The March 2009 edition of Fly Rod and Reel has an excellent article on Taimen fishing in Mongolia “Taimen in the Land of Khan” by Peter Fong.
“If you’ve seen the pictures, then you might already be lost. The angler kneeling in bewildered devotion, smiling with an awkward joy, behind a fish so impossibly large that two hands provide an insufficient cradle. Because as soon as you can imagine it, the dream begins. Your boots in that unfettered river, your eyes blinking in the boreal sun, your hands reaching into cool water, your arms bearing that implausible weight. It’s a wonderful dream, infused with just the right blend of beauty and impracticality, and alternately enhanced and encumbered by facts. Because like Paris in the spring, a taimen’s heart-rending strike exists in a specific time and a far-off place, a location so remote that the experience requires (for most people) a week’s leave and a month’s salary.”
The article sets realistic expectations of Taimen fishing in Mongolia, and explores what it is like to guide on these remarkable rivers:
“If you float 10 miles of river, casting with diligence and precision, you are likely to raise a half-dozen taimen and release one or two. I don’t want to call this an ordinary day because drifting through Mongolia’s remarkable landscape isn’t ordinary…”
Peter guides for Mongolia River Outfitters. More thoughtful posts on his Mongolia taimen fishing experiences can be found on his blog:
