TAIMEN

Every year, I get together with fishing friends to discuss possible new speices we can fish.  We discussed future opportunities to go after the little know Taimen.  The Taimen is the world's largest salmonid often reaching weights of 200 pounds.  According to the IGFA, a reported 231 pound taimen was netted in 1943, but the largest on record is 123 pounds which is slightly less than the largest commercially caught 126 pound King salmon.  The current all tackle IGFA record is 92 lb 8 oz landed in 1993 on the Keta River in Siberia.  The taimen inhibits the Ural-Siberian-Amur drainages of Mongolia and other parts of the former USSR.  Taimen feed on prarie dogs, lemmings, ducks, or whatever they can find.  They often jump out of the water grabbing prey or lures on their way down thus resulting on jolting strikes.
After discussing option with Larry Dahlberg of "Hunt for Big Fish" there are currently not many outifitters offering trips into the remote Mongolia rivers.  Hopefully will we see possiblities open soon and it will be a dream to visit the unexplored vastness of Mongolia!