Taimen (Siberian taimen)

The biggest salmon-family fish in the world: a long, round, torpedo body, a wide flat head and a huge mouth full of teeth. Copper-brown to olive on the back with small dark X- and crescent-shaped spots, and a brick-red tail and rear fins, brightest at spawning time.

Most fish 28–47 in (70–120 cm) and 15–40 lb.

Up to about 5–6 ft and over 100 lb; the IGFA all-tackle record is 101 lb. Taimen grow very slowly, so a big one may be 30 years old or more.

Mostly fish (grayling, lenok, whitefish), plus ducks, rodents and even squirrels that swim across the river.

A top predator that holds in deep pools, eddies and log jams and hunts the riffles at dawn and dusk. It never goes to sea and can live 50 years.

Found from Russia, Mongolia & Kazakhstan. Cold, clean rivers from the Volga and Pechora basins east across Siberia to the Amur, and the Selenge, Onon and Eg-Uur rivers of northern Mongolia.

Cold, clean rivers from the Volga and Pechora basins east across Siberia to the Amur, and the Selenge, Onon and Eg-Uur rivers of northern Mongolia.

3–20 ft pools, runs and eddies.

Near the surface for mouse flies at dawn and dusk; 4–15 ft for big streamers and spoons in the pools.

After the snowmelt flood drops, roughly late August to early October in Mongolia and late summer to fall in Siberia; rivers are closed during the spring spawn.

Dawn and dusk, and on overcast days.

No tide. Clear, falling water after the summer rains is best.

Cool, cloudy days and a falling river; heavy rain muddies the water and stops the bite.

Bait fishing is not allowed in the taimen catch-and-release fisheries.

Big foam mouse flies skated across the surface, 6–10 in streamers, and large single-hook spoons and swimbaits.

9 ft 9–10 weight fly rod, or a 7–8 ft heavy spinning rod.

Single barbless hooks 3/0–5/0 (required on most taimen rivers).

Floating or sink-tip fly line, or 40–65 lb braid.

30–40 lb fluorocarbon or a light bite wire.

Float the river in a raft and swing or strip a mouse fly across the tail of each pool at dawn and dusk; in daytime, swing big streamers or spoons deep through the pools. Fight the fish quickly and keep it in the water.

Make your mouse fly wake slowly and steadily, like a real animal swimming. Taimen often swirl and miss: don't strike until you feel the weight.

Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Do not keep — protected.

Do not keep: taimen are protected, and the fisheries are catch-and-release only.

Remote, cold rivers far from help: carry a satellite messenger, wear a life jacket on the rafts, and watch for bears in Siberia. Taimen have sharp teeth; use long pliers.

Taimen are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. In Mongolia it is illegal to kill one: fishing is catch-and-release only, with barbless single hooks and a special permit through licensed outfitters. In Russia many regions protect it in their Red Books and allow only catch-and-release. Russia, Mongolia and Kazakhstan require fishing licenses or permits, many rivers are leased to licensed outfitters, and rare fish need special permits. Check current travel advisories and go with a licensed outfitter.

A big taimen may be older than you think and takes decades to replace. Support the river guides who protect them, and release every fish.