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I took this picture of this beautiful perfectly shaped River Tay Spring salmon is probably my most favourite one of all time even though I've photographed thousands of salmon over my professional salmon guide career. This perfect River Tay Spring salmon I caught during the month of May near Dunkeld.
When you truly realise that pristine heavyweight salmon like this run the River Tay throughout the fishing season then the chance of a capture of one of these will draw your subconscious mind into play. This is a dangerous state of salmon fishing mind as it usually always results in the loss of thousands of pounds in fishing tackle and salmon permit tickets! Look at the perfect condition of this fresh run River Tay Spring salmon.
I never buy cheap salmon fishing gear as it's often false economy and doesn't tend to last too long. What you see here is my own Bruce & Walker 16ft Spey actioned rod paired up with a Van Staal C-Vex fly reel, a Brady fishing bag and a McLean salmon landing net. All of these items I've owned for decades and use successfully each season on the River Tay. Buying cheap kit which needs replacing every few years costs more money in the long term.
Another fine River Tay salmon is landed at Dunkeld on the River Tay by our salmon guide. This fish was caught on the fly from the boat which is a great method for salmon fishing success on the middle stretches of the Tay. You can see fish friendly landing net mesh and a soft padded landing mat being used which is important to protect the salmon prior to release.
Here's a perfect Tay salmon swimming out of the landing net and regaining its freedom back to its river home. Look at the fish friendly landing net mesh which is essential to protect the flanks of the salmon from scale and mucous membrane damage while being landed and unhooked. This salmon was landed by my fishing guest and great friend John Gray while I was working as his salmon fishing guide for the day.
This perfect heavyweight salmon was caught during late March on the Perthshire River Tay at Dunkeld. This photograph was taken by the salmon fishing instructor as the fish was being released and moments after the salmon swam away out of the landing net.

Landing Net Mesh

By 10th May 2026

With the importance of 'catch & release' well and truly adhered to by the vast majority of Scottish salmon fishers these days it is equally as important that salmon care is also considered.

Selecting your salmon net with an eye for fish protection is the best approach to make sure your salmon stands the best chance of post release survival.

Another fine River Tay salmon is landed at Dunkeld on the River Tay by our salmon guide. This fish was caught on the fly from the boat which is a great method for salmon fishing success on the middle stretches of the Tay. You can see fish friendly landing net mesh and a soft padded landing mat being used which is important to protect the salmon prior to release.

The McLean Salmon Landing Nets

I'm a big fan of the McLean landing net and the sturdy durable way this net frame has been constructed. Many other professional guides see this the same way so I'd say that this particular net is one of the most popular landing nets at this time. It's just a pity that there wasn't as much thought given to the early mesh bags that were fitted to these lovely weigh scale net frames and describing the original large gauge mesh net bag as 'course' on fish would have been giving it a promotion! 

Look at this soft fine mesh landing net bag material which protects and supports all net landed fish against scale or mucous membrane damage. This landing net was an original Sharpes Of Aberdeen gye net which is easily carried over your shoulder on a leather sling while salmon fishing then easily activated when a salmon needs landing for one of our salmon fly fishing guests.

Change The Landing Net Mesh Bag 

Thousands of these beautiful McLean landing nets were sold by tackle dealers with this original large gauge mesh which would more often than not inflict torn fins on a salmon through the lack of fin support and non thinking anglers lifting salmon to weigh them in the net without sensibly turning the salmon onto its back. As more and more fishers noticed this fin damage McLean made available a replacement mesh bag made out of small gauge rubberised mesh so fair play to them. I see now that the McLean salmon nets come fitted with these latest more 'salmon friendly' mesh bags.

I never buy cheap salmon fishing gear as it's often false economy and doesn't tend to last too long. What you see here is my own Bruce & Walker 16ft Spey actioned rod paired up with a Van Staal C-Vex fly reel, a Brady fishing bag and a McLean salmon landing net. All of these items I've owned for decades and use successfully each season on the River Tay. Buying cheap kit which needs replacing every few years costs more money in the long term.

Salmon Landing Net Bag Design

Many other manufacturers of salmon landing nets & their mesh bags haven't been as swift as our New Zealand friend McLean at adjusting to the 'catch & release' era but no doubt they will if they want to stay in business. A good mesh bag should have not only a fine gauge mesh but should also have a flat bottom mesh bag. If the mesh bag isn't designed that way the salmon remains in an upright swimming position when landed and will try to keep swimming which will do no favours for unhooking or protecting its flanks & fins from damage. A flat bottomed mesh bag will turn the salmon onto its side when lifted to the waterline which stabilises the fish for unhooking and for photographic purposes.

This American salmon fisher was rewarded for his trans Atlantic crossing with this perfect River Tay Summer salmon which was landed just upstream of the village of Meikleour while I was assisting him as his personal salmon fishing guide. When I took this photograph the guest couldn't stop smiling due to the sheer excitement of the capture of this fine fish.

Salmon Landing Methods Of Old

Up until the 'catch & release' era and necessary changes to the fishing laws I personally used to love using a tailer and what a great landing tool it was as the salmon never ever saw it coming unlike a highly visible landing net. It was also easy to carry and once activated over the wrist of the salmon's tail the fish would of had to have dragged you into the river to have any chance of escape! I've an old Hardy tailer in the house that's got a polished silver bits on its shaft that was once black paint through years of effective riverbank use. With your left hand lifting the rod high and good 'eye to eye' contact with your salmon at the critical landing moment the fish never saw your right hand and the wire loop tailer sliding over its tail!

Here's Alan Rennie playing one of 5 Spring salmon he caught that with myself as his salmon guide in the boat that day. Look are the riverbank where there's no leaves on the trees yet there's some beautiful sunlight which just gave the surface of the water of the river enough warmth to get these fish on the move and in a 'taking' frame of mind. This photo was taken in the Cottar Pool on the Newtyle Beat of the River Tay.

The Deadly Old Salmon Gaff

As a youngster fishing on the Tay whenever I got a chance the first and only landing method was the gaff. This was highly effective but lethal way of swiftly landing a salmon and especially a big fish which you'd maybe only get one chance at! All the Tay ghillies carried their own gaffs which could tell a few stories. I vividly recall in the mid 70's being out 'harling' in the Ferry Pool at Birnam with Tay ghillie legend Callum Gillies who had served much of his professional career on the famous Kinnaird beat of the Tay. The main topic of conversation from Callum was how many 'overly' heavyweight Kinnaird salmon had straightened his gaff over the years!

 

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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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