It is no exaggeration to say that every third Kazakh family has its own fisherman, be it a father, son or brother. In addition to traditional commercial fishing, sports and amateur fishing is actively developing in Kazakhstan: there are federations, clubs, and just communities. The national team of Kazakhstan in sport fishing twice became the world champion in the team competition, the members of the national team are prize-winners of many international tournaments. All this, of course, is not accidental, our fishermen have a place to hone their skills. We will tell you about the most catchy places, about rivers and lakes, where eminent fishermen not only from Kazakhstan, but also from the world come to get trophies.
Trophy Balkhash
At all times, the delta of the Ili River in the Southern Balkhash region was considered the best place for fishing in Kazakhstan: here the species composition of fish is huge and the trophies are impressive. Our delta became famous abroad in the early 1990s, when the first foreign tourists from Europe made a powerful advertisement for the delta in foreign media, calling it “the best place in the world for catching trophy catfish.” By the way, two-meter giant catfish are also found on the Syrdarya River in South Kazakhstan, but there, unlike the Balkhash region, there is no such variety in the offer of services for recreation. In the delta today there are more than a dozen good, comfortable fishing recreation centers, not only foreign tourists, but also Kazakhstanis come here to rest. They go with their families, with children and wives, because in addition to fishing directly, here you can just have a great time in nature, ride motor boats through the labyrinths of the reed “jungle”, dive with scuba diving in the cleanest lakes of the delta. But, of course, the main goal remains to extract a worthy trophy. In addition to catfish, large representatives of the carp family are caught here: carp, grass carp. Fishing with a spinning rod on an asp is very interesting.
And in recent years, snakeheads have taken root in the delta, and although the locals consider it a real pest (and it is not unreasonable, because this aggressive predator eats everything that moves around, is a threat to herbivorous fish), for guests from other regions of the country and from abroad, this fish is exotic and therefore is of great interest.
In addition, the delta is considered one of the best places for spear hunters. It even hosts an annual competition for catching trophy specimens of catfish, carp, grass carp and pike perch under water!
By the pike’s command, by the fisherman’s “desire” …
But what is not in the Balkhash region and on Balkhash in general is the pike! And without a pike, the impression of fishing in Kazakhstan will not be complete! Already by the mere appearance of the pike, one can judge its agility, aggressiveness and predation. The Black Irtysh is famous for trophy pikes – a river that flows into Lake Zaisan in the East Kazakhstan region. In addition to pikes, large perches and bream are of interest to fishermen in this region.
Pike also lives on the rivers of Central Kazakhstan: on Ishim, Tobol, on the Nura River. In the south – in the Chuisky floods and the Syrdarya. Lake Shalkar, located 150 km from the city of Uralsk, is famous for its pikes. They say that this fish sometimes reaches 40 kg, but there are no photographic facts with such prey in recent years, more often fishermen post photos of 15–20 kg predators on various forums.
Giants of the Caspian
The largest fish in Kazakhstan is the beluga, which belongs to the sturgeon family. It is found in the Caspian Sea, weighing up to 300 kg. But the beluga is included in the Red Book and therefore is prohibited from fishing. However, the waters of the Caspian Sea and the Ural River flowing into it are full of other interesting objects allowed for fishing: pike perch, roach, carp, mullet, bream, catfish, asp. Sturgeon species of fish are banned, as well as “Red Book” fish, in particular, Caspian salmon, Caspian lamprey, and kutum.
Oddly enough, there are practically no fishing bases for amateurs in the region, but the Internet is replete with videos where local fishermen, for example, catch mullet with a spinning rod right from the shore.
In the river where the trout splashes …
A little about exotic fishing in Kazakhstan … In the mountains of the Northern and Central Tien Shan, in the Zhetysu (Dzhungar) Alatau, Osman is caught, and in some rivers, trout, which was introduced in Kazakhstan (the first planned acclimatization work on trout in Kazakhstan was carried out almost a hundred years ago in 1929-1935) in the rivers and lakes of the foothill zones of the Almaty region. Fishing in Kazakhstan for trout has always been considered aristocratic, albeit not easy, because sometimes you have to walk more than one kilometer in search of your luck, the very hole where the trout stands.
Inhabitants of taiga rivers
Difficult and peculiar fishing for grayling in the taiga rivers of Western Altai, for example, in the Black Uba and Belaya Uba. It will be a whole adventure for a fisherman to even just get to these places, but if he happens to be here, then, even after catching a few fish, he will be incredibly happy. Usually, the few local recreation centers “throw” fishermen several kilometers upstream of rivers (or streams) on special equipment, and the mountain fishing lover goes down the river during the day, checking the holes he likes. Far from civilization, in the vicinity of bears and other forest dwellers, such fishing gives people a lot of emotions. Therefore, according to the fishermen, it is not the trophy as such that is important here, but the process itself.
By the way, taimen is found in these rivers, however, even sport fishing (catch it – release it) is prohibited in our country.
Ice fishing in the Korgalzhyn reserve
Astana residents fish on the shores of Esil (Ishim), go to the lakes of the Burabay resort, but winter fishing on the lakes of the Korgalzhyn reserve is of particular interest to local fishermen. As soon as ice rises on the reservoirs, hundreds of anglers go to drill holes. By the way, this is a tangible help for the small staff of the reserve staff, whose duties include saving fish from death. An excellent example of a thoughtful interaction that benefits all parties!
“Okunkol” on Alakol
Lake Alakol, located in a semi-desert zone in the east of the Balkhash-Alakol depression, is interesting to those who fish on a large scale – fishermen. Fans of fishing here are not very interesting: it is almost impossible to catch a trophy specimen of fish from the shore, and it is not recommended to go out into the open water by boat here. Even fishermen are afraid of strong winds, for which the Dzungar Gates are famous, they say that if it blows, they urgently need to return to the shore.
But it is interesting that it is here that the Okunkol fishing and tourist festival has been held here in the fall for nine years in a row near the village of Akshi. Lovers catch perch, pike perch, carp right from the shore. And although their catches do not always impress trophy hunters in size, the tournament participants have no less emotions from this!
After all, what is important in fishing? Right! The process itself!
Separately, it should be said about small private reservoirs located near large cities. Basically, of course, these are the suburbs of Almaty and Astana. The owners of such reservoirs equipped them with gazebos, and in some places they built houses; carried out stocking, mainly with carp species of fish – and now, for a certain fee, they provide an opportunity for keen fishermen to satisfy their fishing need.
Of course, not all reservoirs are mentioned in the material: rivers, lakes, reservoirs of our vast homeland. You can find out more detailed information from the fishermen of the region where you want to go. After all, those in whom the “fishing spirit” lives already belong to the fishing brotherhood! And it is customary to help brothers!