rats, squirrels, muskrats);
• waterfowl (mallards, pintails, geese, bean gooses, lesser white-fronted lesser white-fronted geese).

Many cases of attacks by large predators on dogs and foxes crossing the river have been recorded. In the warm season, the share of non-fish food in the menu can be 35-40%. Because of such gluttony and indiscriminate eating, the taimen was nicknamed the river tiger.

Young Talmen feed on chironomid and honeydew larvae, worms, leeches, crustaceans, and fry. At 3-4 years, a gradual abandonment of zooplankton and benthos occurs in favor of representatives of ichthyofauna. As fish grow, the potential of their jaw, swallowing and digestive systems increases dramatically. The young predator is capable of hunting prey no larger than 15-17% of its own body length. In adults, this figure is an impressive 40-42%.

Taimen is a single fish, less often a pair fish. Spends late spring and summer in cold tributaries with a constant supply of spring or melt mountain water. From mid-autumn, it goes on vacation to the main channels of large lowland rivers, which by this time have time to cool down from the summer heat.

To learn more:

Muksun fish - structure, habitats, spawning

Where does taimen live?

Photo: Taimen in Russia

Siberian taimen are found in Europe and Asia, including parts of the Caspian and Arctic basins in Eurasia (Volga, Ural, Pechora, Yenisei, Lena) and parts of the Pacific basin in Mongolia, Russia and China. The western border of their natural range is the upper reaches of the Volga and Pechora rivers. This species is found in a number of tributaries of the Pechora, including the Ilych, Kosiu, Bolshaya Sinaya and Usa. Over the past 20 years, there have been no records of the presence of this fish in the Komi Republic. The last recorded catch of the species in the Komi Republic was in the Ilych River in 1978.

Most of the range within the Volga and Urals (including a tributary of the Malyi Ik River) was lost. The only place in Europe where this species is still present is the Kama River (especially the Vishera River), where fishing is still limited. Taimen is also present in the Yayva River, and there are also records in the Kosva, Chusovaya and Berezovaya rivers. The species was observed in 1987 in the Udmurt Republic, in the Shiva River and in the lower reaches of the Votkono Reservoir. It is found in the Khabarovsk Territory, including the Amur River and its tributaries, as well as the Tugur and Uda rivers along the coast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk.

This species was sometimes caught in the Langry River in the north of Sakhalin Island. In Mongolia, taimen is found in the rivers Shishkhed, Eg, Uur, Delger Moron, Ider, Chuluud, Ero, Selenga, Orkhon and Tuul, as well as in the Darkkhad valley (Arctic basin) and Onon, the upper reaches of the Kherlen and Khalkhin rivers (Amur drainage). In China, this occurs in the Heilongjiang (Amur) River and its tributaries, as well as in the upper reaches of the Irtysh River in the Altai Territory in Xinjiang Province.

Now you know where taimen are found. Let's see what this fish eats.

What kind of fish is taimen?

The genus-forming taxa is the Siberian or common taimen (Hucho taimen), which is also known by the common nicknames “krasulya”, “laziness”, “talmen”. It is characterized by the largest dimensions among all salmon and the complete absence of the hypoosmotic mechanism necessary for a safe stay at sea. In addition to the ordinary one, experts distinguish Korean (Ishikawae), Sichuan (Bleekeri) and Mityagin forms. Another famous representative of the genus is the Danube salmon (Hucho hucho).

The species is one of the largest freshwater predators and, under optimal conditions, can live for more than 60 years. In standard catches, young 6-7 year old individuals (55-70 cm) weighing 3.5-5 kg ​​prevail. Adult fish grow faster; meter-long ten-year-olds have a mass of 12 kg. At 20 years of age, the length of the predator is 120-125 cm (25-30 kg). But these figures are far from the maximum - the largest taimen weighed 105 kg with a height of 210 cm (1943, Kotui River, Krasnoyarsk Territory).

Appearance description

The slender and elongated shape of the body has much in common with the structure of trout and has ideal streamlining parameters that contribute to rapid movement in the water. Other features of the appearance of taimen include:

• fins shifted towards the tail;
• large flattened head;
• small scales (140-150 in the lateral line);
• a huge terminal mouth with sharp teeth curved inward (two rows);
• 11-13 gill rakers;
• dark gray (dorsal), light ash (ventral, pectoral) and red (anal, caudal) fins.

To learn more:

Salmon is a red fish from the salmon family.

The permanent color of the Krasula is represented by a greenish or brownish ridge and silvery sides with black spots. During spawning, the body turns copper, orange or red. Immature young animals are characterized by the presence of dark transverse stripes.

Where is the taimen fish found?

In Russia, the main range is represented by rivers, tributaries and cold-water lakes of Central, Western, Eastern Siberia and the basins of the Laptev, Okhotsk, Japanese and Kara seas. Taimen lives in the Lena, Yenisei, Angara, and Oka. It is found in the Urals (Kama, Pechora), Khakassia (Abakan), Altai Territory (Biya, Katun), in the Far East and Transbaikalia (Amur, Tunguska, Yana, Shilka, Vitim, Onon). Krasulya does not bypass Sakhalin (Langry, Bolshoy Chingai, Pogibi, Noyida), it is found in the rivers of the Primorsky Territory that flow into the marginal waters of the Pacific Ocean (Margaritovka, Milogradovka, Avvakumovka).

What does taimen eat?

Photo: Taimen in the water

Adults are often found within their own territory (deep holes under rapids and waterfalls, confluences of small tributaries, below a bridge pillar or large rocks, coastal excavations), which they abandon only when foraging and spawning. Juveniles do not have a permanent territory. They are found in fast-flowing waters, hunting drifting invertebrates and switching entirely to a diet of fish 1-3 years after birth.

During the spawning period, taimen practically do not feed. After this, the period of gluttony begins, at this time the fish eats especially actively, but the period of gluttony does not last long and is replaced by passivity after the onset of summer heat. Then again the fish enters a period of zhora, associated with the taimen’s need to stock up on nutrients for the winter. The presence of a fatty layer helps the fish survive the scarcity of food supply during cold weather. Adult taimen are primarily piscivores, although they often feed on terrestrial prey such as rodents and birds.

Siberian taimen are apex predators in most systems where they are found, feeding on:

• fish;
• rodents;
• waterfowl;
• even bats.

Juveniles feed on invertebrates and caddisfly larvae. Depending on the reservoir, the basis of the diet consists of small fish of the families: whitefish, carp, grayling, etc. Gradually, young fish begin to hunt for fry of other fish, and by the end of the third year they switch to a full diet. Taimen can easily eat young relatives. Hungry fish attack frogs, chicks, squirrels, and mice.

Spawning

Catching taimen
Taimen begin to spawn in early spring, but part of the taimen remains in place and does not go anywhere. Most likely, like many salmon, they do not spawn every year. At this time of year, taimen are found in the very upper reaches, in places where they cannot reach later. Shallows and riffles are not an obstacle for them; they easily jump over rubble and small waterfalls. They move through small areas so that half of the fish are visible from the water.

Taimen caviar is large (the size of a pea), dark amber in color, and there is relatively little of it. According to some observations, taimen weighing 15 kg contains about.5 kg of caviar. Taimen spawn in different regions at different times. For example, in the mountain rivers of Altai, spawning occurs in April, in the rivers of the northern Urals - in May.

After spawning, the taimen moves down and takes its favorite places. According to some observers, taimen goes down already in May, but tries to stay until August in the lower reaches of mountain rivers. There is also an opinion that in fog taimen roll harder, and the stronger the fog, the stronger the movement of the fish.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Taimen fish

Siberian taimen live exclusively in fresh water, mainly in fast rivers and streams. These fish are known to be found at altitudes above 1500 m and in coastal rivers near sea level. Taimen is a long-liver. It is a relatively slow growing species and late maturing. The fish grows to over 2 m and can live up to 30 years.

Generation time is estimated to be approximately 17 years for a population experiencing only natural mortality (i.e., no commercial harvest). This may be an underestimate because maternal effects or increased egg size as the female grows are not taken into account. The habitat of this species can be quite extensive, up to 93 km.

Interesting fact: In the summer, taimen are caught with a spinning rod using spinners, artificial mice, jig heads; in winter, a “swinger” with winter spinners is preferred. Taimen, like all salmon, has non-bony tender meat, quite fatty, with a pale pink tint.

Taimen spend their entire lives in fast-moving rivers with high oxygen levels, and they often actively move up and downstream. Spawning usually occurs in late May or June, depending on water temperature. The fish move upstream to smaller tributaries where they lay eggs and then return to larger rivers.

Social structure and reproduction

Photo: Big taimen

Taimen reach sexual maturity at approximately 5–7 years with a size of 60–70 cm and a weight of 2–3 kg. Females produce 4,000–30,000 eggs, depending on the size of the fish. In the Yenisei River, spawning usually occurs in May and June. In the Eg-Uur River basin in northern Mongolia, spawning occurs in May. The fish breed in shallow, fast-flowing areas on pebbly bottoms immediately downstream of large, deep river basins, often in small tributary rivers. They usually migrate upstream to spawn in the upper reaches of tributaries.

Interesting fact: Although some sources believe that the species' lifespan is 30 years, others claim that taimen can live for half a century or more. Due to where they live and the relatively small number of fish in a given area, this species has not been studied extensively, which explains some of the differences in the "facts of life". Adult fish tend to be solitary, which increases the difficulty of observation.

Taimen can overcome fairly high obstacles when migrating to spawning areas. The eggs are 5-6 mm in diameter and hatch in 28-38 days. The eggs remain in the gravel until the yolk sac is absorbed after 10-15 days, the juveniles first remaining near the spawning site and then moving downstream. Large immature individuals aged 2 to 4 years live in the same places as adults, but separately in smaller holes.

Fishing for taimen

The optimal time for fishing for salmon is May-June (post-spawning feast) or the period from late August to November (autumn feeding). The highest frequency of bites is observed in the morning and evening twilight, when fog falls on the water surface. The fish prefers to stick to the bottom layers of rivers and lakes, so they are less likely to grab bait from the surface or in mid-water. The predator's favorite stopping places are areas near rifts and rock ridges, dumps, mouths of tributaries and streams, and small islands on reaches.

To learn more:

Char: description of red fish

Spinning fishing

It is better to refuse ultralight and light forms, which will not be able to cope with the large mass and strong jerks of the redfish - when fishing, the prey often “lights a candle”, jumping high out of the water. A rod 2.2-3.0 m long with a top weight of 50-60 g is optimal. When catching taimen, spinning rods Aiko SGP, Daiwa Whisker, Hearty Rise SYLPHY have proven themselves well. When choosing a reel, it is better to give preference to spinning or multiplier traction models with a drag load of 7-10 kg and a spool capacity of 4000 or more according to the Shimano classification. The main thread is a braided cord with a cross-section of 0.23-0.3 mm with a breaking load of 12-40 kg. To avoid accelerated abrasion of the vein on stones, you can use a fluorocarbon shock leader. The main wiring is slow.

Lures for taimen

Due to the natural caution of the predator, you should use oscillating or rotating spoons of natural colors, which are characteristic of local fish (silver, copper, brass, gold), and have a set of different-sized baits. Large taimen fish well for small Mepps Lusox or Abu Garcia Toby, but completely ignore their larger counterparts. Good results are demonstrated by sinking and diving wobblers (suspenders) and Devons with spinning blades. Steadily floating fish-shaped baits (poppers) are used extremely rarely due to their low efficiency. It is much better to catch taimen using an artificial mouse 10-12 cm long, which realistically imitates a rodent floundering in the water. Such a spoon with several tees is especially effective when catching a predator on a cloudy day or at night.

Natural enemies of taimen

Photo: Sakhalin taimen

Taimen is at the top of the food chain, so it has virtually no natural predators, especially in adulthood. Young individuals are preyed on by other predatory fish, as well as some of their relatives. When taimen goes to spawn and travels vast distances, it can end up in the paws of a bear. The clubfoot inhabitants of the taiga are practically the main natural enemies of fish. However, the main enemy of taimen is humans, who cause irreparable damage to fish populations.

Interesting fact: Taimen faces a variety of threats, including pollution, sedimentation and erosion, mining, dam construction, road construction, illegal fishing, fisheries and climate change.

The National Geographic Society has established a special document that includes more than twenty at-risk species of threatened freshwater fish around the world. Taimen is included in this group. This project covers special species that make up a group known as "megafish". These are those species that grow over 180 cm or 100 kg in weight. More than seventy percent of these species are critically endangered as a result of pollution, poor resource management, and habitat loss.

Taimen is the only fish in the group belonging to the trout or salmon genus that grows large enough to become a respected member of this elite group. In China, taimen have already been caught to the point of extinction. In Russia the species is also classified as “highly at risk”. With the advent of recreational fishing tourism, which is mainly developed by Western travelers and adventurers, taimen poaching is on the rise.

Tackle for taimen

When choosing gear for catching the beautiful taimen, it is recommended to remember its great strength and tenacity. Reliable, proven fishing rods, durable lines and hooks made of high-quality steel will be an excellent choice when selecting your equipment.

Rods

The most common fishing rod is the spinning rod. Its length can vary from 240 cm when fishing from a boat and up to 270-310 cm when fishing from the shore.

Today, a wide selection of spinning rods from trusted manufacturers are offered for sale, which have the necessary strength due to the increased rigidity of the manufacturing material.

Fly fishing gear is used, but somewhat less frequently.

Coil

There are several requirements for a reel when fishing for taimen. It should not be heavy and have the necessary strength. Varieties for heavy spinning are in particular demand.

An inertia-free reel (4500-6000 units) or a multiplier mechanism will ensure effective fishing, supporting a large weight of prey and allowing you to actively fish it out.

Inertial reels are suitable for fly fishing gear and should be supplemented with an adjustable ratchet brake.

Choosing a cord or fishing line

Strength is the most important characteristic of the fishing line you choose for catching taimen. The monofilament must have a thickness of at least 0.35 mm.

Cords are used even more often than fishing lines that are familiar to most. They are especially durable; for example, lines from Japanese manufacturers have proven themselves to be excellent when catching especially large taimen. The optimal breaking load is 22.7 kg. There are so-called braids - revolutionary braided cords. Such varieties are easy to use and can withstand even particularly active movements of resisting fish.

Population and species status

Photo: What taimen looks like

Throughout its range, taimen suffer from habitat loss, declining water quality, overgrazing, weed infestation, and poaching. Because these fish grow slowly—they take up to seven years to reach sexual maturity—populations cannot bounce back very quickly, which is why taimen are listed as “vulnerable” on the Red List maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. According to their research, the taimen population has declined by 50-95%, depending on location, with the worst losses in China and the most stable populations in Russian Arctic basins.

Mongolia has been the most progressive in its conservation efforts, implementing catch and release regulations on all rivers and working with local residents to raise awareness of how important a healthy taimen population can be to the local economy. However, most of the species' historical range is contained in the Russian Federation (83.8% of the total). The historical, natural range of the species extends to China (6.4% of the total), Kazakhstan (6.1% of the total) and Mongolia (3.7% of the total).

Interesting fact: Population loss for individual regions varies from 3.2% within Russia (in the Volga, Urals and Pechora), 6.9% in China (in the Amur River basin) and 19.1% in Mongolia.

The loss of range is likely much greater given that many populations, particularly along the southern part of their distribution, have become significantly more fragmented as a result of local impacts from changes in land use and fishing pressure. However, there is currently insufficient data to provide reliable estimates for this species across much of its native range.

Habitats of taimen

Taimen is a wild fish and cannot be grown under artificial conditions. The freshwater predator prefers cold, fast waters. The habitats of taimen are in all Siberian rivers: Lena, Yenisei, Ob except Indigirka and Kolyma, in the northern and southern tributaries of the Amur, found in the waters of Lake Teletskoye, on Baikal and Lake Zaisan, the western border of the habitat reaches the Pechora rivers, the northern upper reaches of the Kama and Vyatka.

The largest number of taimen is in the Lena River basin. The water in the river is quite clean, cold and oxygenated.

The fish does not enter sea waters even during active feeding. Taimen is a cold-loving fish, but it is not found in the Arctic, since the food resources there are not enough to feed such an aquatic giant.

Taimen can stay in small groups of several individuals of the same age, adult predators stay apart, young animals gather in small flocks.