Nikolai Radchenko, a sports fisherman from Kara-Balta, shared his experience: “We spend only 4-5 hours on the road, and here we are already on the ice of the reservoir. The ice here is very strong, and Kazakh gamekeepers come by to check our permits. The cost of a fishing ticket for a day is about 300 soms. We drill holes, set up tents, and start casting our lines. We catch our first fish—a bream—within half an hour. The bite is especially active twice a day: from 5 to 7 in the morning and from 5 to 7 in the evening. Then the bite abruptly stops,” he said.
According to him, nighttime temperatures at Tasutkol can drop to -15 to -25 degrees, so it's important to come fishing with good gear: without a winter tent and gas heating, fishing is practically impossible.
“Throughout the winter, we go to Kazakhstan for bream while the ice remains strong. The bream actively bites on maggots, earthworms, and bloodworms. Experienced fishermen create a ‘fog’ of bait particles in the holes, which significantly attracts fish. With the right fishing technique, one can catch up to 30 kilograms of fish in a day using three winter rods. We usually dry the caught bream. It’s very tasty,” added Nikolai.
He also noted that in Kyrgyzstan, 1 kilogram of fresh bream from Kazakhstan costs 150-200 soms, while dried bream ranges from 300 to 500 soms. Dried bream contains many beneficial substances, including Omega-3 fatty acids, chromium, iron, and vitamin PP. Consuming such fish positively affects blood formation, slows down the aging process, and reduces the risk of stroke.
