About Mongolia River Outfitters

Mongolia River Outfitters provides guided fly-fishing adventures for Taimen, Amur trout, and Mongolian lenok. We started fly-fishing in Mongolia back in 1991 and have run extraordinary Mongolia adventures since 1993.

Each autumn we are able to offer a few international guests exclusive access to the only river in the world protected specifically for taimen.

With nearly two hundred miles of blue ribbon water to fish and phenomenal numbers of large Amur trout and Mongolian lenok, this may be some of the planet's best trout fishing. Lenok and Amur trout will average 18 - 22 inches. Anglers commonly net more than thirty of these large trout in a single day on dries. In this fly-fishing sanctuary, a sunny afternoon drifting hoppers to dozens of twenty-inch trout is only a bonus.

The object of desire for most anglers is the exotic taimen. Watching these massive salmonids explode the surface of a wild Mongolian river to hammer a well-presented fly is unquestionably one of the world's most incredible angling experiences.

Most taimen will measure in the thirty inch range and several will come in over forty inches (1m). We regularly encounter taimen in the fifty to sixty inch bracket (1.5 m). These are the river's largest and most elusive fish. We keep very careful catch/release records of all taimen. During a typical six week season, we will catch and release hundreds of big, healthy taimen. A precious few of these will be over fifty inches.

Diligent stewardship helps keep the taimen and trout fishing this good. We've worked in partnership with local communities to conserve this river since the 1990's. With the support of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), six counties and Mongolia River Outfitters signed an agreement in early 2008 to establish world's first Taimen Sanctuary. This is the only river in Mongolia designated "catch and release" for all anglers and "fly-fishing only" for all international anglers. The use of treble hooks, motorboats, construction of permanent tourism infrastructure, introduction of hatchery fish, commercial forestry and mining are each prohibited within the 200 mile (320 kilometer) sanctuary.

We have thirteen private, streamside fly-fishing camps located within the Taimen Sanctuary. These are some of the best camps, guides and staff in the business. The camps are accessed via three separate bush airstrips. On upper river trips, guests are accommodated in ger (yurt) camps with vehicle support. On the more remote lower river float trips, guests are accommodated in very comfortable tent camps. The camps are each dismantled at the end of the season, leaving no trace.

Anglers fish from a fleet of imported Clackacraft drift boats. The taimen and trout fishing is a combination of drift and wade, much like spending a day on the Yellowstone. Anglers fish a new stretch of river daily, with anglers and guides floating directly from streamside taimen camps to fish fresh water. This "no drive" schedule maximizes fishing time, allows guests to explore a variety of water without shuttling, and keeps the river fresh. Upon arrival at the next downstream camp, the staff has your bags waiting, the bed made, the fire lit and dinner prepared.

In Mongolia, international anglers can now only fish with a government approved outfitter. We are fortunate to have long-term agreements designating Mongolia River Outfitters as the only outfitter who can legally access the Taimen Sanctuary. We have a departure limit of six - eight anglers per excursion and generally offer fewer than six trips each autumn. That means that every section of river is usually fished less than three days each year. Seasonal angler numbers are kept low to maintain the river, the fish and the experience. Because of this unique opportunity, many guests return each year to fish with us.

We run trips on this river only during early autumn. Mongolia's fishing season legally opens June 15 after the taimen spawn. Mongolia's rainy season is July - August. By late August the river is clearing and the fishing is peaking. By the end of October, Mongolia is starting to get too cold for fishing.

If you're interested in joining one of these amazing adventures, please contact us. We're more than happy to send additional information and/or set up a time to call you and talk about the trips.