Taimen (lat. Hucho)- a genus of large salmon fish. Widely distributed, in almost all large rivers and lakes of Siberia and Far East, also in Altai and northern Kazakhstan. Like all salmon, taimen is a predator, reaching more than 1.5 meters in length and 60 kg in weight. It is possible that larger taimen exist, but there is no actual officially confirmed evidence of this. There is also Sakhalin taimen (Hucho perryi)- the only anadromous species in the genus taimen. It lives in the Sea of Japan and spawns in the rivers of Hokkaido, Sakhalin and Primorye.
The body of taimen is narrow, elongated, the head is somewhat flattened from the sides and from above; the mouth is large, powerful, with large teeth; in structure, the head of taimen resembles the head of a pike (in the Urals, taimen is called “red pike”). The color of taimen is bright silver, with numerous dark spots located above and below the lateral line. The caudal fin is red, with a small notch; the anal fin is the same color; dorsal - dark gray, pectoral and abdominal - somewhat lighter. During spawning, the taimen's body turns copper-red.
Spawning in taimen occurs in the spring, and spawning grounds are most often located in the upper reaches of small tributaries, on clean, silted-free pebble soils. Taimen, like salmon, lay their eggs in a nest, which the female digs in the pebbles. Spawning grounds are often located hundreds of kilometers from feeding grounds, and taimen make long spawning migrations in the spring.
Soon after spawning, taimen migrate from spawning grounds to deeper sections of rivers, where they stay all summer. By autumn, taimen begin to move to their wintering places. They are usually located on the main rivers of the basin. But if in the tributary where the taimen stayed in the summer, there are deep, flowing holes that are not clogged with slush, then some of the taimen remain to winter in them.
Taimen is an ideal predator - a large, uncompetitive owner of a reservoir that feeds not only on fish. It devours mice, squirrels, rats swimming across the river... Even dogs, not to mention geese and ducks. By the way, the most exciting - night - mouse fishing is based on this ability to grab objects moving on the surface of the water. Stones and even sticks are often found in the stomach of taimen. He grabs the sticks, apparently confusing them with something living floating on the surface. Well, stones are most likely captured by accident when they attack prey at the bottom.
The most famous modern habitats of large specimens of taimen are the basin of the Yenisei, Lena, Amur and Lake Baikal. Regions of Sayan, Altai and others mountain systems the south of Siberia, unfortunately, is densely developed by humans and therefore there are no large taimen here. And around the big cities - Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Ulan-Ude, Yakutsk, Mirny, etc. For hundreds of kilometers, taimen are absent as a species.
The further north you go, the more comfortable the taimen are - they love cold, clean and fast northern rivers. There are fewer taimen north of the Arctic Circle, and even in completely uninhabited areas of the coast Arctic Ocean this fish is not there. In conditions of short polar season In open water, taimen do not have time to accumulate the fat necessary for wintering.
The most famous in northern regions places where there is a lot of taimen, including trophy ones, are located in remote and inaccessible places in Yakutia and Evenkia. Moreover, taimen lives in rivers of almost any size, but prefers reservoirs with a length of 400 - 600 km.
During the period of sweltering summer heat (the climate in Siberia is sharply continental), the taimen turns on defense mechanism. The fish determines where the cold is coming from, and it most often comes from the upper reaches, and rushes there. The source of such deception are springs at the bottom and the waters of melted swamps at permafrost. If the fish cannot be raised into the tributary, it will still stay near the mouth of the cold stream.
On this love for cold water an original method of catching taimen was developed. The fisherman goes up the river, and, stopping at the mouths of rivers and streams, measures the water temperature in the main channel and side tributary; most often, it is enough to simply put his hand overboard in both places. If the difference is significant, you should stop and leave the spinning rod; if not, then it’s better not to waste your time.
Large taimen never move in a school, almost always living alone or in pairs in holes, under riffles or in deep channels - it turned out to be very vulnerable to an ordinary spinning fisher. It is because of its insatiable hunger that taimen are so easily exterminated. And not only by poaching methods, but also, no less, by spinning rods.
Taimen is a large fish and, according to the laws of nature, needs a lot of food. The larger the fish, the higher the requirements for food supply. The amount of energy expended in hunting prey should not exceed the amount of energy obtained from the prey.
Accordingly, where there are large stocks of small salmon species - grayling, various types whitefish, there should be taimen there. Where potential prey is concentrated near obstacles in the form of rapids, whirlpools, underwater ridges, sharp changes in depth, there should be taimen. And it was also noticed that if there is anything outstanding on the river - a large threshold, rocky outcrops, a reach, an arrow with a scythe in the area of the confluence of the major influx, bottomless pit or something similar, then there must also be taimen here.
For all its aggressiveness and the absence of competition in the river where it lives, taimen is a very, so to speak, gentle creature, and destroying it is not difficult. Therefore, in last years There are more and more fishermen who understand that if you don’t take care of this fish, then in a few decades there will be no fish left at all. The catch-and-release principle regarding taimen must be strictly observed. And if you fish under a license, then your catch should only include wounded or small taimen, since a license is issued only for a specimen, regardless of size, and the damage from catching large fish is more significant, since taimen grow for a long time and large taimen spawn much more small.
All salmon fish have commercial value: therefore, fishing for taimen by any method, including spinning, can only be done with a special permit issued by local authorities regulating fishing, or in places specially designated for sport fishing. Please note that fishing for taimen is prohibited in the vast majority of regions of Siberia.
The salmon family has many remarkable representatives, one of which is the taimen fish. In Russia, the giant is found in large reservoirs of Siberia, Altai, and the Far East. Taimen is not only a valuable catch for fishermen, but also a predator with in an interesting way life and habits. Massive catches of this beautiful fish have led to the extinction of the species, and there is a good chance that in ten years the taimen will completely disappear, remaining only in the memory of fishermen. What is so special about the behavior of fish, where do giant fish live and how can you catch them?
The peculiarity of taimen is its size, because the predator grows throughout its life, reaching one and a half meters in length. The weight is also impressive - often a handsome fish caught in a large reservoir, where there were all conditions for living, has a body weight of more than 60 kg. Fishermen claim that this is far from the limit, but, alas, there is no evidence.
Taimen has a long powerful body, the head is slightly flattened on the sides; the description of the giant’s appearance can be completed with a large mouth. The main threat to other inhabitants of the reservoir is large, numerous teeth. Thanks to them, the predator acquired another name - red pike.
The color of the handsome man is silver, with small dark patches. The anal and caudal fins are bright red, on the belly, back, and chest - gray. the fish changes color, acquiring a reddish color with a copper tint.
A relative of the common taimen is the Sakhalin taimen. The fish are similar, but there is a difference - the Sakhalin giant lives only in open spaces Sea of Japan, robbing the Hokkaido River or Sakhalin reservoirs for spawning. They are also distinguished by their shade - fish from Sakhalin reservoirs have a darker color.
Giant's habitat and main diet
Where is the giant beauty found? Most often you can find taimen in the Yenisei or Amur basin; Lake Baikal is another haven of the giant. The south of Siberia cannot boast of large specimens, since the areas are densely developed by people, which has led to the small number of the family. The predator prefers cold and powerful northern rivers, where you can find lenok, which has similar habits. It is impossible to find representatives of taimen near the Arctic Ocean - cold waters prevent the accumulation of fat, which taimen need so much for wintering.
What is important for taimen in a river reservoir? The predator prefers rivers that contain:
Taimen have no competitors in any body of water - the predator feels like the absolute master of the ichthyofauna. He feasts on more than one fish; the prey can also be one that overcomes water obstacle mouse or squirrel. In search of food, it will not be afraid to attack a dog; the four-legged animal has almost no chance of surviving.
Interesting! Taimen attacks everything that moves within its reach, without even trying to distinguish nutritional value. A stick floating by, geese and ducks naively considering themselves safe, even stones - there is a place for everything in the stomach of a predator.
Spawning of taimen and behavioral characteristics in different seasons of the year
The onset of summer heat in Siberia coincides with cold air flows moving from the upper reaches. Taimen is sensitive to temperature changes and immediately goes up the river to look for colder places. Often his instinct turns out to be wrong - the sources of such flows are melting ice or awakening springs. Get into icy waters There is not always an influx; the giant hunts all summer at the mouth, waiting for the autumn cold.
Important! The desire of taimen to get into icy waters can end sadly for the fish, because experienced fishermen are well aware of this feature. By checking the water temperature in the side tributary and main estuary, you can determine the likelihood of fish presence. If the temperature changes sharply, the fishing will end successfully, fluctuations are not felt - it is better to try your luck in another place.
In autumn, taimen go to winter. Perfect option for the giant - deep-sea rivers. If the tributary is full of ridges or holes, then it is likely that it will remain there throughout the winter.
In spring, taimen go upstream to spawn. The spawning ground is chosen to be comfortable - the bottom should be free of silt, with big amount pebbles. The female independently prepares the nesting site by digging a deep hole in the pebbles. There are usually fewer males, so before mating games, fierce fights can take place, the winners of which rightfully receive a reward - a female.
After laying eggs, predators return to their permanent habitats. Often you have to travel hundreds of kilometers to spawn, but in the summer the fish certainly return.
Fishing for taimen - what you should know when going fishing
Before you go after the coveted prey, you should know that taimen is one of the representatives of the Red Book, and you can catch it only after agreement with local authority or in places specially designated for sport fishing methods. Another rule is to release large specimens, leaving small or wounded ones. Thanks to this, it is possible to save the population, because big fish will produce much more offspring than a small one.
Interesting! In Mongolia, despite a large number of taimen in rivers, giants are not caught or even eaten. Ancient belief states that the use aquatic predator brings misfortune to the house.
Preparing gear
When choosing tackle for taimen, you should choose a two-handed spinning rod with a length of at least 3.5 m. The rod will withstand large predator, but even without hoping for a trophy specimen, it is better not to take smaller tackle - even small representatives of this family strongly resist.
Photo 2. Reliable spinning rod with a multiplier.
It is better to take a thick fishing line, at least 0.7 mm, otherwise just one bite is enough for the desired prey to calmly break loose and go in search of more suitable food. A similar tackle is also suitable for fishing lenka, but in this case the fishing line can be taken a little thinner.
When assembling fishing tackle for taimen or lenka, you should carefully choose a reel - it’s good if it is no less powerful and reliable than the rod. Another important point– the line on the reel must be at least one hundred meters. Even if you don’t manage to catch taimen or lenok, there is a possibility of starving them out.
Thanks to the gluttony and greed of the predator, there are no problems with bait. You can use these:
- "Pig."
- "Kem."
- "Kola".
- "Baikal".
Important! The gear for catching taimen for an experienced fisherman going on a night hunt for a giant will certainly include a popper. Most often this is an artificial mouse, which a predator will certainly be attracted to.
Timing
It is better to go fishing immediately after spawning; the predator actively feeds until it appears. If the gear allows you to fish even in winter, you can continue fishing until spring. An active bite of taimen or lenok can be observed before severe frosts - the inhabitants of the reservoir strive to stock up on fat.
Photo 3. A mouse is the best bait for taimen.
Despite its gluttony, sometimes taimen refuses to grab the bait. The main reasons for this behavior are harsh. The fish tries to shift its activity to the night or morning hours - that’s when you should go hunting for the giant.
The beautiful taimen is the coveted catch of every fisherman, but we should not forget that the more we take from nature, the less remains. Sometimes it is better to send a valuable trophy back, thereby increasing the opportunity for descendants to admire the river giant, the number of which decreases every year.
(synonyms, obsolete names: Siberian taimen, Krasulya)
Appearance. Taimen has a torpedo-shaped muscular body covered with dense small scales, a broad-browed head flattened from top to bottom with a large mouth dotted with sharp teeth curved inward, and a powerful elastic tail. Articulation of the lower jaw with the skull behind the vertical of the posterior edge of the eye. The teeth on the jaws and palate form a continuous stripe.
The color of the back is black-brown, with a greenish tint, the sides are smoky-gray or brownish, the belly is grayish-white. There are scatterings of round or oblong dark specks on the head, sides, dorsal and adipose fins, and dark X-shaped or crescent-shaped spots on the sides of the body. The caudal and anal fins are orange-red or purplish. Small specimens retain transverse stripes. The fish is especially beautiful during the mating season, when almost all of it is dressed in a flaming outfit: the whole body turns copper-red.
Taimen is the most major representative of the Salmon family, reaching 1.5-2 meters in length and 60-80 (in the Yenisei) kilograms of weight. Usual sizes at the age of 6-7 years are 62-71 cm with a weight of 2100-3800 g. Taimen as biological species lives longer than other salmon: up to 30 years or more, and during this entire time it grows continuously. This happens most quickly in the first 10-13 years, when its length increases by 8-10 centimeters annually.
Lifestyle. River, clean freshwater fish, preferring fast rivers, but is also found in lakes. In summer it stays in small tributaries; for feeding and wintering it goes into the beds of large rivers and lakes.
Young taimen usually live in small groups of 3-7 individuals, adults - in solitary pairs or alone. A higher density of taimen is sometimes observed before they migrate into the lower reaches of rivers; During this period, up to 10-15 large fish can settle in a large deep hole. It has been noticed that if there is a group of taimen of different ages in one area, the best feeding places They capture the strongest of them, that is, the larger ones. As a rule, they are the ones who stand closer to the head of the stream, be it at the discharge of the threshold or at the mouth of the inflow.
The activity of taimen in the summer-autumn season is subject to certain fluctuations. It is highest in early summer, shortly after spawning. With the onset of hot weather, when the water gets warmer, taimen become lethargic. According to experts, the decline in their activity at this time is also due to the painful process of changing teeth. Therefore, in July and the first half of August it is rarely possible to catch large taimen. Towards the end of August, the taimen become lively, and in September they experience an autumn feast, which continues until freeze-up.
Nutrition. It’s not for nothing that taimen is called the “water tiger”. This is a daring, uncontrollably swift, strong and dexterous predator, whose prey is not only fish, but also various animals - ducks, waders, mice, squirrels and even muskrats. Fish in the stomachs is already found in young of the year, and from the third year of life it switches to feeding exclusively on fish (minnows, bitterlings, chebak (Siberian roach), minnow, dace, roach, perch, whitefish, grayling, lenok, etc.). Possessing excellent eyesight, he is able to see well in the water, as well as distinguish low-lying objects on the shore. There have been cases when taimen grabbed animals on land if they were close to the water's edge.
Reproduction. It reaches sexual maturity at the age of 5-7 years with a body length of 55-60 cm. In the spring, as soon as the snow melts, the fish rise to the upper reaches of springs and small rivers, stubbornly overcoming the rifts, rocky ridges, and rubble encountered along the way. In May-June (more early dates characteristic of the southern regions), females lay eggs in nest-pits dug in rocky and pebble soil to a depth of 0.3-0.5 meters. Fecundity (in Amur) 10-34, on average 14.3 thousand eggs. The diameter of the eggs is 5.3-5.9 mm. Embryonic development Depending on the temperature, it lasts 28-38 days.
After spawning, taimen leave secluded shallow waters and descend to feeding areas - holes, whirlpools, reaches, most often located near the drainage of rifts, rapids and the mouths of flowing streams and rivers. Here they remain until autumn.
Spreading. Lives exclusively in fresh waters. Inhabits all the rivers of Siberia - Ob, Yenisei, Pyasina, Khatanga, Anabar, Olenek, Lena, Omolon, Yana, Khroma (it is not found in Indigirka and Kolyma); noted in the Uda and Tugur rivers flowing into the Sea of Okhotsk; in the Amur basin, widespread in both southern and northern tributaries, in the Sungari and Ussuri basins, inhabits all upper rivers (Argun, Onon, Lower Ingoda, Shilka, Nercha, etc.), in rivers flowing into the Amur estuary Taimen lives in the Norilsk lakes, Zaisan, Teletskoye, and Baikal. In Mongolia, taimen inhabits everything large rivers Selenga basin (especially Orkhon, Tula), reservoirs of the Darkhat Basin, the Khubsugul region, in the east - the Onon, Kerulen, Khalkhin Gol rivers, there is in the lake. Buir-Nur. In China, it is found in the tributaries of the Amur (Ussuri and Sungari).
In the west, the border of its range reaches the basins of the Pechora, Kama (rivers Chusovaya, Vishera, Kolva, Ufa) and Vyatka, previously it was in the tributaries of the Middle Volga and in the basin of the Upper Urals. It is rare in the Pechora basin, more often in its mountain tributaries (Ylych, Shchugor) and in Usa, and there were also indications of its discovery in the past in the Pechora Sea and between the Ob and Pechora on the shore of the Yugorsky Shar. Recorded in the Ob tributary in the Sob River and on Yamal in the Khadytayakha and Seyakha rivers.
Before the construction of the dams, it entered the Volga from the Kama and descended to the Stavropol region (now Togliatti), since 1950 in Samara region haven't met.
Economic importance. It is practically not caught commercially anywhere, but it is one of the favorite hunting objects of amateur fishermen. The number was not determined anywhere. Today, it has practically disappeared in all western parts of its range: in the reservoirs of the Kama River basin, with the exception of Vishera, Kolva, Chusovaya and Belaya. In the Pechora basin it is on the verge of extinction. In the rivers of the eastern slopes of the Polar and Middle Urals it has become rare everywhere, its position in Northern Sosva is slightly better. The main reasons for the sharp decline in numbers are poaching, regulation of river flows and pollution. Regional programs for the conservation of specific populations are needed, including artificial reproduction, cryopreservation of genomes, and the creation of specially protected natural areas.
Security status. A rare species in need of protection. Listed on the IUCN 96 Red List of Fish Species. Populations in the European part of the range, as well as the Polar and Middle Urals, are included in the Red Book Russian Federation(2001) under Category 1 as endangered populations in these regions. Taimen is also included in the Red Books of the Bashkir Republic and the Komi Republic.
Features of amateur fishing. In open water, the most common way to catch taimen is with a spinning rod and an artificial “mouse”. In summer, it is best to fish with spoons in the early morning and evening, starting from 17-18 hours until dusk. In autumn, when the weather is stable and good, the bite is more even throughout the day. It is believed that during the waning moon, taimen takes worse than during the new and full moon. In fine weather quiet days Taimen often give themselves away when, chasing fish at dawn, they drown them out with cannon strikes of their tails or, frolicking, fly out of the water. At the same time, while fattening, they can swim in coastal zone, but most of the daylight hours they still prefer to guard their prey near the core stream.
During periods of hunger, taimen are not very picky about spinners and will grab almost any of them. At other times, he is quite picky: he either takes only rotating spoons and ignores the oscillating ones, or prefers only white or only yellow (or two-color) baits. Therefore, an angler’s arsenal should have a wide variety of spinners. Some fishermen have an opinion: only special spoons are suitable for catching taimen. large sizes. Experience shows, however, that the passion for too large lures is unjustified. Rotators with a petal length of 40-45 millimeters or oscillating spinners with a length of no more than 90-110 millimeters are quite suitable even for the most seasoned taimen. Taimen have very strong strong jaws, and special attention should be paid to the strength of the tees (No. 12-16).
Many spinning anglers use original homemade spoons. For example, Irkutsk fishermen use a bait called “devil”. Essentially, this is a weighted fly bait, which instead of a petal has a steel rod with a diameter of 1.5 millimeters, a rotating lead turbine and a red ball are mounted above it.
Taimen bites on spinners are more often observed when the bait is held closer to the bottom and at an average pace. The grip usually feels like a sudden snag on a log or stone. It looks so natural that the angler sometimes relaxes, thinking about how best to now remove the stuck spoon. However, after a short pause, an unexpected sharp jerk suddenly follows. Very large taimen, however, can, instead of jerking forward, begin to “press”, trying to go deeper and lie to the bottom. “Candle” is one of the signature techniques with which taimen tries to free itself from the spinner: at the end of the jerk, it jumps high out of the water and, opening its mouth, vigorously shakes its head. The first task is to prevent the line from weakening. The most difficult thing to do is if the taimen in front of the “candle” goes towards the fisherman.
The 8-12 kg taimen have the most violent character when fished. Fights with larger specimens are simpler in technical terms, but require a lot of physical effort and take a lot of strength, as they drag on for a long time (this does not mean forcing the fish to land on the shore using a “line-rope”, but the sporting method of fishing on a line with a diameter of 0.35-0.40 millimeters). In the process of catching taimen on rivers with a pebble bottom, the hooks of the spinners quickly become dull. To avoid frequent breakdowns, we must not forget to sharpen them in time.
An adult taimen, having come off the spoon or pulled ashore and released, is returned to it soon usually doesn't take it. Another thing is timeshata. One day at the beginning of autumn, our group was camping near a riffle on the Sukhoi Tunguska, a tributary of the Yenisei. Not far from the parking lot big stone In the morning I caught a fishtail about four kilograms with a spoon. We always let them go. However, before doing this, I managed to notice that he had a small wound on his tail fin. This morning meeting with a noticeable taimen turned out to be not the last that day. Until the evening he managed to visit the shore five more times, and twice again “sat down” on my spoon.
Taimen are caught using the “mouse” more often in the dark, although, hungry and unafraid, it grabs this bait during the day. Fishing is especially successful during the autumn feeding season, in September-October. For night fishing, only a “mounted mouse” is used, but during the day you can try fishing with a “cargo” one, which is driven in half-water. The “mouse” is made from cork, hard foam, sponge rubber, wood, giving the workpiece a streamlined shape with a length of 50-70 and a diameter of 20-30 millimeters. In order for the “mouse” to fly further when casting and not to rotate when moving in the water, a thin lead plate is attached to part of its body. In this case, the riding mouse should, naturally, remain afloat. Some fishermen cover the bait with the skin of a squirrel or other animal, or cover it with cloth.
The “mouse” is carried through the water twice as slowly as the spoon. The “mountain mouse” can leave behind itself a small diverging groove - “whiskers”, which attracts a predator, but should not bury itself in the water. Taimen sometimes grabs the “mouse” by the head, so it is advisable to put two tees on it - in front and behind.
A large taimen, having attacked a “mouse,” first “suppresses” it with a blow of its tail, sinks it, and only then, making a U-turn, grabs it (small taimen sometimes grab this bait on the move). At the moment of impact, you should stop reeling for a while. They hook, feeling a characteristic dull push. It is better to take taimen "mouse" on dark, moonless nights. In moonlight, even scattered, the grip becomes uncertain or stops completely. They are usually caught with a “mouse” on stretches with quiet current, trying to choose, even before dark, the most even and flat bank possible, free from overhanging bushes.
To catch taimen, you need a durable and fairly rigid spinning rod. It is recommended to use a two-handed rod with a length of 2.7 meters or more. The use of an inertial reel with a large drum (Nevskaya type) often leads to injury to the hands when fishing, so it is better to install a multiplier or inertia-free power reel on the spinning rod.
materials from the site http://www.ecosystema.ru
The name taimen fish includes a whole genus of fish belonging to the salmon family. There are 4 species of taimen in the genus, which differ from other species of fish from the salmon family in their very large size. Taimen is an object of fishing, as well as sport fishing, but its fishing is limited or completely prohibited due to a sharp decline in the population.
Appearance and varieties
Within the genus there are the following types taimen:
- Sichuan;
- Ordinary;
- Danube salmon;
- Korean.
All species are similar in appearance. They are divided mainly by their habitats. IN at a young age on their sides one can distinguish dark stripes located across the body, ranging from 8 to 10. Maximum length The body of adult individuals can reach two meters with a body weight in the range of 60–80 kilograms.
Taimen has a blocky and slim body, which you can see in the photo below. The fish's mouth occupies exactly half of the head, and many teeth can be distinguished on the jaws: they are very clearly visible in the photo. The fish is able to move very quickly due to its displaced dorsal, pelvic and anal fins: they are located near the tail, and their blades are very large. The color of the body depends on the place where the taimen lives. It can camouflage itself, taking on brownish-red body shades, as well as gray and greenish ones, while the belly is always light, almost white, and black spots can always be distinguished on the sides and back.
Distribution and habitats
The taimen is most widespread in the basins of the Lena, Yenisei, and Amur 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, which is why it is impossible to catch trophy specimens there. Hundreds of kilometers from major cities Taimen is not found at all.
Taimen loves the cold, so he is more comfortable in northern regions, where rivers flow with cold and clear water. But this fish is also not found outside the Arctic Circle, even if there are no people there. The fact is that beyond the Arctic Circle, the period of open water is so short that taimen do not have time to accumulate enough fat to be able to lead a passive lifestyle during the long winter and feed on accumulated fat reserves. Largest quantity individuals live in rivers with a length of 400 to 600 kilometers. And such trophy specimens, as in the photo, are most often found in hard-to-reach places in Evenkia and Yakutia.
Diet
Taimen feeds all year round, even in winter, but the spawning period is not included in the count. The peak of zhora occurs during the post-spawning period, which usually occurs in June, and it does not last long. When the low-water level is established, juveniles, older ones, and adults leave small tributaries, sliding into larger rivers. To the rest summer months Taimen leads a relatively passive lifestyle, and it stays in places where cold-water tributaries flow, where springs flow from the bottom, since in other places of the river the water becomes too warm. In the fall, he again begins active fattening so that in winter, when there is little food, he can feed on accumulated fat reserves.
Juvenile taimen feed on invertebrates, such as caddisfly larvae. Other types of fish are eaten: burbot, grayling, and sculpin. Large taimen do not disdain frogs, mice, and even their own young. True trophies can swallow not only duck chicks, but also adult birds, including geese. Squirrels often have to swim across rivers; taimen happily eat them too.
Reproduction
Taimen reaches sexual maturity by the time its body length is 55–65 centimeters. As soon as spring comes after winter, the fish rushes to the upper reaches of the river in which it lives. The female digs a hole half a meter deep, where she subsequently lays eggs. Taimen eggs can be at least 5 millimeters in diameter. Taimen has a fertility of 10–15 thousand eggs.
The incubation period lasts one month or a little more. Duration incubation period directly depends on the water temperature. At the end of spawning, the fish leave the shallow waters and go down to their feeding grounds. They gain weight on reaches, in pits and pools, where they remain until autumn; only in winter will the fish leave them. Although life cycle can last 30 years, most of individuals live only up to 15–18 years.
Fishing for taimen
Speaking of fishing: taimen is a fish that anglers love to catch with a mouse. In this case, taimen is caught, of course, not with a real mouse, but with an artificial one, the photo of which is presented below. You can make a mouse with your own hands; there are practical video tutorials on how to make this bait from cork, wood, foam or sponge rubber. Bait blanks in the shape of a mouse should have a streamlined shape. The length of the mouse bait should be 5–7 centimeters with a diameter of 2 to 3 centimeters. To prevent this type of bait from spinning in the water when fishing, and to be able to cast it as far as possible, the mouse is weighted with a lead plate, and for plausibility, the body is covered with cloth or squirrel skin.
Taimen can be caught very well with mouse in the first half of autumn, when individuals move closer to the places where they will hide in winter, downstream. Fishing for taimen is especially effective at night, but when taimen are hungry, bites can also occur during the day. When fishing at night, it is not necessary to weigh the bait, and fishing is accompanied by a fairly slow retrieve, which is not typical for conventional spinners. The taimen watches the mouse, and it begins to attract his attention if the bait does not sink, but leaves a kind of mustache in the form of a diverging path when fishing.
Taimen, as befits a predator, when fishing with a mouse, begins to swallow the bait from the head. If the taimen is large, then when fishing, you will first see how it stuns your mouse with a blow of its tail, and then turns sharply and swallows it: this is a reason to stop reeling in the fishing line. But the hook should be done only when you feel the specific push that the taimen provides. When catching this wonderful fish, you will have an exhausting but very exciting fight: then you will remember this fishing for a very long time. Catching taimen is not always within the power of one angler: trophy specimens are very powerful opponents.
For fishing to be successful, you need to choose the right gear: the rod must be strong, rigid, and its optimal length is 270 centimeters. For more information on how to catch taimen, you can watch the fishing video below.
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