Fishing on Baikal: what fish, where and when to catch, the best places

Lake Baikal: where it is, depth, length, width

Lake characteristics:

Lake Baikal is located between Buryatia and the Irkutsk region.
The greatest length is 620 km, width 79 km.
The height of the lake surface above sea level is 455 meters.
The maximum depth is 1142 meters, which is the greatest among freshwater lakes in the world.
The average depth of the lake is more than 740 meters.
The area is larger than the Netherlands and Belgium combined.

This is interesting! Baikal is located in a basin between hills and mountain ranges, and Baikal water reserves account for a fifth of the fresh water on the planet and up to 70 percent of Russian reserves. There are 27 stable rocky islands on the lake, in addition to many alluvial ones. The shores of the lake are heavily indented, with steep rocky areas.

According to various estimates, from 330 to 550 permanent rivers and streams flow into the lake, but the Selenga River brings most of the water. Only one river flows out of Baikal - the Angara.

The fresh sea region is the main resort area of Siberia and boasts more sunny days than the Black Sea.

The best period for relaxation on the lake is considered to be mid-July - mid-August. During this period, the sun warms the water of Lake Baikal off the coast to 20 degrees.

There are many tourist centers and resort villages on the shores of the lake. Many tourist centers organize fishing tours under the guidance of experienced instructors around the lake and the rivers flowing into it.

LLC "Baikal Fish"

At the beginning of our article, we said that this company was created in 2009 for the artificial reproduction of Baikal’s fish resources. It carries out fish farming on the basis of the Belsky and Burduguz fish hatcheries.

Thanks to the activities of this organization, grown-up fry of such especially valuable fish species as grayling, sturgeon, omul, peled and others are annually released into the reservoirs of the Irkutsk region, including Lake Baikal.

Since 2011, more than forty million juvenile fish have been released into various reservoirs and republics of Buryatia, Trans-Baikal Territory, and Irkutsk Region.

Fishing on Baikal

Baikal is rich in its fish stocks - more than 56 species of fish live here. The most valuable of them:

Baikal sturgeon (fishing is prohibited);
grayling;
omul;
lenok (fishing is prohibited);
whitefish;
golomyanka;
taimen (fishing is prohibited).

Pike, roach, perch, and sometimes grayling are considered trash fish by local residents. The best period for catching perch, pike, dace, sorog, lenok, grayling, whitefish and omul is generally considered to be the period from mid-December to mid-April. It is at this time that the fish rises from the depths.

The most popular and convenient for amateur fishing are the eastern and southern coasts of Lake Baikal.

The most popular among fishermen are shallow, well-warmed bays and bays. For example, the bays of the Small Sea, the bays of Chivyrkui, Mukhor, Proval and many others. other.

In recent decades, poachers have become the scourge of these rich fishing spots, and fisheries authorities are clearly unable to cope with their dominance.

The northern shores of Lake Baikal are the most inaccessible for fishermen, as there are no roads. You can get to these practically protected places only by lake water.

Fishing from a boat on Lake Baikal is not very popular due to unpredictable gusts of wind that can capsize the boat.

Attention! On Baikal, the use of more than 10 hooks on one fishing rod, underwater hunting with scuba gear, and all types of nets for recreational fishing is prohibited.

Many relict fish of Lake Baikal are listed in the Red Book. In addition, catching the most valuable species of fish has strict time limits.

Permissions and prohibitions

Fishing is permitted on Lake Baikal and the rivers flowing into it for the following types:

Industrial fishing;
Traditional fishing;
Recreational fishing.

Certain fish species of Lake Baikal are on the verge of extinction, so they were included in the Red Book. Below are some of the fish that are prohibited from being caught:

Baikal omul;
Brook lamprey;
Siberian sturgeon;
Tench.

Prohibited fishing tools:

Scuba gear for spearfishing;
any types of networks;
fishing rods with more than 10 hooks.

Spring fishing on Baikal

In March–April, severe frosts subside on Lake Baikal and the length of daylight increases. The following can be said about fishing in spring on Lake Baikal:

March-April is the best period for spring ice fishing and the entire calendar year;
the average daily temperature is rising,
active biting continues for grayling, omul, whitefish and other fish;
fish gather in huge schools before spawning, which makes it easier for anglers to find them;
sometimes the ice fishing period ends in May;

Attention! From the end of April to the end of June, a ban on spawning and fishing with amateur gear is introduced in the lake. This ban on omul fishing is introduced from mid-August to mid-September.

Nuances of fishing depending on the time of year

As the weather changes, the behavior of fish also changes, which means you need to try different equipment and fishing tactics. Let's take a closer look at the main tricks of fishing on Lake Baikal depending on the season.

in winter

The lake begins to become covered with ice only in December. But reliable ice is established throughout the reservoir only at the end of January. Winter fishing on Lake Baikal is considered the most successful from mid-February to the end of March. The lake is freed from ice only at the end of April.

The shallow waters of the eastern coast, the strait between Olkhon Island, as well as other bays and bays are considered a popular place among fishermen.

On the first ice, pike, grayling and perch catch well. At this time, they swim to shallow water or try to hide in the reeds. As the ice gets stronger, the fish go deeper.

In January, fishing for omul or whitefish will be successful.

On a note! It is recommended to fish with a tackle of 2 leashes with flies. The latter are suspended above the spoon or weight, and below - a jig is attached.

Amphipods, which are found in sufficient quantities in the lake, are excellent bait and groundbait for most species.

in spring

In March and almost until the end of April, the ice crust still remains and begins to melt only in places. You need to understand that spring ice, which is saturated with melt water, even with a large thickness of 16–20 cm, is not very reliable.

At this time, the frosts disappear, and the air temperature gradually rises outside. After a long winter, fish feel the warming and gradually become more active in search of food, due to which they gather in schools and become less vigilant.

In spring, fishing from the ice or from the shore is possible.

Sometimes the period of spring ice fishing ends only in May.

At this time, whitefish, grayling, omul, perch, and roach respond well to bait.

Important! It must be remembered that from the beginning of May to the end of June, due to spawning, a ban on catching most of the fish living in the lake is introduced.

This ban on catching omul is valid from mid-August to mid-September.

In summer

The summer period is characterized by variable bite. There are two reasons for this:

Sufficient amount of food in the pond.
At high air temperatures, the water warms up more, the fish goes to depths where they just stand.

Basic gear:

donka;
fly fishing;
spinning;
float rod.

The following are considered working attachments:

fish fry (live bait);
maggot;
earthworm;
bread crumb or dough;
amphipod;
artificial baits for predators (wobblers, silicone).

Those who are used to fishing with worms should stock up on them in advance, since they are not found on the banks of this reservoir.

Active biting time is morning before sunrise or evening after 6 o’clock.

On a note! In the summer, local fishermen successfully catch omul using headlights, but it is better to immediately clarify the legality of this method in order to avoid a fine from the fisheries authorities.

At the beginning of June and towards the end of August, pike and perch become more active. But you shouldn’t look for them in the bays, since in August the lake blooms in such places. For this reason, individuals move to deep-sea areas.

Average weight of trophy predators at this time:

perch – from 500 to 800 g;
pike – from 3 to 7 kg.

Various types of spinners and wobblers are used as bait.

In the rivers flowing into the reservoir, grayling weighing from 700 to 1200 g is caught.

in autumn

Fishing on Lake Baikal in September and October is very similar to summer fishing in terms of the fishing method and conditions. Because the weather is still warm outside, the fish continue to bite with varying success.

But closer to mid-September, the activity of predators (pike, perch, burbot) increases, which begin to prepare for wintering, increasing their mass. The bite will be especially good in cloudy weather with light rain.

1–2 weeks before the start of freeze-up, increased activity of most individuals is observed. In search of wintering sites, many species stay in flocks, which improves fishing performance.

Important! November is a month of strong winds and storms in the Altai Territory. Therefore, it is not recommended to go out on the water in any type of boat. It will be safer to fish from the shore.

But extreme sports enthusiasts successfully catch omul in early November using a float or hanging fishing rod from boats. Mormysh mixed with sand is used as bait. Even deep-sea omul rise from the bottom for such a delicacy.

The bays of the lake freeze early - in early November. A thickness of autumn ice of 7 cm is considered safe for a pedestrian, and at least 15 cm for a car.

Summer fishing on Lake Baikal

Summer fishing on Lake Baikal is characterized by the greatest variety of gear used and species representation of fish.
However, this does not mean that the fish will “hang” on the hook wherever there is water - you need to look for places where fish accumulate. Summer is a rather difficult time for fishermen on Lake Baikal, especially when compared with spring and autumn. Features of summer fishing on Lake Baikal:

there is a lot of natural food in the reservoir, which has a very bad effect on the bite;
in hot weather there are periods of complete absence of biting;
used for fishing: float rod, spinning rod, donka, fly fishing;
baits - live fish, worms, maggots, amphipods, bread, dough, artificial baits;
The best fishing periods are early morning and night; as the water warms up, the fish leave the coastal shallows;
early June - a short period of revived biting begins with the flight of butterflies from the caddisfly - stops when the fish is satisfied with light food;
One of the most favorite baits for fish is an earthworm, which you need to bring with you - you can’t get it on the shores of Lake Baikal.

An interesting method of catching omul is using the light of a spotlight directed into the water. The amphipod gathers in the light, followed by the omul. They fish on a fishing line with several leashes, constantly changing the depth of descent. Hooks can be bare or equipped with flies.

Attention! Fishing with a spotlight is prohibited by fishing regulations in many regions.

in spring

These are the most favorable days for anglers. During this period, fish accumulate in spawning schools and the weather is already unusually warm.

In summer

in autumn

In the autumn, hunting for fish is no different from summer fishing, only towards the end the fish become more active, and at some point a constant bite begins.

Autumn fishing on Lake Baikal

Fishing in September and early autumn has few differences from summer. Periods of increased biting alternate with moments of its complete absence.

From mid-October to November there is a revival in the bite of perch, sorog, pike and other species of fish.

2-3 weeks before freeze-up, the zhor begins, which ends immediately before freeze-up. It is this period that is considered one of the most productive for catching omul using float and vertical fishing rods from a boat.

Mormysh mixed with sand in a ratio of 1:10 works well as bait. Such bait is capable of not only keeping the omul at the fishing site, but also lifting it from the depths.

Attention! November is a period of winds and storms on Lake Baikal. Strong gusts of wind can capsize a fishing boat.

Winter fishing on Lake Baikal

The most popular places for winter fishing are the shallow waters of the eastern shore and the strait between the coast and the island.
Olkhon. The freeze-up period on Lake Baikal begins in mid-December and lasts until the end of April. The following must be said about winter fishing on Lake Baikal:

the best fishing period is December;
Most often, at the beginning of winter, perch, sorog, pike, and grayling are caught;
the best fishing places at the beginning of winter are shallow water and reeds;
after the establishment of a strong ice cover, the fish move away from the shores and constantly change their habitats;
fishing tactics consist of constantly searching for fish;
from January to February, omul and whitefish rise from the depths and begin to bite;
For fishing, a tackle is used, consisting of 2 leashes with flies, suspended above a sinker or spinner, and a jig is suspended below the weight.

Where to fish on Lake Baikal in winter

As in summer, the most productive places are coastal relatively shallow bays and bays, estuaries, straits and river deltas.

What to fish for in Baikal

The best and most popular bait on Baikal at all times of the year, and especially in winter, is the amphipod, which is also an excellent bait.

A record-breaking “Baikal fishing” took place in Buryatia

The 15th anniversary “Baikal Fishing 2019” for ice fishing brought together 1,400 participants from all over the country and abroad, and the same number of spectators attended the festival. Fishermen from Mongolia, China, South Korea, Central Africa and the European Union countries braved the long journey and took part in the tournament. How the anniversary “Baikal Fishing” went, who left in a new car and who flew to Thailand, and what does the Russian book of records have to do with it, Vostok-Teleinform tells.

346 teams competed at this fishing trip for the main prize - a Toyota Fortuner car. The teams gathered on the ice, the fishermen were checked for the absence of fish, and then they started with a signal flare. “There are a lot of participants today. We announced in advance that we would go for a record and invited representatives of the Russian Book of Records. I would like to wish everyone victory, but in any case, everyone is already a winner - after all, participation in this fishing will be remembered for a lifetime. There is no such festival in Russia anymore, we are proud that our fishing has such a high status and so many guests,” said competition founder Vadim Bredniy at the opening ceremony.

The competition areas stretched along the shore of Lake Baikal for several kilometers. After the signal, all 1,400 people began drilling holes - as experienced fishermen say, in such a matter as mass fishing, it is fundamentally important to feed the fish as quickly as possible so that it swims exactly into your zone.

Fishing was attended by participants from different countries. Perhaps the most exotic and interesting team were the guys from Congo. Representatives of the team were introduced to fishing for the first time; they had never held a fishing rod and tackle in their hands before. As they told a Vostok-Teleinform correspondent, the team prepared for fishing using the Internet.

— We came from the Congo, but in general we are students and while we live in Irkutsk, we study there. I myself wanted to fish someday, but I didn’t think that I would do it in the winter, right on Lake Baikal,” said a team member, a girl named Olivia.

According to them, at Baikal they wanted to get some kind of experience from the event, as well as good memories and impressions.

— We decided to participate because it’s a healthy lifestyle, you need to move. This is cool and useful. And pride in representing my country,” said the second team member.

Neighbors on the ice helped the foreign guests master fishing skills; in this regard, the judges gave them a little concession. So practically “the whole world” helped them drill holes and deal with fishing rods.

Granny Yozhki fishing

This year, 33 women’s teams came to the tournament: “Granny Hedgehogs”, “Stars of Cool”, “Forest Nymphs”, “Fleur” and many others.

Each of the 132 participants competed for a trip to Thailand. Some of them consulted with their husbands, while others have been coming to “Baikal Fishing” for several years now and have experience in ice fishing. Thus, the “Stars of Cool” team from Ulan-Ude went fishing for the fourth time; last year they were able to take second place among women’s teams and the “Best Equipment” nomination.

This year they are again wearing unusual costumes that they sewed with their own hands. Women with stars on their heads showed off not only their original costumes, but also their fishing equipment. For example, one of the participants turned out to have truly rare gear. The girl inherited the scoop used to scoop out crumbs of ice from the hole from her husband’s grandfather, a hero of the Soviet Union. While she was talking about this, the “Star of the Bite” team caught their first fish - a small perch. But the fishermen were happy for him too: “A dozen more of these,” they say, “and that’s it, you can count on victory.”

By the way, they have their own record: they can drill three holes in one hour. Vostok-Teleinform correspondents, having subsequently observed the teams, became convinced that this was indeed not an easy task. After all, the thickness of the ice at the fishing spot reached 1.3 - 1.5 meters; to get to the water, some lack experience, some lack strength, and some just need height.

Fishing stars

On the first day of the festival, March 29, the grand opening took place. The main decoration of the day was People's Artist of Russia Alexey Buldakov (RIP) in the image of General Mikhalych from the famous films “Peculiarities of National Hunting” and “Peculiarities of National Fishing”. It was he who was entrusted with giving the command to raise the flag. The next day, the general also performed several songs and gathered hundreds of fans around him. Later, Anna Semenovich came to Oymur. She arrived in Ulan-Ude in the morning and immediately went to Baikal. The appearance of the singer caused a great stir; security could barely cope with the huge flow of people surrounding the singer.

Read also: Cool place “Savelyevo”

— To be honest, I arrived a little tired, but when I went to Lake Baikal, rode a husky, made a wish, I had so much strength. “You live in an amazing, magical, magical place,” the singer said.

Semenovich performed five songs on stage, including her new composition “Do you want.” Also, during the song “Story,” she recorded a video with residents of the republic in her Instagram story and sang the song “Across the Seas” with the audience. People sang along with her vigorously and tried to take pictures at least against the backdrop of a passing star. And one woman tried to push her small child through the bars of the fence so that he could at least stand next to the singer. The boy, I must say, resisted.

Alexey Buldakov’s speech was warm, and by a sad coincidence, almost the last public one. The actor died literally 3 days after the festival, while in Mongolia, neighboring Buryatia. Buldakov, who played one of the main roles in a series of films about the peculiarities of the national hunt, the General, beloved by millions of Russians, died in his sleep due to a blood clot on April 3. The actor was 68 years old. The press service of the Russian Embassy in Mongolia noted to RBC that the actor’s body will be delivered to Russia in the coming days. “The cause of death was acute heart failure due to coronary heart disease. The exact time of transportation of the body is still unknown, but it is absolutely certain that by the end of the week he will be at home,” the embassy said.

But then, on March 30, he sang lyrical songs to the audience. First, a touching composition “When with a simple and tender gaze,” and then, as if anticipating something, another one, called “Spring will not come for me.” Spectators say his eyes were wet.

By the way, the general told reporters that he “talked with the fish and agreed that it would bite.” True, he didn’t manage to go fishing on Lake Baikal himself.

Fishing Violators

Meanwhile, the participants tried to catch more fish, and some did not disdain anything in pursuit of an elite car. Violations were found in one of the adult teams, who tried to bring in fish in advance. “In the morning before the competition, controllers and judges inspect everyone. The fish was found at the bottom of one of the participants' boxes, and the team was removed from the competition. There were also certain violations in the children's team. But in principle, for such a large-scale public event, these are minor violations. The fishing was great. They worked accurately and safely, and the refereeing team worked normally,” said the chief judge of the competition, Leonid Mikhailik. Participants were immediately disqualified.

This year, about 140 controllers monitored the Baikal Fishing teams. One of the fishing inspectors confirmed that violations are recorded every year.

— We check all personal belongings of the participants to ensure that no smuggling occurs. Exit outside the site only with our permission, as well as entry. We make sure that strangers do not enter the team’s territory, we catch them on the spot. All violations are recorded and the team is disqualified,” said an inspector named Igor, who has been monitoring fishing violations for the fifth year.

According to him, usually in a team that decides to cheat, one of the fishermen asks to go to the toilet, where his accomplice is waiting for him with live fish. Right in the toilet it is passed from hand to hand and brought to the holes. “They hide it under a jacket or in boots. The prize is worth a million,” notes the controller.

Teams that realize that the fish cannot be smuggled in begin to increase the weight of the caught fish by stuffing lead into it. Such facts can be stopped by probing the catch. “Every year there are violations, but no one wants charlatans to win and leave here in a new car that they don’t deserve,” Igor concluded.

Winners and fishing records

The team from Ulan-Ude “GTA” deservedly took home the main prize of the festival .

During the fishing they caught 9 kilograms 536 grams of fish. Let us note that the winners of the last “Baikal fishing” from Khabarovsk managed to catch only 983 grams. The current winners were presented with the keys to a Toyota Fortuner car by the head of Buryatia, Alexey Tsydenov, Anna Semenovich put on the medals, and General Alexey Buldakov shook hands with the fishermen. The fishermen were so eager to hug their favorite artist that they even pushed the head of the republic a little aside. Needless to say, emotions went wild.

“I’m overwhelmed with emotions, I’m very tired. We are happy for the good organization, persistent and fair fight of the teams. We tried our best, crawled on our knees for five hours of competition and caught all the fish that were in our fishing zone,” shared the team captain.

The second place for a catch of 7 kilograms 260 grams of fish was taken by the Angara team.

from Angarsk.
Their prize was a Yamaha snowmobile. Dynamo
team whose catch amounted to 6 kilograms 617 grams of fish. They received a boat motor as a prize.

The best of 33 women's teams, the Musketeta

(although they were declared “Musketeers”) caught 548 grams of fish and received tickets to a hot country. Also this year, for the first time, competitions among children were held as part of “Baikal Fishing”. They were organized jointly with the movement of the fathers of Buryatia, and the participants were children under 14 years old with their fathers and grandfathers. Here the winner received a children's ATV, the silver winner received an off-road bike, and the bronze medalist received a tablet.

The total catch of all teams (men's, women's, family) was 134 kilograms. The Baikal Fishing festival is becoming more and more popular every year not only outside the republic, but also outside the Russian Federation. More and more foreign teams are taking part in it, and 2021 has truly become the largest tournament in the history of winter fishing on the ice of Lake Baikal. “Baikal Fishing 2019”, which took place on March 29-30 in the village of Oymur, Kabansky district, again entered the Russian Book of Records, beating its own achievements from five years ago. Let us remind you that in 2014, 1044 participants gathered for the tournament and this number was recognized as a record. This year the tournament again became the largest ice fishing event in the country: 1,400 participants, 350 teams. The record was officially registered, and the organizers received a certificate from the hands of the editor-in-chief of the Russian Book of Records, Stanislav Konenko.

Let us note that the Vostok-Teleinform journalist also received something from the hands of the head of Buryatia. But not car keys, but a letter of gratitude to the agency for organizing and conducting Baikal fishing. Based on the results of the trip, the editors prepared a mini-film about fishing on Lake Baikal, so instead of a period we put a colon:

Anastasia Shadrina, Maria Vandanova, Vostok-Teleinform, Ulan-Ude - Baikal-Ulan-Ude.

Noticed a typo? Highlight the error and press Ctrl+Enter.

The best places for fishermen on Lake Baikal

There are plenty of places for recreation and fishing on Lake Baikal.
The variety of prices and services provided can satisfy everyone. There are enough places on the lake where you can fish and relax as a “savage”; these are mainly beaches on the shore. There are many such places along the M55 and on the south coast. Here are some of them:

behind the village of Utulik there are beaches that are used by “savages” for long-term stops;
the beaches near the Chaika camp site provide the “savages” with some comfort of stay - at the camp site you can visit a cafe, disco, shower, etc.
Olkhon Island is the main “wild” holiday destination, which is characterized by reasonable prices for local infrastructure and independent choice of a camp site. Among other things, the strait between the island and the lake shore has good fishing.

When going on holiday and fishing as a “savage”, you need to remember that not all the local population treats visitors adequately.

In addition to many places for “wild” recreation, on the shores of Lake Baikal there are dozens of recreation centers of varying levels of service and price categories.

Fishing base "Buran"

Located in the river delta. Selenga. Provides fishing organization services for both experienced fishermen and beginners all year round. Comfortable rooms with satellite TV and showers. Three meals a day, guarded parking and pier. The cost of living is 750-950 rubles per day. Other services are available at an additional cost.

Recreation center "Baikal Dunes"

It is located on the territory of a national park in Akademicheskaya Bay, 160 kilometers from Irkutsk in the south-western part of the lake. Comfortable accommodation and recreational conditions. Several beaches and bays. Fishing equipment rental.

Guest yard “On Snezhnaya”

Located in the village of Vydrino on the river. Snezhnaya, which flows into Baikal from the south. In addition to fishing on the river and Lake Baikal, fishing trips are organized on the Warm Lakes. Accommodation in a four-bed house - 2400 rubles/house. Additional services - sauna, bicycle and ski rental.

Baikal has a lot of different fish and places to catch them. On the shores, especially the southern ones, there are many paid and free recreational areas. Once a fisherman reaches the lake, he will always find a place to fish. However, one should never forget the size of this freshwater sea and the need for careful preparation.