Fish Trail Journeys in Mongolia

Fish Trail Journeys

To the left you find a selection of Fish trail Journeys. Sport fishing opportunities in a land of some 4000 rivers. More trips will be added for the Onon River area.

Mongolia is a fascinating place for fishing. Just picture a country large as the British Isles, France, Germany and Italy combined with one percent of its territory being lakes, rivers and streams. Large as the U.S. east coast to Nevada! These rivers drain out north to the Arctic Ocean and to the Pacific in the east. The Central Asian enclosed basin drains back into Mongolia itself, and contains the huge saltwater Uvs Lake. The rivers that belong to the Pacific Ocean basin contain species like Sturgeon, Skin Carp plus 39 others. Rivers of the Arctic Ocean basin hold 25 species including Grayling, Lenok Trout, Taimen, Siberian Pike etc. There is also the Central Asian enclosed basin with its five species of endemic fish, among them the Altai Osman. Some of these are saltwater lakes, which is why it is possible to encounter Pelicans and Seagulls in the very heart of Asia, e.g. in Uvs Nuur, Mongolia’s largest lake.

Mongolians generally do not like fish, and they do not eat fish traditionally. Fishing in Mongolia is, in by and large pristine water systems with a total lack of introduced species such as Rainbow Trout etc. A variety of fish is available, and we practice catch and release.

The most spectacular of the species is the Taimen (Hucho taimen), the largest of the Salmonidae family. It is to be found all over northern Mongolia. Usually specimens 0.70 to 1.40 meters long (max. 2.00 m.) can be landed. One fishing group of 6 people managed to get 60 Taimens in one weeks time!

Lenok (Brachymystax lenok), is along with Taimen the only two members of the Salmonidae family. Lenok Trout can grow rather big, and we catched in Arhangai, a Lenok 105 cm long in July 1996. There is also a relative to the Lenok, the endemic Onon Trout in the Onon River system in the northeast.

There are four species of Grayling (Thymallus arcticus) in various parts of Mongolia. The Grayling is common and a very good fly fish. There is also two species of Pike. The Siberian Pike (Esox lucius) - the one common in Europe - is common also in some parts of Mongolia. The Amur Pike (Esox reichertii) is to be found in the Pacific Ocean drainage basin, and quite rare throughout its range, except for the Onon River where it holds a sizeable population..

There is a charge for fishing, which is payable directly to the park ranger, if you are on any of our trips. If you travel on one of our specific sport fishing expeditions this fee will be included in the price. We use flies and small spinners usually. We only catch enough fish that can be eaten the same day. All others will have to be released in true eco-fishing manner. Fishing is possible in all areas we visit, except for the Gobi which essentially is dry.

We've now joined with United States based Territory Anglers to offer fishing and boating trips in northern Mongolia. To see photographs and information about these exceptional Onon River journeys, please visit Mongolia River Outfitters at "www.mongoliarivers.com".