During periods of high water like this on the River Tay you need to be searching for salmon close to the edge of the riverbank as fish will lie in close during these conditions. It's also safer for a salmon fisher not to wade into the river during such conditions. Learn how to catch salmon and approach the salmon river correctly with a professional Scottish salmon guide. This is my salmon fly rod and reel lying at the side of the river in this high water photograph.

Here's a lovely upstream shot of the famous Meetings Pool of the River Tay's Kinnaird Beat during the last hour of daylight. Some anglers refer to this time of the day as the 'witching hour' and often salmon push on up river as the light fades and especially during low water conditions.

When you're out fishing the River Tay for salmon it's vital you carry a good 100% waterproof jacket just in case a heavy rain shower appears during the course of the fishing day. Look at this for torrential rain bouncing off the surface of the Ash Tree Pool on Kinnaird. When you book a guided River Tay salmon fishing experience all equipment and a quality waterproof jackets will be supplied to keep you warm & dry.

Here's a lovely dusk shot pointing right across the Tay and up into the River Tummel which is a great area of the Tay Valley for catching salmon. This area fishes well from March through to October each year and is located between the towns of Pitlochry & Dunkeld which have an abundance of quality accommodation options. Look at the high water and stormy sky in this picture.

Ocean chest waders are low cost, easy to repair and highly functional on the riverbank. Personally I've used these waders for 20 years and I cannot see past them for their durability and functionality. The fixed boots are studded too for extra riverbank & riverbed safety.

Take careful small step when you're wading on unfamiliar riverbeds and don't commit your weight to your leading foot until you've got a firm riverbed footing. Here's one such angler doing just that on the River Tay near Pitlochry during good low water wading conditions.

Here's an upstream shot of the neck of the Boatlands salmon pool with the Dunkeld Hills visible in the background which is typical of the perfect scenery on the middle area of the River Tay. This salmon fisher shot was taken by myself as I was this angler's salmon fishing guide for the day.

High Water Salmon Fishing Tactics

By Jock Monteith 10th February 2025

Even in normal water conditions never underestimate just how close to the riverbank salmon will run & hold.

This becomes even more relevant during high water conditions where the only break from the higher water pressure for a salmon is often right in tight to the riverbank.

Scanning A Salmon Pool

It's like some sort of testosterone driven psychological affliction that we look at a salmon river and assume the fly or lure needs to be right out in the middle or near the far bank as that is where salmon are always to be found. Salmon always take the 'course of least resistance' when running up a river and often that route in higher water conditions will be within only a few yards of the riverbank. These close to the riverbank pockets of slacker water also double up as holding areas for resident fish when the river rises giving them a double importance to your salmon fishing approach if you can identify them as you're fishing.

During higher water levels like this you don't have to wade into the river as the river can be fished from the numerous and safer grassy riverbanks liuke this salmon angler is doing. Salmon are located close to the river edge in high water so your fly should be fished right into the edge before recasting. This green grassy bank is on the tail of the Cottar Pool on the Newtyle Beat looking down to the Boil Pool in the distance.

Find The High Water Salmon Running Strip

I vividly recall watching & following a run of Spring salmon from a high bank on one of the Tay beats I used to work on during high water conditions as they pushed on upstream at a slow walking pace about a foot under the surface of the river. There was approx a dozen fish in the pod of perfect Springers and none of them broke the surface at any point and none were any further out from the riverbank than 10ft. It was at that moment I truly realised exactly why the inside short lined 'harling' lure fished tight into the riverbank from the boat had always worked well during high water conditions but the closeness to the riverbank of that run of fish really needed to be seen to believed especially on that area of the Tay which was at least 100 yards in width.

This fine Summer shot was taken at the March Pool on the Kinnaird salmon beat. Many of our salmon fishing trip guests are brought here to fish for salmon by our salmon guides as it always holds salmon and is easy to fish through. Look at all of the stones on the far riverbank which have been deposited there by the fast flowing River Tummel which joins the Tay just out of sight to the left hand side of this fine river shot.

Identify The Salmon Taking Areas

Looking at a salmon pool in any height of water to work our whether you're targeting briefly pausing running fish or resident fish (or sometimes both) will often give you a tactical fishing advantage. A clear and defined battle plan of where and at what distance salmon will be present should be constantly calculated and frequently reviewed while fishing. Let the flow pace and sometimes any water level fluctuations dictate these areas as you fish down through the pools and remember it's only one well enough thought out cast in the correct area of a salmon pool that'll make your fishing day complete!

Here's a perfect fast water deep glide salmon pool on the River Tay near Dunkeld. This is typical of where salmon like to hang out during low warm water conditions. This low water Summer shot was taken by myself while working as a professional Tay salmon fishing guide.

Stay Well Back From The Salmon Lies

When you've seen enough and have complete faith in the type of water salmon love to hold in along with exactly how close to the riverbank their flight path can often be it can easily change your thoughts on salmon fly distance and how far you even need to wade into the river. Many times over the years I've advised anglers to stay at ankle depth and fish a short line on certain pools at certain water heights for my advice to be ignored for a fish to then 'head & tail' between the angler and the riverbank. I used to like seeing that as nothing further needed to be said and the next time I offered valuable salmon fishing advice I knew there was a better chance they'd listen!

Chest Waders Or Welly Boots In High Water

Salmon will sense any disturbance to salmon pool as 'awareness' plays a big part in their survival defence mechanism. A salmon angler who's waded too quickly or too deeply into the neck of a salmon pool (and especially a pool that has an inside meander in it) would be as well to have launched in half a dozen fair sized rocks. The salmon's nose for sensing water pressure changes and lateral line for picking up vibrations will already be on 'red alert' the split second the fish feels the sudden water pressure changes from an angler who's displaced the river flow upstream. The 'mysterious' thing I've noticed when salmon fly fishing is that my own salmon take rate usually increases significantly when I've got my wellie boots on!