Selenge River Fish: Detailed guide
Hi, Anglers!
We are happy to present you with a detailed guide to all the unique fish that you can find on the Selenge River!
The sharply continental climate holds the river in icy embrace for almost half a year, from November to April. Harsh winters and hot summers make early autumn an ideal time for fishing.
You’ll have to take on such rare and feisty opponents as Humpback Whitefish, Lenok, Baikal Omul and, of course, the Khan of all salmon — Taimen!
[h3]Siberian Taimen[/h3]
Siberian Taimen is the largest representative of the salmon family. It can reach over 60 kilograms in weight and up to 2 meters in length. It inhabits the cold rivers of Siberia and Mongolia and never goes to sea. It mainly keeps near deep holes close to the shore. This species is active day and night. In the daytime, the Taimen picks shaded areas, and at night it moves to the nearby shallows with a fast current.
Preferred baits: Large Minnows, Common Minnow, Shiners.
Preferred lures: Medium Spoon, Single Spoon, Bullet Spinner Crankbaits, Minnows, Mouse Lure Poppers, Walkers Soft Baits (Shads).
[h3]Lenok[/h3]
Lenok is a predatory fish that inhabits fast rivers with cold water. It can reach more than 10 kilograms in weight and a meter in length. It prefers to hide among branches, stones, flooded trees, as well as keep to sections of the river with rifts and rapids.
Lenok hunts at any time of the day, but most actively — in the morning and in the evening.
Preferred baits: Grasshoppers, Dragonflies Bark Beetle Larva, Night Crawlers Natural Eggs, Spawn Sack, Boiled Red Roe Small Minnows, Common Minnow, Shiners.
Preferred lures: Narrow Spoon, Single Spoon, Bullet Spinner Mini Crank, Minnows, Mouse Lure* Poppers, Walkers Soft Baits (Shads, Grubs, Nymphes).
[h3]Arctic Grayling[/h3]
Arctic Grayling is a relatively small omnivorous predatory cold-loving fish. It can reach up to 4 kilograms in weight and up to 80 cm in length. It lives in rivers, streams, and lakes of the Arctic Ocean basin. The Arctic Grayling prefers rapids and areas near large boulders, where reverse currents can occur, as well as places where branches of trees and bushes hang over the water.
They are most active during the day, and hunt mainly in the early morning and late evening.
Preferred baits: Grasshoppers, Crickets, Dragonflies, Mayflies, Caddis Larva, Bark Beetle Larva Artificial Salmon Eggs, Natural Eggs Spawn Sack, Boiled Red Roe Small Minnows, Common Minnow
Preferred lures: Narrow Spoon, Single Spoon, Nano Spoon Spinners, Nano Spinner Mini Crank, Minnows, Poppers.
[h3]Baikal Omul[/h3]
Baikal Omul is a schooling fish of the whitefish genus of the salmon family. It can reach about 3 kilograms in weight and more than 60 centimeters in length. It prefers deep places with clear cool water.
This fish feeds around the clock, and it usually goes to shallow water to feed. It feeds on crustaceans, bottom invertebrates, and juvenile fish. The Omul bites well in all layers of water, but there’s more chance of catching it near the bottom.
Preferred baits: Caddis Larva, Bloodworms, Red Worms, Sideswimmers, Night Crawlers, Small Minnows, Common Minnow.
Preferred lures: Narrow Spoon, Nano Spoon, Spinners, Nano Spinner, Soft Baits (Craws).
[h3]Humpback Whitefish[/h3]
Humpback Whitefish is a schooling fish of the whitefish genus of the salmon family. It can reach more than 4 kilograms in weight and up to 70 centimeters in length. The Whitefish prefers places with a silty-sandy bottom, a weak current, and well-developed aquatic vegetation. Its activity peaks in the evening, but it is also active during daylight hours. In cloudy weather, it is active throughout the day. The Whitefish is an excellent fighter, so get ready for some impressive resistance from it.
Adults feed at the river bottom on small mollusks, crustaceans, insects, their larvae, and eggs of other fish.
Preferred baits: Caddis Larva, Bloodworms, Red Worms Sideswimmers, Night Crawlers, Natural Eggs, Spawn Sack, Boiled Red Roe Small Minnows, Common Minnow.
Preferred lures: Narrow Spoon, Nano Spoon Spinners, Nano Spinner Soft Baits (Grubs, Craws).
[h3]Common Dace[/h3]
Common Dace is a medium-sized omnivorous schooling diurnal fish. It can weigh more than one kilogram and reach about 40 centimeters in length. It lives in small rivers with clear water and moderate flow and is sometimes found in lakes or in brackish water at estuaries. Its juveniles often hide in holes and roots in coastal vegetation, and as they mature, they move to areas with faster currents.
If you’re hunting for the Dace with a spinning rod, using twitch retrieve will help you a lot.
Preferred baits: Semolina Balls, Oat-flakes Grasshoppers, Crickets Dragonflies, Mayflies, Flies Bark Beetle Larva, Night Crawlers Small Minnows, Common Minnow.
Preferred lures: Narrow Spoon, Nano Spoon Spinners, Nano Spinner Mini Crank, Minnows Poppers, Walkers Soft Baits (Grubs).
[h3]Common Minnow[/h3]
Common Minnow is a small schooling diurnal fish, reaching the maximum length of 20 centimeters. It can be found in streams and rivers with cold, well-oxygenated water. It prefers to stay at a shallow depth with a sandy-stony or sandy-pebbled bottom.
Preferred baits: Caddis Larva, Bloodworms, Red Worms Pinkies, Maggots Natural Eggs.
[h3]Amur Bitterling[/h3]
Amur Bitterling is a diurnal cold-loving fish that lives in reservoirs with stagnant or slow-flowing water. This elusive fish tends to keep in small flocks at depths up to 2 meters, in secluded and quiet places with a sandy or rocky bottom overgrown with algae.
Preferred baits: Dough Balls, Semolina Balls Pearl Barley, Oat-flakes Caddis Larva, Bloodworms, Red Worms Pinkies, Maggots.
Oh and please note that the bite of some fish is affected by the direction of the wind!
