Fishing in Kalmykia (Lagan): review of the trip

Lagan: areas, recreation, excursions, museums and churches, cuisine and restaurants, shopping and shops, attractions of Lagan.

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Lagan is an almost environmentally friendly city. There are no factories or factories here that would pollute the environment, so the air here is unusually fresh, especially for residents of big cities. Residents of Lagan are mainly engaged in agriculture, fishing and raising livestock. And at the same time, the city does not give the impression of a village in decline: it is very beautiful, quiet and peaceful here.

Monuments of the Soviet past coexist with Buddhist temples, folk festivals are held on Fisherman Square on holidays, and from July to September everyone goes to the Volga to watch pink lotuses bloom. Blooming lotuses are the main attraction of Lagan. There are entire plantations of these flowers on the Volga, and the best way to observe this phenomenon is from a boat, since lotuses grow right in the water.

How to get there

Lagan (stress on the second syllable) is located in the Caspian Lowland - 300 kilometers from Elista and 9 km from the Caspian Sea. You can get here from the village of Ulan-Khol. The distance of 42 kilometers is covered by taxi or regular buses.

Lagan is separated from Astrakhan by 150 kilometers. Buses also run between cities. But seasoned tourists recommend taking a taxi - it’s definitely faster, although several times more expensive. Finally, if you want to come to Lagan from Elista, then be prepared for a long road of 300 km. The bus will cover it in about 5 hours.

Search for cheap flights to Lagan

My fishing in Kalmykia

One of my good friends was going to visit his former colleague in the city of Lagan and invited me and two other friends to go with him and go fishing there together.

This was not the first time he was going there, and he promised that the fishing would be great. In Lagan there are a lot of different fish, such as carp, crucian carp, pike perch, bream, roach, perch, etc.

I managed to ask for a vacation from work, and I happily agreed. I really love traveling to new places. Since we had been interested in fishing for a long time, we had rods and tackle; before the trip, we bought worms, maggots, bait and other consumables at a fishing store and hit the road.

How to get to Lagan

Fishing in Kalmykia began from the road. We left on the night of May 1st, the journey took about 21 hours. We drove to the Rostov region along the M4; a lot has been written about this route on the Internet. The road is excellent, but there is a toll. In the Rostov region we went to Volgodonsk, an interesting city with its own attractions. There the road was already worse, in some places completely bad, but it was tolerable.

From Volgodonsk to Elista the road is 230 km with a complete lack of gas stations, there are very few cars here, but the road is of normal quality. In Volgodonsk you definitely need to fill up your tank. Elista is also a very interesting city with many attractions. I took a photo in front of a Buddhist temple.

From Elista we went to Yashkul, then to Komsomolsky, and there was a turn to Lagan. After Yashkul, trash began: the two hundred kilometers of road from Yashkul to Lagan were so terrible that I have never seen anything worse. Pit upon pit, the track looks like it was after a bombing. It was necessary to drive very carefully, otherwise you could destroy the suspension and leave the wheels behind.

And finally, at about 9 pm we reached Lagan. We were met by a friend’s colleague and offered to rent an apartment from his friends. For a week of living in a two-room apartment, we paid 1000 rubles per person.

Fishing in Lagan

The next day we asked the locals what and how. We were told that in the spring only white fish bite; it is useless to catch a predator. But in the fall, in October, pike, pike perch and perch begin to be actively caught on bright acid jigs. Moreover, you can catch a lot of pike perch. Now they are biting roach, rudd, bream, crucian carp, and carp. You need to fish on the canal that leads from the city to the Caspian Sea.

From April 20 to June 20, there is a spawning ban in Lagan. You can only fish in the city; outside the city there is a spawning zone where fishing is prohibited. But we decided to move further away from the city.

We drove along the canal closer to the sea and began to unpack our fishing rods. Before we had time to unpack, the fishery inspector immediately drove up in an UAZ and said that this was a spawning zone, fishing was prohibited, otherwise there would be a fine.

The fisheries inspection turned out to be adequate guys. We met them, talked peacefully and parted on friendly terms, getting off with a warning. Then we fished only in the city, I’ll show you in the image below.

Before that, I only fished on rivers and lakes in the Moscow and Tver regions. Here, you’ll be lucky with your catch: you can sit all day and not get a single bite. In Lagan, fishing is completely different: you throw out the feeder, don’t have time to sit down, and then there’s a bream, roach or crucian carp sitting on the hook.

It bites on worms, maggots, corn, and everything in a row. There are kilogram crucian carp and bream. The fish are simply teeming. I saw children near the shore catching sprat with a net.

I wanted to catch a large carp. I tried to take a larger hook and attach a bunch of worms, but nothing worked, the worm was immediately eaten by the fry. It was possible to catch carp only with cake. I came across specimens weighing 2 kilograms, a friend pulled out one weighing 4.8 kg, it’s in the photo below.

To catch a large carp, you need to take a crocodile with up to 300 grams of dough, a thicker fishing line and a more powerful reel. The carp kicks very hard, the fishing lines tear and break, thin rods are just on their way. Local fishermen who are engaged in commercial fishing used nets to pull out 10 kilograms of carp. We were treated to some of these balyk, it was very tasty.

In general, vacation and fishing in Kalmykia were a success. This was the most economical trip, we spent money only on vegetables, lunch and dinner were prepared from the catch. We fried fish on the grill and cooked fish soup.

They wanted to wither the roach and bream, but it didn’t work out. We lived on the second floor, and there were too many flies on the balcony, gauze did not help, they still crawled towards the fish. In the end, we just bought a box of dried bream at the market. A ten-kilogram box cost a little more than 1000 rubles.

Back in Lagan, I tried a dish that I had never seen anywhere before - dumplings with pike perch.

In Lagan there is a fishing store where you can buy everything except worms. The worm is not sold in Kalmykia and digging it up is very problematic. To do this, you need to water the ground for a long time and wait until it comes up. Therefore, if you are going to go there for fishing, then you need to take worms with a reserve.

We bought jigs and still decided to try to catch the predator with a spinning rod, but, as the locals said, this idea was useless. In spring, the predator is well-fed and is not interested in any bait.

The next year, at the end of April, my friend again went to visit a colleague, brought me frozen carp, and, he says, in 2019 everything was the same, and nothing has changed.

City of Lagan: attractions

The town of Lagan is a large village, mostly private. There are, of course, nine-story buildings, but there are very few of them. The city has everything you need: a fire department, a police department, a hospital, schools, kindergartens, a savings bank, cafes, Magnit supermarkets and a market.

In the center of the city there is a park, which is made in Buddhist style. The main religion of Kalmykia is Buddhism. There are various monuments in the park; I liked the large monument to fishermen.

Despite the fact that the city of Lagan is located next to the Caspian Sea, I was not able to see the sea. It is impossible to get to it by car: the coast is swampy. You can only get to the sea by boat.

To swim to the sea, you need to obtain permission from the border guards. The Caspian coast in Kalmykia is a border zone. During the spawning ban, it is impossible to obtain permission to go to the sea.

In the second half of summer, lotuses bloom by the sea. Locals take tourists to see them for money. The city has beaches, summers here are very hot, and they say the water in summer is like fresh milk. Around the city there is an endless steppe. In April, tulips bloom in the steppe. There is also very fresh air in Lagan, you can feel it after Moscow.

Cuisine and restaurants

There are few places to eat in Lagan. If you want variety and try exotic cuisine, then you are in the wrong place. Most places offer everything from soups to fried fish.

In Lagan you can find a couple of places, for example, the Hadris cafe, where you can try Kalmyk cuisine. What's worth trying? Large dumplings, dotur, dishes made from milk, cottage cheese, tea with milk, butter, salt and nutmeg. In addition, flatbreads in lamb fat and araku are milk vodka.

Resorts of Azerbaijan on the Caspian Sea

Holidays in Azerbaijan will not be cheap, but - compared to neighboring countries - the service, infrastructure, transport and hotels here are in perfect order. The largest resort is Baku: excellent sandy beaches are located next to numerous hotels in the suburbs of the capital, on the shores of the Absheron Peninsula.

Well, some landscapes. A 30-minute taxi ride from Baku, and you can plunge into peace and tranquility. The Caspian Sea is shallow, like in Anapa) I never managed to “drown myself” properly. No matter how much you swim from the shore, everything is knee-deep #bacupbeach #prank was a success #Caspian Sea
Publication from TOURS TO THE MOUNTAINS AND SEA (@marina_klashkina) May 20, 2018 at 8:05 PDT

Smaller resort villages are scattered along the entire coast: Nabran is famous for its soft fine sand and the cleanest air of relict forests, Mardakan attracts young people with its nightlife, the shallow waters in Bilgya and Novkhana are popular with parents with children, and the unusual black sand has become the hallmark of the Lankaran balneological resort.

If a beach in Azerbaijan is well-maintained, it is usually closed and paid for. Residents profess Islam - there are separate beaches for men and women.

The shops

There are few cafes in Lagan, but there are plenty of grocery stores. It feels like they were opened for almost every fifth resident. There are large ones, like the Mega supermarket, and smaller ones, where they sell everything you need, from chips to Kalmyk tea.

In Lagan you can find Kalmyk souvenirs. For example, the famous Kalmyk stone, in reference books it is named as opal and agate. It can be white or milky in color. Looks good. Surely it is somehow healing or, at least, useful for the fate of the person who wears it.

The best hotels on the Caspian Sea

Top 5 all-inclusive hotels in Russia

Many tourists prefer to live in the private sector: you can rent an apartment or house through online booking services or by contacting local realtors - they have more choice, since not all residents have yet mastered the Internet. Although there are many hotels, most of them will disappoint even the most unassuming traveler.

"Admiral"

Makhachkala, Turali village

One of the most important advantages for which travelers choose Admiral is the systems installed in the hotel, guaranteeing that you will always have cold and hot water and electricity. There are two beaches nearby, and the airport and city center are quite close.

"Jami"

Makhachkala, Turali village

Two-story cottages are located on the seashore, in a safe, protected location, in the resort area of the capital. Guests have their own sandy beach.

"The president"

Makhachkala, Avtomobilistov street, building 7

Despite the official name, the President Hotel is small and cozy. It is located away from noisy highways, in the middle of a green garden. The rooms are spacious, the beds have orthopedic mattresses.

"Europe"

Derbent, III Internationala street, building 23a

The hotel complex "Europe" receives high marks for attention to guests, and for cleanliness, and for the work of the chef, and for its location - within walking distance from both the beach and the city center.

"Cassiopeia"

Izberbash, Primorsky village, house 36

This hotel is called one of the best coastal hotels in Dagestan. The rooms have refrigerators, minibars, air conditioners, and TVs. And even a comfortable sleep system is installed - Garden sleep system. There is no need to go to the sea: the complex has a swimming pool with a terrace.

Lagan Hotels

In this city, hotels can sometimes be hidden in unexpected places. Let's say you see a sign indicating that there is a sauna. And then - bam! - hotel. So if you are sent to an overnight stay, for example, at a vegetable warehouse, do not be surprised.

The Alyonushka and Ulan-Zalata hotels are famous in Lagan. They are designed for tourists and business travelers. If you come here in winter or autumn, then you don’t have to worry about places - they will definitely be there. In the middle of summer it is better to check. Suddenly Lagan is experiencing an unprecedented influx of tourists who came here to fish. The hotels offer standard rooms and junior suites.

Administrative-territorial structure

According to the Law of the Republic of Kalmykia “On the administrative-territorial structure of the Republic of Kalmykia” and the Register of administrative-territorial units of the Republic of Kalmykia, a subject of the Russian Federation includes the following administrative-territorial units:

1 city of republican significance (Elista city)
13 districts 1 administrative-territorial entity with special status City Chess
2 cities of regional significance (Gorodovikovsk and Lagan)
110 rural administrations 268 rural settlements 231 towns
37 villages

As of January 1, 2001, the republic included:

3 cities,
112 rural administrations (rural municipalities),
273 rural settlements.

The administrative center of the Republic of Kalmykia is the city of Elista

2 things to do in Lagan:

Make a wish in front of a drum - in front of the Buddhist temples in Lagan there are khurde, prayer drums. If you want your wish to come true, spin the reel clockwise and go around it three times. Another wish granter is the Stupa with the figure of Buddha. They bring him gifts and also ask him for something. Unfortunately, no one keeps statistics on the fulfillment of desires.
See pink lotuses blooming - there are entire plantations of these flowers on the Volga. Lotuses bloom from late July to September. They can be seen in the river delta, where the Volga breaks up into hundreds of small rivers. Here lotuses grow directly in the water, replacing the surface of the river.

Beaches of Dagestan

The best beaches of Dagestan stretch across a wide sandy strip from Makhachkala to Kaspiysk. The most popular place is the south and west of Buinakskaya Bay. There are few organized beaches; locals swim on the wild ones, where it is quite dirty - tourists do not always clean up their trash.

The most well-groomed beaches are closed, they belong to tourist centers and hotels.

Central beach of Makhachkala

The main beach of the capital of Dagestan is not the most comfortable place to relax: there are always a lot of people, and the sea and shell rock on the shore are not clean enough everywhere. But there is all the infrastructure: changing cabins, sun loungers, there are many shops and cafes nearby. However, local residents recommend that instead of Central, go to more secluded wild beaches located in the vicinity of Dagestan.

Publication from the Malibu Recreation Center???⛱? (@malibu_dagestan) Jun 18, 2018 at 2:51 PDT

Basic safety rules in the resorts of Dagestan should not be neglected. On the most popular beaches, ladies can easily relax alone, but if they decide to go see remote villages, then you should definitely take a guide with you. It is better for girls to leave cities only when accompanied by a local resident - this way they will be able to avoid too much male attention.

Another favorite place of mine is the city beach of Makhachkala. This is my first time here in winter and it is very cold. The Caspian Sea is not the most popular destination for tourists, but I want to come back here again and again. On this beach any day of the year you will meet people playing sports. They run, jump, and swim in November-December. Moreover, most of them are very old people and even elderly, although there are quite a lot of young guys. It's nice to watch, this is where all champions are born. #Dagestan #Makhachkala #Makhachkala Beach
Posted by PAVEL FEDOROV (@pashka_vidik) Feb 16, 2022 at 3:15 PST

City beach in Kaspiysk

The beach is not bad, covered with shell rock; there is everything for relaxation, including changing rooms and sunshades. There is a special area for small children. The main drawback is the not particularly picturesque view of the workshop.

City beach in Izberbash

The beach in Izberbash is one of the best public beaches in Dagestan. It is wide, clean and well-maintained. The sea in these places is usually calm, the entrance to the water is gentle - convenient for families with small children. In the shower, if it works (this is not always the case!), thermal water flows.

Entertainment and attractions of Lagan

In the Caspian city it is worth visiting a Buddhist temple, going fishing, and then visiting the lotus valley.

Museum of Local Lore

This is a branch of the Kalmyk museum, which tells about the history of the region. People of many nationalities live in Lagan - Russians, Kalmyks, Tatars, Chechens, Dargins and others. Ethnographic exhibitions are constantly updated. The most popular halls are dedicated to the culture and life of the Kalmyks, the nature of the region, and stories about the first settlers. Web site.

Lotus Valley

In the East, the lotus is considered a sacred flower. Buddhists value it for its beauty and unique healing properties. The valley is located in the Volga delta - excellent conditions have been created here for lotuses to bloom. They reach a height of more than 2 meters.

It is best to observe them in the first half of the day - that is when the flower opens fully. Before sunset you won’t catch this beauty.

How lotuses appeared in the Volga delta is not known for certain. According to one version, the plant seeds were brought here by birds. Another option gives preference to Buddhist monks: they came and sowed.

Lagansky khurul

Lagansky khurul is a Buddhist temple. His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV himself donated money for its construction. The Lama presented a khurul tanka, an icon depicting Buddha Shakyamuni, as well as plaster prints of his palms. These are the main relics of the temple.

The icons in the khurul are made on fabric. The most revered are the thangkas with the faces of Amitayus, Maitreya, the White Elder and Tara. Each deity brings something pleasant to a person: happiness, luck, longevity, etc.

Rural and urban settlements

Below are lists of rural settlements (rural municipalities) and urban settlements (urban municipalities) by district (district municipalities) of Kalmykia

Urban settlements (urban municipalities) are highlighted in bold

font.

Gorodovikovsky district

Gorodovikovskoe urban municipality
Vinogradnenskoe rural municipality
Druzhnenskoe rural municipality
Lazarevskoe rural municipality
Pushkin rural municipality
Rosenthal rural municipality
Yuzhnenskoe rural municipality

Iki-Burulsky district

Bagaburul rural municipality
Zundatolginskoe rural municipality
Iki-Burul rural municipality
Kevyudovo rural municipality
Mantsinketsovskoe rural municipality
Manych rural municipality
Orgakinskoe rural municipality
Primanych rural municipality
Svetlovskoe rural municipality
Utsala rural municipality
Khomutnikovskoe rural municipality
Chogray rural municipality
Cholunkhamur rural municipality

Ketchenerovsky district

Altsynkhuta rural municipality
Ergeninsky rural municipality
Gashun-Burgustinskoe rural municipality
Kegultinsky rural municipality
Ketchenerovo rural municipality
Sarpinskoe rural municipality
Tugtuna rural municipality
Chkalovskoe rural municipality
Shatta rural municipality

Lagansky district

Lagansk city municipality
Dzhalykovskoe rural municipality
Krasi rural municipality
Northern rural municipality
Ulankhol rural municipality

Maloderbetovsky district

Iki-Bukhusovskoe rural municipality
Maloderbetovskoe rural municipality
Plodovitenskoe rural municipality
Tundutovskoe rural municipality
Khanatinsky rural municipality
Khonchnur rural municipality

Oktyabrsky district

Bolshetsarynsky rural municipality
Voshodovskoe rural municipality
Dzhangar rural municipality
Idzhil rural municipality
Mirny rural municipality
Khosheutovskoe rural municipality
Tsagan-Nur rural municipality

Priyutnensky district

Bulukta rural municipality
Vorobyovskoe rural municipality
Nartinskoe rural municipality
Oktyabrskoe rural municipality
Pervomaiskoe rural municipality
Sandy Rural Municipality
Priyutnenskoe rural municipality
Uldyuchinsky rural municipality

Sarpinsky district

Arshanzelmen rural municipality
Kanukovskoe rural municipality
Kirov rural municipality
Korobkinsky rural municipality
Obilnenskoe rural municipality
Sadovskoe rural municipality
Salyntugtun rural municipality
Umantsevskoe rural municipality
Sharnutovskoe rural municipality

Tselinny district

Baga-Chonosovskoe rural municipality
Verkhneyashkul rural municipality
Voznesenovskoe rural municipality
Iki-Chonosovskoe rural municipality
Naintakha rural municipality
Ovatinskoe rural municipality
Trinity rural municipality
Khar-Buluk rural municipality
Tselinnoe rural municipality
Chagorty rural municipality
Yalmta rural municipality

Chernozemelsky district

Adykovskoe rural municipality
Artesian rural municipality
Achinerovo rural municipality
Komsomolsk rural municipality
Kum rural municipality
Narynkhuduk rural municipality
Prikumskoe rural municipality
Sarul rural municipality

Yustinsky district

Barun rural municipality
Berginsky rural municipality
Tatal rural municipality
Harbin Rural Municipality
Tsaganaman rural municipality
Erdnievo rural municipality
Yustinskoe rural municipality

Yashalta district

Bagatugtun rural municipality
Berezovsky rural municipality
Veselovskoe rural municipality
Krasnomikhailovskoe rural municipality
Krasnopartizanskoe rural municipality
Manych rural municipality
Oktyabrskoe rural municipality
Solenovskoe rural municipality
Ulyanovsk rural municipality
Esto-Altai rural municipality
Yashalta rural municipality

Yashkul district

Gashun rural municipality
Youth rural municipality
Privolnenskoe rural municipality
Tavngashun rural municipality
Ulanerginskoe rural municipality
Utta rural municipality
Hartolga rural municipality
Khulkhuta rural municipality
Tsagan-Usna rural municipality
Chilgiri rural municipality
Elvga rural municipality
Yashkul rural municipality

Disadvantages of holidays on the Caspian Sea

12 apps and services for travelers

Although there is infrastructure for tourists on the coasts of Dagestan and Kalmykia, it is very modest. There are few entertainment complexes for children and adults, water parks and other places for family recreation.
Many beaches are covered with sand mixed with shell rock: it is uncomfortable to walk on, and small children can cut themselves.
You should not hope that on the seashore you will be offered many dishes with fish and seafood. Dagestan cuisine is predominantly meat-based, so lovers of sea reptiles will be disappointed.

Publication from? Photographer? Samara (@lena_rashidova) Aug 1, 2022 at 2:14 PDT