"Fishing Expedition for Record Taimen and Giant Arctic Grayling in the Most Wild Region of Russia – Evenki."
Hunting for the giant taimen and wild Arctic grayling far in the northern reaches of Russia is likely the dream of every angler seeking adventurous expeditions. No one returns from this expedition without a trophy. We embark on this journey accompanied by excellent Russian guides who know every bend of the river, every spot, fishing techniques, and the habits of fish depending on the season or weather. They have been fishing in these waters for over 15 years.
A record taimen caught by our guide weighed 42 kg.
Evenkia is a vast territory located in northern Central Siberia. To the east of the mighty Yenisei River, in the basin of the Kotuy, Nizhnyaya Tunguska, and Podkamennaya Tunguska rivers. Administratively, the territory is part of the Krasnoyarsk Krai, with the administrative center in the city of Tura. Evenkia covers an area of 768 thousand square kilometers (4.5% of Russia's territory) and is inhabited by about 15 thousand people, mainly residing in three villages. For comparison, France has an area of nearly 644 thousand square kilometers and about 60 million inhabitants. Evenkia is one of the least populated areas in the world. In addition to Russians, the region is home to indigenous inhabitants: Evenks, Yenisei Yakuts, and the Kets. To the north, Evenkia borders the famous and mysterious Putorana Plateau. A vast and uninhabited land, evoking admiration and respect. An enormous plateau, covered with flat-topped mountains, crossed by canyons that serve as the beds for incredibly fish-rich streams, rivers, and lakes. Add to that hundreds of waterfalls, including one of the highest in Russia, the Kandinsky waterfall. Russians themselves call this area the "inaccessible zone," a paradise for anglers seeking wild and inaccessible places where no one has fished before, perhaps where no human foot has stepped.
According to environmental monitoring institutions, it is the most ecologically clean region in Russia, and perhaps in the world.
It's quite probable and common to find multicolored agates or amethyst "bombs" along the shores of local lakes and rivers, as well as many other minerals or even fossils like mammoth bones. These can serve as additional trophies for expedition participants.
As for the fish, the customary inhabitants of Evenkia's lakes and rivers include Eastern Siberian grayling, lenok (a local variety of trout), giant Siberian pike, perch, the white grayling known as "nera," Arctic grayling, including the giant Driagin grayling, Sakur, Muksun, giant Siberian whitefish, and of course, the king of these rivers – taimen or Taimen as some prefer to call it. The largest taimen ever caught in Russia came from the Kotuy River in Evenkia, weighing 104 kg. The largest taimen caught by our guide weighed 42 kg (2010). Many rivers and lakes are inhabited by massive Siberian pike and perch, while in other places, we may encounter rarities such as powan or the Driagin grayling, weighing up to 15 kg. In the lower reaches of rivers, sturgeon and starlet can also be found.
Expedition Organization – Safety First.
An expedition to such remote and pristine areas requires many preparations, as I know from my previous trips to Russia. Above all, it requires people who know these places like the back of their hand, who can navigate them and know what to pay attention to and what is unnecessary baggage. People who live there daily. That's why we venture there with those who are from there, with people who are proven in such challenging expeditions. They are not only excellent fishing guides but also hunters. They will lead our boats, set up camps, prepare food, and share many secrets about fishing in those waters. They will also ensure communication and safety during the expedition.
As usual for my trips to Russia, we meet at the airport in Warsaw, from where we fly to Moscow and then to Krasnoyarsk. In Krasnoyarsk, we usually arrive the next morning. After a long flight, it's best to take a day off, which we usually spend exploring the city and making a mandatory visit to a friendly fishing gear store. The next morning, we check in at the airport again to fly to Tura with local airlines. The flight to this location takes about 3 hours. Upon landing, depending on the conditions, we transfer to a helicopter and fly for about 2.5 hours over the river to set up our camp and begin our rafting and fishing adventure. If the conditions do not allow it, we spend the night in a hotel and fly out the next morning.
During the expedition, participants sleep in modern and spacious tents (two people per tent), equipped with sleeping pads and mattresses. In addition to the tents for anglers, there is a large tent serving as a dining room. In colder months, the tents are equipped with stoves. To move around the river, we have inflatable boats with a buoyancy of about 1000 kg equipped with jet engines. The camp also has a power generator, satellite communication, and VHF radios.
Meals During the Expedition.
While fishing, participants receive three meals a day prepared by our chef, depending on the possibilities over a campfire or on a gas stove. In addition to that, there are snacks, coffee, and tea.
Weather.
Average temperatures in July-August in this region reach up to 20°C during the day and around 5°C at night. In September, temperatures may drop to around 0°C, and snowfall begins.
Return from the Expedition.
We return from the river by helicopter, but it will be from a different location than where we started. Our transportation depends on the weather, so we have communication with both the helicopter crew and the person assisting us, who will reserve tickets for the next flight to avoid wasting time.
Sample Expedition Plan:
"The Great Taimen and Pike from the Inaccessible River."
This river is one of the many tributaries of the Kotuy River. To reach it in the summer, there is only one way – by helicopter. The river is entirely inaccessible, wild, and there is no one to meet on it. At the same time, it is considered one of the best rivers for taimen, and where there is taimen, we can be sure of other species. From the only human settlement to the river, we have about 420 km, and this is where we start our rafting and fishing, in an entirely uninhabited region. The flight will take about two and a half hours. After landing, depending on when we arrive, whether in the morning or evening, we start rafting and fishing, setting up the camp in the evening if needed. We land with our helicopter near a beautiful lake, surrounded by mountains about 600 meters high, which are home to local Siberian mountain sheep (argali). There are also many waterfalls and cascades nearby. Upon landing, on the day of arrival, we can go on an expedition to the summit (reaching the top by helicopter). The lake we land near is a transient lake, part of the river's course. Nearby, there are also several smaller lakes where endemic pike species reside, not even described by ichthyologists. We can dedicate as much time as we want to the lake and its surroundings; then, we move on.
We continue along the river, passing changing landscapes and locations, next lakes, and river bends. Further on, there is another large transient lake over 30 km long and a depth reaching 200 m. About 2 km from the planned stop, there is a beautiful group of waterfalls and cascades that are worth seeing. In the next part of the expedition, we come across another lake, where giant pikes are known to inhabit, and the local pike is simply a rarity. Along the way, we will surely encounter moose, which often come to water, and we will be able to eat one. In addition to the brought provisions, we also rely on what we catch and hunt for our food. We release taimen, but we only take the other species in quantities necessary for preparing meals. The rest of the fish is released; in fact, the vast majority returns to the water.
In the local lakes, we can find species such as Driagin pike, Nora (powan), several species of local whitefish (whitefish, Cisco, inconnu, nelma, Muksun, and others), Siberian grayling, lenok, and of course, pike and giant perch. We will encounter taimen and lenok a bit lower during our expedition.
This is, of course, a sample expedition plan, as Evenkia is a vast territory offering incredible possibilities. For example, we can focus only on taimen; everything depends on you. I will try to fulfill your dreams of a trip to another world.
Typical Expedition Plan:
Day 1. Meeting in Warsaw at the airport – departure to Krasnoyarsk
Day 2. Arrival in Krasnoyarsk, rest at the hotel, free time.
Day 3. Departure from Krasnoyarsk with domestic airlines. Transfer to the helicopter and transfer to the starting point of the rafting.
Days 4-10. Rafting and fishing with camps along the river or lakes.
Day 11. Return by helicopter to the starting point, flight to Krasnoyarsk.
Day 12. Krasnoyarsk, overnight at the hotel.
Day 13. Departure from Krasnoyarsk to the home country.
