About Mongolia River Outfitters

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

This journey is widely recognized as one of the world's very finest fly fishing experiences. The river is the benchmark by which all other taimen streams are measured. Each autumn we are able to offer a few guests exclusive access to this stream with its awesome natural beauty and incredibly productive waters. Every year, some of the globe's finest anglers join us for these few short and very special weeks to celebrate this majestic river.

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.

Every season, we catch and release hundreds of big, healthy taimen. 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.

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 the world's first Taimen Sanctuary. Since then, we have moved forward at our sister operation, Fish Mongolia, and helped create the world's second Taimen Sanctuary. Four-hundred miles (650 km) of river are now protected for taimen.

These are the only two rivers in Mongolia designated both "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 in both taimen sanctuaries.

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.

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.