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Often dark glassy water patches like this are also good salmon holding locations. This was one such salmon holding spot at the Trap Pool of the River Tay near Dunkeld. This salmon fishing trip fly fisher was just approaching the hot spot when his River Tay salmon fishing guide captured this lovely photograph.
Here's a group of new fly fishers testing out their newly taught skills with a double handed salmon fly rod during the Summer. Many larger groups come to me for a crash course in salmon fishing and this was one such party that I guided for on the River Tay near Pitlochry.
This beautiful salmon fly reel id the Van Staal C-Vex Combo 9/11 in silver which is my own personal salmon reel. The light blue fly line is the Monteith Speycaster Multi System which was a Spey line I designed that fishes with 1 of 8 tips that come with the mainline to cover various different salmon fly depth swim applications. The fly rod is a 16ft Bruce & Walker Norway blank hand built to my specification with a stabilised walnut Struble reel seat.
Here's a shooting head salmon fly line that was designed by professional salmon fishing instructor Ian Gordon from the River Spey.
This was my Monteith Sunk line salmon fly fishing system which was a sunk line Speyline that allowed anglers to fish their fly as deep as necessary. This Speyline Multi tip system came with a pouch of braided core sink tips of varying sink rates as you can see here.
This lovely tapered salmon Spey line was designed to turn over fast sinking tips with ease where other floating main belly lines would struggle. This line system came with 8 tips to cover all salmon fly fishing applications and was a firm favourite with thousands of UK salmon fishers.

Fly Fishing In Scotland

By 18th August 2018

It's important when you're fly fishing on the perfect Scottish rivers that you tune you mind into all of the important fishing aspects that are crucial for success in this amazing pursuit.

While most fly fishers only focus their thoughts on the arial performance of their fly line there's far more mileage in focussing on the speed & depth of your fly and how its materials are moving in the stream.

This beautiful salmon fly reel id the Van Staal C-Vex Combo 9/11 in silver which is my own personal salmon reel. The light blue fly line is the Monteith Speycaster Multi System which was a Spey line I designed that fishes with 1 of 8 tips that come with the mainline to cover various different salmon fly depth swim applications. The fly rod is a 16ft Bruce & Walker Norway blank hand built to my specification with a stabilised walnut Struble reel seat.

Fly Fishing In Scotland

As a direct result of a few of the Scottish Spey casting distance records being broken over the last decade by a few very talented Scottish ghillies the entire focus of Scottish salmon fishing switched from 'fishing' to 'distance'. Personally I've never seen something as unnecessary than a 65 yard plus cast with an 18ft rod and 100 foot headed Spey line where the caster is completely physically exhausted after a few minutes and that ever could ever be regarded as a real salmon fishing cast or anything associated with actually fishing a fly correctly.

This was my Monteith Sunk line salmon fly fishing system which was a sunk line Speyline that allowed anglers to fish their fly as deep as necessary. This Speyline Multi tip system came with a pouch of braided core sink tips of varying sink rates as you can see here.

Salmon Fishing Lines

As a follow on from that most of the Spey line manufacturers sold thousands of 100 foot headed Spey lines to their clients. As a professional River Tay ghillie at that time I witnessed on many ocassions anglers handing me these monster Spey lines and their fly reels hoping I would fit the line for them to discover their full sized salmon reel couldn't even take the 'competition' line even without their actual backing line being on their reel.

 

This lovely tapered salmon Spey line was designed to turn over fast sinking tips with ease where other floating main belly lines would struggle. This line system came with 8 tips to cover all salmon fly fishing applications and was a firm favourite with thousands of UK salmon fishers.

Spey Tapered Salmon Fly Lines

At the same time period the focus had recently been switched from ugly tapered 'shooting head' type lines to really elegently Spey tapered 'weight forward' lines that were designed to fish the fly at a pre-determined depth with a choice of sinking tips to ensure this happened under all water conditions. Had this 'obscene' distance theme not sneaked into our game where even those who could cast a long line had little control of their fly for the first third of its journey back in to the riverbank I honestly believe Scotland as a nation would have produced more fly caught salmon.

Here's a shooting head salmon fly line that was designed by professional salmon fishing instructor Ian Gordon from the River Spey.

Shooting Head Salmon Fly Lines

The same obsurdity existed with the easy to use 'shooting head' lines that have since become big business as a monkey could present a line with one after a very brief casting lesson. Again the 'effective range' fishing distance cast of 25 to 40 yards with these systems didn't offer the same control of the salmon fly as the Spey line therefore less effective presentation was the end result accommpanied by less salmon being caught. These systems also lacked fishing elegance and their arial performance resembled that of a brick on a string.

Here's a group of new fly fishers testing out their newly taught skills with a double handed salmon fly rod during the Summer. Many larger groups come to me for a crash course in salmon fishing and this was one such party that I guided for on the River Tay near Pitlochry.

Teaching Salmon Fly Fishing

When I'm teaching this sport to newcomers I focuss on the 'fly control' aspect of the game fairly intensly as salmon are just not interested in too much of the other stuff and for them it's often a split second reactionary decision as to whether or not they are going to come to the fly or not. If you have full control of your salmon fly from when it lands on the water to the end of its swing and it swimming at the desired depth then you're 'fishing' and not just 'casting'.

 

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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