Sasha and I joined a few guys and went for a three day trip to a remote location far from cellular network and electronic grid along river Terensug which joins with river Tom which flows through Novokuznetsk in south-west Siberia.
To get there we took a taxi to Mezhdurechensk on Friday morning, then a train to Balyksu and from there jeep and Russian 4×4 all-road (off road) military truck (GAZ-66) to the end of the “road”. The road was not suitable for normal cars since it crossed multiple small rivers without bridges and sometimes was more terrain than actual road. Since we sat on the truck bed we clearly noticed where and how we were going. To go by car to Balyksu is also a challenge for normal cars and the train is preferable.
The next day we went up early and walked a few kilometers to some spots along the river which were suitable for fishing Thymallus. Unfortunately we did not have much luck and our small company (Andryosha, Sasha and I) only got two during the whole day. Anyway, it was a great place and I got a chance to improve my fishing technique. The weather was perfect, at least in general (maybe not in terms of the fish catching suitability), but the water was cold so it was good to have warm socks under the waders. In the evening it was obviously time for banya and dinner. The place, owned by one of the guys, offered simplistic facilities but everything that was needed (including 57 bee houses) was in place.
On Sunday we went back to civilization the same way and also transported about one hundred kilograms of honey from the honey factory in the forest to Mezhdurechensk.
All in all a memorable experience which gives some more understanding of the background of the movie Peculiarities of the National Fishing.