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Here's a shot of myself while serving as a professional River Tay salmon fishing guide with my black labrador dog 'Selkie' out in the Cottar Pool of the Newtyle Beat near Dunkeld. This shot was taken by professional Scottish photographer Peter Sandground for the Glasgow Herald Magazine.
This 20 pounder was the first of two perfect March caught Tay Spring salmon caught by this fortunate young salmon angler on his first ever days salmon fishing near Dunkeld in the Tay Valley. Young Robbie Fairfull was given this salmon fishing guide experience with myself by his father via a River Tay salmon fishing experience gift voucher.
Here's Jock Monteith powering upstream in a traditional larch built River Tay salmon fishing 'coble' boat at the confluence of the River Tay & River Tummel during the month of May. Jock has his cold weather clothing on and Tweed cap in addition to his life jacket which is essential for all boat or riverbank duties.
Here's the Newtyle salmon fishing ghillie ferrying anglers across to the popular left hand bank of the Cottar Pool which is a very productive pool on this lovely middle Tay salmon beat. This early morning photo captured the mist rising off the Tay Valley.
This floating salmon fly line is swinging around perfectly here into a renowned salmon lie on the River Tay near Dunkeld. The rod in the picture is my 16ft Bruce & Walker Spey casting rod which I've used as a professional salmon guide for over 20 years due to its perfect casting action.
This old bench was found hanging from a riverbank tree 1 mile upstream of its now perfect location directly in front of the River Tay & River Tummel confluence following an early Spring flood. As soon as I saw the bench and had salvaged it I knew exactly where it was going to be re-sited and its now been here in this perfect elevated riverside location for the last decade. This is the most perfect seat for observing one of the most beautiful areas or the entire River Tay from. I added the accompanying rod rest rack in too as you can see.
Here's some anglers receiving expert Spey casting tuition at Dunkeld on the River Tay. Learning to use a double handed salmon fly rod is easy when instructed by a professional salmon fishing guide who's fully tuned in to the traditional Scottish Speycast. This was a group lesson that was being given to a team of salmon fishing holiday guests who wanted to learn how to fly fish for salmon. Learning to fly fish for salmon is easy when you have the best salmon fishing guide instructors.

Book A Professional Salmon Fishing Guide

By 8th June 2019

If your ever think that salmon fishing is too difficult or your success ratio is 'non existent' then don't right this game off unless you've taken the time to be shown how to 'effectively' catch salmon.

Far too many anglers 'blunder' into this business on the back of an 'detached' agent permit sale with no idea of what they're doing then exit after a few 'guaranteed' to be unsuccessful salmon fishing attempts!

Here's some anglers receiving expert Spey casting tuition at Dunkeld on the River Tay. Learning to use a double handed salmon fly rod is easy when instructed by a professional salmon fishing guide who's fully tuned in to the traditional Scottish Speycast. This was a group lesson that was being given to a team of salmon fishing holiday guests who wanted to learn how to fly fish for salmon. Learning to fly fish for salmon is easy when you have the best salmon fishing guide instructors.

Salmon Fishing Tuition Should Be Mandatory

How on earth would a professional salmon guide be able to climb into the cockpit of a Boeing 747 and successfully get that big bird airborne without some highly effective 'prior' training! That logic applies with anyone's profession where there's usually always mandatory training and qualifications required. Now our game offers PHD's on how to use a fly rod but from what I've seen there's little or nothing out there that teaches you the 'real stuff' like how to make your salmon fly behave properly in the stream and get away from being a 'launch & hope' specialist. Success in salmon fishing starts when your fly hits the water and doesn't just end there!

This old bench was found hanging from a riverbank tree 1 mile upstream of its now perfect location directly in front of the River Tay & River Tummel confluence following an early Spring flood. As soon as I saw the bench and had salvaged it I knew exactly where it was going to be re-sited and its now been here in this perfect elevated riverside location for the last decade. This is the most perfect seat for observing one of the most beautiful areas or the entire River Tay from. I added the accompanying rod rest rack in too as you can see.

Poor Scottish Salmon Beat Presentation

To my mind Scottish salmon fishing is largely underdeveloped by the majority of beat owners & agents not taking their asset or business seriously enough which is clearly reflective in their web presence if they've even bothered to build a web site. An 'entry point' salmon fishing basic permit was never ever intended for a newcomer to this business but only for experienced salmon fishers who know exactly what they're doing and as importantly have the right levels of equipment including the most appropriate salmon flies & lures! No wild Atlantic salmon is ever going to surrender itself unless careful planning & salmon pool presentation are fully engaged along with the salmon fisher's full 'sub surface' thought process.

 

This floating salmon fly line is swinging around perfectly here into a renowned salmon lie on the River Tay near Dunkeld. The rod in the picture is my 16ft Bruce & Walker Spey casting rod which I've used as a professional salmon guide for over 20 years due to its perfect casting action.

The 'Launch & Hope' Salmon Fishing Brigade

Speaking from decades of experience in observing the various skill levels of anglers that turn up on the Scottish rivers throughout each day & week of the salmon fishing season the honest undisclosed 'hit rate' for angler to salmon caught ratio is highly likely going to average something like 20 to 1 at the very best! What I mean by that is there will be likely 20 rod days sold to result in 1 fish being caught. I'm not referring here to professional salmon guide attempts or salmon beats that are run effectively from a fishing point of view but I'm referring to the 'hit rate' of untrained anglers who turn up on a basic 'permit only' supply who have ignored (or where never offered) the necessary training that is most 'definitely' required for consistent success in this fantastic pursuit.

Here's the Newtyle salmon fishing ghillie ferrying anglers across to the popular left hand bank of the Cottar Pool which is a very productive pool on this lovely middle Tay salmon beat. This early morning photo captured the mist rising off the Tay Valley.

How We Should Be Viewing The Scottish Rivers

From what I've seen and have studied most of the planet during these times is contaminated with a 'luciferian style' inversion of the truth. The Scottish salmon fishing game is no different where the only emphasis is placed on 'catch statistics' which tells us nothing of how many salmon were in a beat to be caught, how many anglers were present to fish for them or how many opportunities to land salmon were squandered through unskilled salmon fishers. One beat could be completely stuffed with fresh run 'takers' and no one there to interview them so that beat get's zero attention and so this very 'sad' marketing story continues! Statistics in this business should be reversed onto the agent's and angler's presentation and angling skill levels and the seriously flawed 'salmon caught' statistics theme left well alone!

Here's Jock Monteith powering upstream in a traditional larch built River Tay salmon fishing 'coble' boat at the confluence of the River Tay & River Tummel during the month of May. Jock has his cold weather clothing on and Tweed cap in addition to his life jacket which is essential for all boat or riverbank duties.

Book A Professional Salmon Fishing Guide

If your mind is like a 'dry sponge' ready for water it's not necessarily the important salmon fishing casting, movement & salmon hooking skills you'll be taught by a professional salmon guide but more often than not its the unspoken 'observational' stealth, vibe & consistent persistency of a top professional you'll pick up on most. The key to the deal is finding a professional guide who's been around long enough to give you the full picture and one who is highly skilled & experienced in all salmon fishing approaches. Again like 'sleeping' agents and beat owners there are guides who who are only posing as salmon guides and there are those who were clearly otters or ospreys in past lives! To book the latter follow this link to obtain the 'highly astute' services of a professional Scottish salmon fishing guide.

 

More Salmon Fishing Articles

This perfectly timed photograph was taken by professional photographer Louise Bellin on the Kinnaird Beat of the River Tay at the famous Junction Pool which is directly where the River Tummel enters the Tay. Jock, dressed in traditional Tweeds and waders holds his fishing rod, demonstrating the perfect Spey cast required in this salmon fishing hot spot for maximum water coverage of the lovely Tay salmon pool.

Fine Tune Your Speycast

Jock Monteith

14th August 2026

The vast majority of Scottish Speycasters tend to cast like 'racehorses with blinkers on' with their heads only aligned to the target area and not to the crucial mid cast 'anchor point' which is vital for a perfectly timed power stroke delivery.
This perfect River Tay Springer was caught by myself on the 23rd of February from the Kinnaird salmon beat near Pitlochry. These early run Scottish salmon are perfect specimens and are guaranteed to get your heart racing. This fish was quickly returned and swam off strongly to continue its upstream migration to the upper reaches of the Tay. You can see the gold ABU Toby lure, Bruce & Walker Hexagraph spinning rod and Van Staal spinning reel used in the capture of this fine Spring run salmon.

Successful Salmon Spin Fishing

Jock Monteith

13th August 2026

Here's a few paragraphs on how to set a spinning lure hook based on practice not theory. Nothing beats professional time spent on a Scottish salmon river for observing the various aspects of this glorious pursuit.
This is the Steps Pool on the Newtyle Beat of the River Tay and I've drawn the optimal wade line in red which allows anglers to fish through the pool safely and effectively without spooking any salmon that may be present. I took this downstream shot while working as this guest's salmon fishing guide for the day.

Salmon Lie Approach

Jock Monteith

12th August 2026

Over the decades I've seen great opportunities for an easy 'early day' salmon completely blown by anglers who put on waders that go up to their chests and think they have to do the same while wading in the river!
Here's Jock Monteith amidst a Spey casting lesson on the River Tay under the historic Telford Bridge demonstrating perfect D Loop loading with the single Spey cast. The traditional Spey cast is the most effective and satisfying casts. This photo was taken by local Dunkeld photographer Charlie MacDonald. Jock is wearing his Graham of Menteith tartan kilt while demonstrating Spey cast with his 15ft Monteith salmon fly rod.

The Spey Cast Swing

Jock Monteith

11th August 2026

Understanding the value of a correct 'logical' line lift at the beginning of the Spey cast is crucial for negating the cast crippling 'water resistance' experienced by an incorrect line lift. Today I'll elaborate on what maintains this 'ease and smoothness' of cast through the middle section of the cast known as the 'swing' which is crucial for adequate rod loading in the D Loop.
I designed this deadly salmon fly pattern 20 years ago while working as the Head Ghillie and salmon fishing instructor on the River Tay's Newtyle Beat. Here's the exact dressing before anyone asks; Hook: 1

Salmon Fly Selection

Jock Monteith

10th August 2026

There's been millions of words written on this fascinating subject over the decades by many serious salmon fishers who all have their own take on what the best patterns are. At the end of the day it boils down to faith as we will never truly get permanently inside a salmon's mind.
This guest was fishing with me on the River Tay near Dunkeld. This pool tail is a renowned hot spot for running salmon so I waded out to this fishing position to make it easier to fish the main salmon lie between the fisher and the far riverbank. Directly in front of the big tree that you can see on the opposite riverbank is the main salmon lie hot spot.

Important Riverbank Etiquette

Jock Monteith

9th August 2026

For the daily operation of any salmon beat to run smoothly it is important that all fishing guests read & understand the beat rules which are there primarily for safety reasons and to ensure the enjoyment of all paying guests.
Here's myself with a fine Spring salmon in the landing net immediately prior to its release. A good landing net with fish friendly mesh is an essential piece of salmon fishing equipment. I caught this fine salmon at the Daffodil Lie Pool on the beautiful Kinnaird Beat of the River Tay in Highland Perthshire.

Spin Fishing For Tay Salmon

Jock Monteith

8th August 2026

If your effective hooking rate with a spinner on the River Tay isn't close to 100% then there's a few different angles of thought to consider the next time you're out slinging cutlery across Scotland's biggest & deepest salmon river.
Here's the bow section of a hand built River Tay 16ft salmon fishing 'coble' boat with a Brady fishing back and Bruce & Walker salmon Spey rod fitted with a Van Staal salmon fly reel. Professional salmon guides in Scotland take their personal salmon fishing equipment seriously too!

Salmon Beat Ghillies

Jock Monteith

7th August 2026

Having served my time as a professional ghillie on the River Tay the next few paragraphs highlight a few of the finer points that I personally believe that makes a resident professional salmon beat ghillie stand out from the crowd.
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