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, 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, description appearance a giant can be finished with a big 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 it can be caught only after agreement with the 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 preserve the population, because large fish will produce much more offspring than small ones.
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 gear for taimen, you should choose a two-handed spinning rod with a length of at least 3.5 m. The rod will withstand a large predator, but even without hoping for a trophy specimen, it is better not to take smaller gear - 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.
You can call her a giant: she lives - if she succeeds - for more than 30 years, and grows all her life. In Russia, taimen is found in different regions– from the Russian north to the Far East; there is it in Altai and Kazakhstan. Nowadays, the largest taimen is considered to be weighing about 60-80 kg, but larger specimens were also encountered earlier: for example, in the 40s of the 20th century in one of the rivers Krasnoyarsk Territory caught a two-meter taimen weighing more than 100 kg. Modern large taimen can knock a person out of a boat with a blow of their tail, so fishing enthusiasts should be careful - even experienced fishermen cannot always cope with them.
Who is taimen?
Taimen is an excellent predator, and in this he is helped by a suitable “physique”: a slightly flattened head and a narrow, long body, a powerful tail and a huge mouth with large teeth - it is not without reason that he is called the “master of the rivers”. About the degree of predation of this useful and delicious fish can be judged by its own tastes: taimen even eat mammals - aquatic and land, if they have to swim along the river, and they can grab a dog - and waterfowl - ducks, geese, etc.
The color of taimen is bright silver, with spots, but during the spawning period its skin acquires a copper-red color. Most of all this fish likes to live in northern rivers, and especially in large ones, but it is not found in the Arctic Ocean - the polar summer is not suitable for feeding.
Taimen, like other salmon, is a commercial fish, and it is prohibited to catch it without permission. It is sometimes possible to obtain permission, but not in all regions; Amateurs are given permission by the relevant local authorities - usually taimen are caught using a spinning rod.
Composition and benefits of taimen fish
The composition of taimen cannot be called the richest, but it contains something for which all types of salmon are so valued. These are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including Omega-3, as well as complete protein, which is much easier to digest than meat proteins. Taimen also contains vitamin PP, macroelements sulfur and chlorine, microelements nickel and molybdenum - in small quantities, chromium and fluorine - there are more of them, and zinc - it is quite rich in them. But there are few calories - although other representatives of salmon are known for their calorie content, taimen is low - only 88 kcal per 100 grams.
Between the muscles of taimen there are layers of fat, so its meat is tender. It is this fat, rich in PUFAs, that makes taimen a healthy product. Taimen fat, rendered from its giblets, is used to season mashed potatoes, boiled pasta and porridge: it is healthier sunflower oil, and does not have a specific “fishy” smell.
Fish caught during spawning is unlikely to be very tasty - fat is quickly consumed during this period. In general, taimen is considered a fish of medium fat content, but experts note that it is no less tasty than salmon. The most nutritious taimen is considered to be middle-aged, not too young and not too old.
How to prepare taimen
Of course, the most interesting thing is to learn about culinary and dietary properties taimen. One of the best ways Its preparation is considered moderate salting: a lot of valuable things are retained in the meat - with this taimen you can prepare snacks, salads, etc.
The “author’s” dish of Siberian fishermen is a broth called “crystal”. For it, they take only the heads and fins of the fish, and cook them - usually over high heat until tender - about 15 minutes. The resulting broth is cooled, filtered, raw chicken protein, a little pressed caviar are added - the broth becomes transparent, a couple of hot pepper pods and dill. Crystal broth is not eaten with spoons, but is drunk by scooping it up in mugs directly from the pot, with crackers or crispbread for a bite. You can cook “elite” fish soup with this broth by adding pieces of taimen, salmon, brown trout, sterlet and other fish called “noble” fish.
In Siberia, taimen heads are also eaten, completely, as well as giblets, and this is interesting - we usually throw away fish giblets. But they, like the heads, can be eaten if the taimen is very fresh. After gutting the fish, they wash not only the heart and liver, but also the cleaned stomach and swim bladder, and fry it all in oil, with seasonings and salt to taste, until crispy.
If you bought frozen taimen, it is better to boil or grill it. For boiling you need to take a large enough and fatty fish. It is cut into large pieces, poured with salt water and boiled for 20 minutes over low heat, with carrots, chopped onions, parsley, black and allspice peas and bay leaves. Serve hot, with baked potatoes or green salad, wild garlic, onions and garlic. If you like cold fish, Russian table horseradish and fried porcini mushrooms will go well with it.
On a spit, taimen is also fried in large pieces, with salt and ground allspice, periodically pouring melted butter. Served with wild garlic green onions and any fresh vegetables - it turns out very tasty.
Oven-baked taimen is also good: it is baked with mustard seeds, without salt and pepper. Fresh fish fillets are cut into steaks approximately 3 cm thick and weighing slightly less than 100 g. 2 steaks together are thickly sprinkled with mustard seeds - this is a portion, and then with breadcrumbs and chopped parsley. The fish is placed in a mold, thin plates are placed on top butter, and place in the oven, preheated to 180°C. It is recommended to bake for a short time - 7-9 minutes, and serve immediately.
Smoked taimen is considered a delicacy. You can smoke it even without special equipment. They usually smoke salted taimen, but you can also smoke fresh ones, and then salt, pepper and eat - as you like. Thin pieces of fillet are attached to a wooden board - maybe a cutting board - and placed near the fire - the smoke should completely envelop the fish. It is good to add juniper branches to the fire. In a little over an hour the fish will be ready.
Taimen and slim figure
What role does taimen play in losing weight? You are unlikely to find a taimen diet, although the salmon diet is known - for example, it is shared with general public hollywood celebrity Julia Roberts. Salmon dishes help the star to always stay in shape, and also prevent sagging skin and the appearance of wrinkles, which is not surprising: the high content of Omega-3 PUFAs, which normalize cholesterol levels and protect our cells, makes salmon an excellent product of youth and beauty. The diet includes mineral water, oatmeal, green salad, apples and hazelnuts; salmon is added to every meal, boiled, steamed or grilled: for breakfast and dinner - 100 g, for lunch - 250 g. Immediately after waking up you need to drink mineral water– at least 350 ml.
Taimen is one of the least high-calorie fish among salmon, so during this diet, for 3-4 days, you can eat more of it, 200-350 g each, if desired. And fresh herbs and vegetable salads enhance beneficial features taimen - such nutrition allows you to forget about
Taimen is an extraordinary fish, growing up to 2 meters in length. Weight adult reaches 60-80 kg. At the same time, the giant prefers clear mountain rivers and lakes, which are not always large and deep.
Taimen is an extraordinary fish that grows up to 2 meters in length.
This fish belongs to the salmon family, the genus of taimen. This genus includes species such as common, Korean, Sichuan, Danube, Sakhalin.
A feature of the genus is the absence of significant differences between the species within it. All representatives have:
- long body of a typical predatory fish;
- a “pike” head flattened on top and sides;
- a huge wide mouth that opens right up to the gill slits;
- two rows of large, curved and sharp teeth;
- small scales, mostly silvery;
- in the area of the lateral line there are dark spots the size of a pea;
- multi-colored fins: the caudal and anal are colored red, the dorsal has dark gray shades, the pectoral and abdominal ones are light gray.
Despite the fact that in Siberia this fish is usually called red pike, it is difficult to confuse it with other species. The typical inhabitants of mountain rivers and lakes, lenok and grayling, are somewhat similar to it. However, they are much smaller and paler than their cold-water neighbor.
Gallery: taimen fish (25 photos)
Taimen spawns (video)
Geographical habitats
There are two concepts - habitat and biotope. The habitat is the area where representatives of this genus or species can live. A biotope is the same type of biogenic and abiogenic environmental conditions in which a set of species included in a given biocenosis lives.
The range is limited to the Asian part of Russia. These fish are found in the rivers of the Urals, Yakutia, the southern part of the Far East, Khakassia, Buryatia, and Transbaikalia.
If we describe the area by water bodies, it includes the following rivers:
- Pechora;
- Kama;
- Aldan;
- Amur;
- Tugur;
- Tunguska;
- Gilyuy;
- Anyui;
- Abakan;
- Katun;
- Yenisei;
- Angara;
- White;
- Vitim;
- Barguzin;
- Avvakumovka.
Taimen can also be found in lakes Teletskoye and Khanka.
It is found only in clean, transparent taiga rivers and lakes. Despite its similarity in appearance to pike, it also has habits like catfish. Both of them love to live where there are many pools and holes. Such a large body needs to be hidden in holes, and deep ones. After resting in shelters, taimen go hunting.
The weight of an adult reaches 60-80 kg Nutrition and lifestyle
T aimen, living in large mountain rivers, is considered the “shark” of these waters. Normally, it feeds on any prey it can catch. Most often, its victims are grayling, lenok, whitefish, perch, gudgeon, roach and other fish. However, like the catfish, it also hunts the inhabitants air environment. Perfectly merging with the bottom of a mountain river, it can grab a rat, squirrel, chipmunk, cat, dog, mouse from the bank in one leap. He, of course, also hunts waterfowl. Its prey can be small ducks, waders, dippers and anyone who had the temerity to come into the attention zone of this super predator.
Prefers to live alone, sometimes as a couple. They do not form flocks.
If the hydraulic regime of a reservoir changes and the water becomes warm, taimen (like grayling and lenok) tries to migrate. And if this is impossible, he gets sick and dies.
These fish usually live 15-18 years, but individuals that have reached 30 years are also known. However, this is the age of individual centenarians.
Maximum feeding and migratory activity occurs in September - this is the time when individuals need to be recruited maximum amount fat
Preferring to lie down in holes, this giant is still not afraid of shallows and riffles. Having a well-muscled body, these fish can easily jump over rapids and overcome small waterfalls. On the way to big water they resolutely move through areas of shallow water so that sometimes their backs are visible above the water, and their bellies scrape along the pebbly bottom.
This inhabitant of clear waters prefers to come to the surface and actively swim in rainy, windy and foggy weather. This may be due to the fact that in such weather it is more difficult to see them from above, that is, from the air. In addition, in such weather, insects get wet, their flight becomes more difficult, and they are more likely to fall into the water and become easy prey.
Taimen especially love high water. Fortunately, in mountain rivers this situation happens quite often. A day after heavy continuous rain, rivers begin to overflow their banks. This means that many land dwellers end up in the water. This is especially true for mouse-like animals. The water in mountain rivers rises very quickly, so mice, rats, and often chipmunks do not have time to find reliable islands of land. They are picked up by a strong current, and they become prey to the numerous mouths of the inhabitants of the water.
Grayling and taimen (video)
How does it reproduce
This king fish of cold waters begins to reproduce after it reaches a length of 60 cm. This is a big problem for many large species. The fact is that with great activity of fishermen, few specimens survive to this stage. As a result, there are fewer and fewer individuals left in water bodies capable of reproducing.
Is it possible, with one fishing rod, to destroy the entire population of taimen, grayling and lenok in one mountain river? Of course you can. All these fish stay in pools and holes, going out onto rapids and rifts only for hunting and spawning. Knowing the location of the holes on the river, you can catch all the large fish that can reproduce. The surviving little thing, of course, can grow up and begin to reproduce. However, this will only happen if a person leaves the pits of this river alone for at least 5 years. If this does not happen, taimen will disappear from such a reservoir.
It’s a little easier with lenkas and graylings - they reach sexual maturity faster, so they can have time to lay eggs before the next visit of fishermen to the pits.
It is especially difficult for large fish to reproduce under conditions of strong anthropogenic pressure, which is why taimen are now a rarity. The paradox of life is that the fewer fish there are left in the rivers, the more fish there are for them. the hunt is on. And it’s not just about the gastronomic and commercial value of this species. Taimen, with its fish head, is increasingly moving from the category of prey to the category of trophy. In other words, it is often caught not to eat, but to show off.
Catching individuals larger than 60 cm in large quantities in one place leads to complete loss reproduction potential of a given population. For this reason, fish do not die out immediately over the entire area of their range, but in individual rivers and lakes, that is, where fishermen show special stubbornness - unreasonable and irrational.
Spawning in taimen, like all fish from cold regions, begins in the spring. Interestingly, at this time, sexually mature individuals change their silver color, which camouflages them in clear waters, to bright copper-red shades. At this moment, when the silver usually becomes a “red pike” predator, it is clearly visible to all fish body hunters. However, you have to take risks, because males and females must find each other as quickly as possible. Having spawned eggs, the individuals quickly change their red color to normal. After this, they again merge with the color scheme of the mountain river.
Taimen caviar, although from a large fish, is small in size - no more than 5.5-6 mm. Young females are capable of laying no more than 10-15 thousand eggs at a time. Those who are older are able to throw calves 2 times more.
Taimen, which lives in large mountain rivers, is considered the “shark” of these waters To perform the sacrament of spawning, females rise to the upper reaches of rivers and build nests there from clean pebbles. The caviar lies in this secluded place for about a month. The fry grow quickly and by the end of summer they swim to where all the adults live.
Babies feed mainly on invertebrate animals that live in the water or fall on its surface. After a few days, young predators are already able to chase the fry of other fish.
Problems of taimen
Fishermen know that catching taimen is great luck. This opinion was not formed because it is very difficult to obtain. There are simply fewer and fewer representatives of this genus. Several reasons for the decline in the species' numbers are described above. However, the list of problems is much more extensive. They are as follows:
- Overfishing. Catching adult sexually mature individuals is especially dangerous for the population. The now fashionable tradition of releasing the prey by pulling the hook out of it does not help either. The fact is that the fishing hook causes such severe damage to the fish that after such “mercy” it dies of hunger and wounds. A small, injured fish usually quickly becomes a victim of more fortunate healthy individuals, while a large one, to the delight of its many victims, cannot eat for a long time. Often the wounds from the hook get infected, which causes suppuration, and the fish dies from disease. So the problem of overfishing can only be solved by regulating the production of this species.
- The water in reservoirs suitable for habitation changes greatly under the influence of human activity. Transformation temperature regime water bodies are changing due to climate warming. Change average annual temperature water level by even 0.5 degrees can seriously affect the state of populations. Warming waters are also caused by Forest fires. Black ashes, not covered by the shadow of trees, help warm the soil, from which warm water flows into the river.
- Fires and other economic activity change the pH of the water. It becomes not only neutral, but also alkaline, which has a bad effect on the state of the population of all salmon.
- Taimen is an inhabitant of oligotrophic reservoirs. The water in them is poor in organisms that produce organic matter. The organisms of taimen, lenok, grayling and trout are adapted to life in such water. As a result anthropogenic activities(agriculture with an abundance of fertilizers, the creation of hydroelectric reservoirs with a large amount of decomposing organic matter, etc.) oligotrophic reservoirs become eutrophic. In the first years after this process, most organisms die from lack of oxygen. Fish adapted to the conditions of oligotrophic water bodies are among the first to die.
- Mining of minerals, especially gold, along river beds makes the water muddy, changes its physical and Chemical properties, destroys the spawning pits of taimen. All this does not even lead to a decrease in the number of fish of these species, but to their complete disappearance.
- Pollution of water bodies by sewage industrial enterprises greatly changes the properties of water, which affects the species composition of these biocenoses. As a result, “red pike” is replaced by real pike, which is less picky in the choice of reservoirs and environmental conditions and, of course, less valuable.
This one is far from full list problems of the largest fish in cold oligotrophic waters suggests that in soon There will be fewer and fewer taimen of all types. Moreover, soon the spell “catch, fish, big and small” will only have the last word left.
Evolution, of course, is an inventive lady. If people do not allow large individuals to reproduce, then reproduction already occurs in smaller specimens. Shredding of individuals is a ubiquitous phenomenon. So taimen will soon be a small fish.
News published on the World Wide Web from time to time excites the imagination of avid fishermen with reports of incredible catches.
So, not very long ago, a video was posted about the capture of the largest taimen in Mongolia on the Uur River - 152 centimeters long and weighing 45 kilograms.
Such production, of course, can be the envy of anyone, but it turns out that it is very far from record figures. Documented facts say that in 1943, on the Kotui River in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the largest specimen of taimen was actually caught, which reached a length of 2 m 10 cm and weighed 105 kg. There is also an age record - a 55-year-old taimen was caught a year later in the Yenisei, and this is the oldest individual that has ever been caught.
If you look at the video clips from Lake Kanas, located in Altai mountains, then you can see the game of famous monsters, which are a kind of attraction. This is taimen-huguai, as they call it local residents. Perhaps they are even larger than the current record holders, but there are no officially registered caught specimens yet.
Taimen- a large fish from the salmon genus. On average, the length of an adult individual is about one meter, and its weight is about 40 kg.
It lives in fresh waters - lakes and rivers. Today, this fish is found in Siberian and Far Eastern reservoirs; it loves the environment of fast-flowing rivers or cold-water lakes. The main condition for the habitat of this fish is the cleanliness of the reservoir.
Taimen is a predator whose size allows it to have no competitors. He is an excellent hunter, so he will not go hungry, as he is always on the move. Taimen is not too picky about food, and eats not only smaller fish, but does not disdain rodents that accidentally fall into the water, and waterfowl.
Some fishermen say that he even dragged dogs to the bottom. The predator is so greedy that stones and even driftwood were sometimes found in its stomach - most likely, it confused them with prey, and maybe even consumed them instead.
Mostly taimen lives alone, like all predators, but sometimes there are married couples. Some lucky fishermen have seen small schools of taimen frolicking in the rivers in the summer and they are very easy to catch with a spinning rod. And all because he loves to eat and is ready to risk his life for the sake of food.
Taimen resembles trout in color and body shape, but is distinguished by its gigantic size compared to this fish. The body, covered with small scales, has a slab-like shape; the laterally flattened head is equipped with powerful jaws and teeth that cover the palate and tongue of the predator. This gives him the opportunity to catch his prey without much difficulty.
The age of taimen is clearly visible on its body - it is revealed by annual dark rings. It is interesting that this fish is ready to reproduce only at 10-11 years old.
Adults go to spawning major tributaries rivers, overcoming any obstacles on their way, to quiet places where people rarely visit. The female spawns on rocky rifts and rapids, and spawns up to 25 thousand large, 3-5 mm, eggs into a nest made of small pebbles. The older the female, the greater her fertility becomes. Grown-up fry stay together and are in places that are calm for them, for example, on a deep stretch where there is no big current.
In spring, taimen heads to the upper reaches of rivers, where a lot of small fish accumulate, and he finally manages to eat enough after a long winter. In hot weather summer weather adult taimen try to hide deeper, where there are cold springs and springs. Often during the day it hides at the bottom in the rubble, almost at the very shore, waiting for its prey, and in the evening it moves to shallow water.
IN cloudy weather, in the morning, it’s easiest to catch taimen with a spoon, and in early autumn, when the heat subsides, it can be caught well all day. Evening fishing is also good, closer to sunset.
The main thing is to send the spoon to the place of the splash, and the fish will definitely pay attention to it. When dusk comes, the overfed taimen goes to a quiet place, closer to the shore, under the rubble of fallen trees or snags.
Autumn is the season when taimen actively feeds and grabs everything, that comes in its way, so this time is perfect for catching it. Locate this large fish Simply, she gives herself away by flashing her tail - this is how she suppresses her prey.
We present a video about another of the largest taimen caught in Yakutia.
Description and lifestyle of taimen fish
Taimen predatory fish salmon family. Lives in large lakes and rivers of the Far East, Siberia, Altai, and Northern Kazakhstan. It weighs less than salmon. The ideally streamlined body is covered with small scales.
Narrow, with a flattened head, with a powerful mouth and large teeth. Bright silver color. The back is dark, with green tint, abdomen is light, off-white. There are numerous dark spots on its elongated body, more in front than in the back.
There are also spots on the head, where they are larger. The tail and rear fins are red, the rest are gray; The chest and belly are slightly lighter. Weight taimen varies depending on age. Seven-year-old individuals, weighing 3–4 kg, grow up to 70 cm.
During the breeding season, it changes color and becomes reddish-copper. bright color. Life expectancy is usually 15-17 years. It grows all your life. Reaches a length of up to 200 cm and a weight of 90 kg. One of the largest taimen was caught in the Yenisei River.
Habitat of taimen fish
People living in Siberia from time immemorial considered the taiga to be the master, and the taimen to be the master taiga rivers and lakes. This valuable one loves clean fresh water and remote untouched places, she especially likes deep rivers with large, rapid whirlpools, with whirlpools and holes.
These are the impenetrable thickets of the Yenisei River basin, where the taiga nature is very beautiful. In the Krasnoyarsk Territory, taimen reaches the largest sizes. Taimen lives: Kemerovo, Tomsk regions - the Kiya and Tom rivers, the Republic of Tuva, Irkutsk region— river basins: Lena, Angara, Oka. In the Altai Territory - in the tributaries of the Ob.
Siberian taimen (common)- the largest representative of the salmon family. One of freshwater species. Occupies a significant territory of Europe and North Asia. The largest predator.
Found in rivers of Siberia and the Amur basin. In the spring, when the water level rises, it begins to move against the current to the spawning grounds. Taimen chooses rocky and pebble soil, down from the rapids, where groundwater comes out.
Taimen is a strong and resilient swimmer, with powerful body and a wide back. In summer it lives in deep holes under rapids, in reaches with an uneven bottom, and in quiet bays. It can live in groups of several individuals in the middle reaches of the river.
Knows his section of the river well. Twilight Predator. In the mornings he rests after hunting. Into the gloomy rainy weather hunt around the clock. Strong and agile, can easily jump over thresholds and other obstacles.
To preserve this beautiful fish as a species, restrictive measures are being introduced. All fishing for taimen carried out according to the “catch and release” principle. Besides, this a great opportunity observe its development and growth in its natural environment.
Behavior and character of taimen
Lives at the bottom of the river, in the depressions of the underwater relief. At dawn and dusk it hunts close to the surface. During the cold period - under the ice. Young representatives form groups.
The adult prefers solo swimming, occasionally joining in pairs. Salmon activity increases as temperatures drop. If the water is warm, the fish loses mobility and is inhibited.
The highest activity occurs in the month of September, when taimen gain weight. They are not afraid of shallows and rapids; they can easily jump over a small waterfall or blockage. They can move through shallow water when their backs are visible above the water.
He likes rainy, windy weather. It is believed that one floats faster in the fog, and the thicker the fog, the faster the movement. Fishermen claim that taimen can make sounds that can be heard from under the water.
Taimen nutrition
By the end of the second summer month The fry grow up to 40 mm, the first food of the fry is the larvae of their relatives. In the first 3-4 years, the taimen fish feeds on insects and juveniles of other fish, then, mainly.
Adults - fish: perches, minnows and other freshwater creatures. Also interested in waterfowl and other mammals (ducklings, shrews, mice).
Small land animals can become its prey if they find themselves near water. He will emerge from the water and get the animal on land. He loves mice, and even geese, but most of all - young fish.
Taimen feeds all year round, excluding the spawning period, most actively after spawning. Grows quickly. By the age of ten it reaches one hundred cm in length and 10 kg in weight.
Reproduction of taimen fish
In Altai it spawns already in April, in the Northern Urals in May. Taimen caviar amber-red, pea-sized (5 mm or more). It is believed that it spawns more than once a year, but less often.
After spawning they return home to their old place of “residence”. The usual number of eggs of one individual is 10-30 thousand. The female lays her eggs in a hole at the bottom of the river, which she makes herself.
Males are good in breeding plumage; their body, especially at the bottom of the tail, turns orange-red. The unforgettable beauty of nature - the mating games of taimen fish!
Fishing for taimen
This type is not commercial. The attachment can be a mouse (dark at night, light during the day). For small taimen it is good to use a worm. According to fishermen's reviews, reacts to prey in different ways: it can hit its tail or swallow it and go to depth.
The fishing line may break or break while being fished out of the water. In order not to damage it, you need to quickly pull it towards the shore, pulling it by the back with a hook.
Fishing with a spinning rod or other method requires special permission from local authorities, since taimen fish is protected by law. Types of taimen: Sakhalin (in the Sea of Japan, only fresh and sea waters are perfect for it salty water), Danube, Siberian - freshwater.
Taimen - decoration Siberian nature
Due to habitat disturbance, population decline, taimen price is high. Spawning stock in upper reaches Obi has only 230 individuals. In 1998, taimen was included in the Red Book of the Altai Territory.
To date catching taimen prohibited! Nowadays, a program is being developed to restore and protect the species’ numbers.
Loading...
