Fishing
Fishing for taimen on the Eg Ur drainage can involve a wide-ranging mixture of tactics and techniques. These rivers are clear, wadable, and range from 40 to 120 feet wide. They are home to taimen regularly exceeding 50 inches, with past monsters pushing 60 inches having been landed by our guests. For these, anglers generally skate extra-large mouse patterns on floating lines and throw oversized streamers on sink tips using either single or double-handed rods, often casting to sighted fish in glass-clear water. When taimen are cautious, the “dangling technique”, letting the fly suspend and twitch in the current directly downstream, can trigger strikes even after long hours of quiet.
Lenok are present as well, and an under-appreciated but extremely bountiful fish. These are generally targeted with the same tackle anglers might use for trout anywhere in the world; but they fight with far more power than most trout can come up with. Lenok eagerly take dries and nymphs providing consistent action, especially in the early season.
Also present are the Arctic grayling and the elusive Amur pike. Grayling are abundant and colorful, and while pike are rare, they can surprise persistent anglers.
A skilled guide team rotates guests via jet-boat through four massive beats encompassing the upper and lower sections of both the Eg and Ur Rivers, as well as several “side-branches”, some of which contain good numbers of pike on top of the Taimen and Lenok found in the main rivers. Each beat covers 20–40 miles of diverse water.
A comprehensive list of tackle and gear is provided upon booking, but be sure to check out Justin’s “Swook” pattern in advance; year after year on our Mongolia trips this fly has produced both the biggest and the most fish of the week.
Accommodations
Guests stay in traditional Mongolian Gers, spacious felt tents with framed beds, gear storage, and a central wood stove. Thoughtful details like pre-dawn fire lighting by staff make chilly mornings comfortable. The Gers are arranged in a half-circle along the riverbank, with the central lodge sitting atop a bluff, offering spectacular views of the river and surrounding valleys.
Both the upper and lower camp lodge complexes include a full-service dining cabin, hot shower facilities, a sauna, and a bathhouse. Diesel generators provide 110v electricity from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., with satellite phones available for emergency communication. The staff is attentive and professional, and able to accommodate nearly any request.
Cuisine
Meals blend hearty Mongolian fare with familiar Western comfort food. Breakfasts are hot and generous, lunch is packed riverside, usually homemade soups, sandwiches, and salads; and dinner is a sit-down affair in the lodge. Expect grilled meats, roasted vegetables, and fresh greens. Beer and wine are included, though guests are encouraged to bring their own preferred spirits. On the final night, cultural performances by local musicians and dancers round out the week, offering a memorable taste of Mongolian hospitality and heritage.
Travel Details
Traveling to Sweetwater Taimen Lodge is part of the adventure. Most guests arrive in Ulaanbaatar via Seoul or Beijing. After an overnight stay in the capital (with included airport transfers and hotel), a private charter flight takes you to the lodge’s remote airstrip.
From there, it’s a short ride to camp.
The charter departs early Monday morning, so guests must arrive in Ulaanbaatar on Sunday. In case of missed charters, alternate travel via commercial flight to Muren and vehicle transfer to camp is possible but not ideal. Return travel follows the same route, with anglers arriving back in the capital by Monday afternoon.
Rates
2025 Rates:
$7,700 per angler (shared ger/shared boat)
$840 Charter Flight
$475 Fishing License
*Total Package Price: $9,015 (double occupancy)
*$150 per night Hotel in UB not included in package price and paid for upon arrival in UB.
Package Price Includes: Lodging based on double occupancy, beer, wine, in-country transfers, transportation to camp from UB is done by helicopter or fixed wing aircraft.
