Fly Fishing for Taimen with Alberto Salvini

Back in '06 we hosted our friends Alberto Salvini and Marica Cicoria, aka The Italians, at our camp in Northern Mongolia while filming two episodes of their Italian fly-fishing TV series Pescavventura. Despite Mongolia's worst summer floods for years Alberto and Marica managed to catch plenty of Taimen on film. Here's a picassa slide show with a few of their photos:

Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year

Happy Holidays!

We just got a nice christmas card from AEG media, and thought we would share it with you. The AEG boys are busy editing the forthcoming Mongolia Taimen film, and the Fly Fishing Film Tour marketing machine is now rolling.


And a little joke at Chris Owens expense...

Mongolian Grayling Research Expedition

On September 9^th, a group of 3 Austrian's passed our camps on the Delgermoron. Surprised to see other anglers on the river we had a brief chat on the shore and ascertained they were fishery researchers with the correct science permits to conduct this work. We wished them well on their journey, re-assured the local community ranger that they were indeed legitimate scientists, and requested to be kept informed about the results of their study. Clemens Ratschan kindly gave us the following report.

"We made a 2 week float trip in two Grabner inflatable boats (www.grabner-sports.at) from the very upper reaches of the river down to the town of Mörön, for the purpose of scientific research, in order to survey the fish population by catch and release fly-fishing.

Mongolian Grayling Research Expedition with inflatable Grabner boats. Photo: Clemens Ratschan.

Our goal was to collect genetic samples of fish (mainly grayling, but also lenok, taimen and other species) all along the river course. We therefore took small clips of the caudal fin of our catches, and conserved these in tubes with alcohol. Back at the University of Graz, Austria phylogenetic studies will be done with these samples. The main goals are:

1) To learn about small scale genetic diversity of grayling along the river

2) To learn about the relationships between the Baikal Grayling (Thymallus baicalensis) in the Selenge basin, and the yellow-fin grayling of the Darhat Basin in the very north of Huvsgul Aimag.

Shiskiid Basin 'Yellow Fin' or 'Gold Tail' Grayling. Photo: Clemens Ratschan.

In the Darhat Basin, we were able to collect good samples of the grayling that occur in dense populations in the rivers running into Tsagaan Nuur and Shishkid. The character of the yellow coloured tail is very marked and – along with other characters – separates that grayling lineage from other grayling in Mongolia and Siberia.

Delgermoron - Selenge Basin Grayling. Photo: Clemens Ratschan.

As a contrast, the grayling on the Delgermoron show typical arcticus / baicalensis phenotypes. Unlike taimen, the Delgermoron grayling population is rather slow-growing and reaches small body size (see diagram).

We had special research permission from the Ministry of Nature and Environment. We reached the upper reaches by riding through the protected area with special permission from the Border Police. Here we found low water and some sections of whitewater where it was hard work to pull the boats over all the rocks.

Downstream healthy taimen stocks are found. We were very impressed by the clear water and untouched nature up there. Near one campsite, I was very lucky: fly fishing for Lenok and grayling with a size 2 silvery streamer during bright sunshine, I unexpectedly hooked into a 1.22 cm Taimen and managed to land it with my fly-rod.

Further downstream, we weren't able to catch many more taimen – perhaps as the result of localized over-fishing, or habitat deterioration (gold panning, overgrazing), or perhaps the fish were just not biting.

Underwater Lenok. Photo: Clemens Ratschan.

Nevertheless, the scenic canyons and floodplains of lower Delgermoron offered us good Lenok fishing. In the lower reaches, additional species such as Minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus) and Siberian Loach (Barbatula toni) are found."

Photo: Clemens Ratschan.

Thanks to Clemens for providing this report. We will also be able to pass this on to the local community and rangers, who I am sure will be very interested to learn more about their river and its fish.

Photo: Clemens Ratschan.

Taimen flies

Over the years I've developed my own taimen flies for fly-fishing in Mongolia, and I've collected and adapted fly patterns from friends and fellow taimen guides. I now have a range of flies to use in different situations; buoyant and aggressive top water patterns, prey fish imitations, smaller flies to use on lighter weight rods or for less accomplished fly-casters, huge flies to tempt big ol' lazy monsters. Flies to match the hatch, and flies to match the angler.

I've seen a couple of taimen fly patterns published in magazines, including one I introduced to Mongolia, but you won't find these commercially available, nor are the recipes published on the web. So should I publish some of these 'taimen guide fly' patterns on this blog?

Photo: Maickel and Arthur tying up a storm in the ger.

Some arguments against...

• Our competitors, and irresponsible, un-licenced anglers and outfitters will learn our secrets, and use them for evil deeds.
• Independent anglers will bypass the guide services because they know what flies to use.
• I'll get severe ear-ache from my fellow guides and outfitters if I publish the 'secret' taimen guide flies.

Photo: Dan's bugger barn.

Some arguments for....

• Knowing what flies we use and how to tie them will generate more interest in anglers to visit Mongolia, and can dispel myths that you can only catch taimen on huge un-castable prairie dog flies. More anglers booking with responsible outfitters means more re-investment in conservation.
• Publishing Taimen flies and fly-patterns can help to promote the sport of fly-fishing in Mongolia for Mongolians. I believe that if we promote and develop the sport here among Mongolians, and teach the catch & release and conservation message at the same time, we will be able to improve conservation and sustainability of taimen fisheries in the long term (we have a Mongolian fly-fishing club in the pipeline too).
• Just knowing what flies to bring doesn't mean you know how to fish them, outfitters and guide services are still needed to get licences, access the fisheries and have the best opportunities for a successful trip. Those irresponsible outfitters who don't get licences and who copy all our website material still won't know how to tie flies or what to do with them anyway.
• Whosoever invented, introduced or developed the fly for taimen fishing gets the credibility and kudos for doing so, and enhances his/her reputation as a taimen guide and most excellent fly-fisher.

Photo: Jack's hat. Some clues here?

Its widely known that surface mouse patterns are popular. Knowing that taimen will eat anything from hoppers, to squirrels, to fry, minnows, grayling, lenok trout, and even smaller taimen, they might be tempted to take a large range of flies, so what makes a good pattern?

I tie up all my own taimen flies for our guests, so one of my requirements for a good taimen fly is that I must be able to tie up 6 to 8 in an hour, so for me that generally means no spun deer hair, which I think gets too soggy anyway. Of course the fly has to catch fish; cast-ability is also important, and as I live in Mongolia year round choice of materials is also crucial as I have limited supplies.

What do you think? Publish and be damned or horde our river secrets? Leave a comment to let me know, and I might just treat you to a few choice taimen fly patterns.