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This salmon is a great example of the build and beauty of a fresh run Scottish salmon. This boat caught fish was captured on the River Tay near Dunkeld by our salmon fishing ghillie and was quickly released after this photograph was taken. Look at the salmon landing net the fish is lying in which is essential for landing and releasing salmon from the boat.
Here's a hand made work of art known as a River Tay 'coble' salmon fishing boat. This one was made by master boat builder John Ferguson of Stanley who's been making boats like this for 50 years for all of the River Tay salmon beats. Our Tay salmon guides utilise these fine boats to get our salmon fishing holiday guests closer to the long distance salmon holding areas.
Here's a shot from the boat on the Dunkeld Beat of the River Tay in Perthshire. This Tay beat is a great high water beat for running salmon to stop at. This is an upstream shot of the Gauge Tree Pool.
There's something magical about fishing the Cathedral Stream on the Dunkeld House Beat of the River Tay. Maybe it's something to do with the old ley lines that run through this location. This natural energy can be felt by anglers and salmon! I took this shot of the salmon beat head ghillie in his boat while serving as the accompanying guest's salmon fishing guide. I took this upstream shot from the mid section of the 200 year old Telford Bridge at Dunkeld.

Perfect Spring Salmon Fishing

By 24th April 2018

There's only ever going to be one end result from placing a highly experienced River Tay 'precision' boatman armed with his favourite Spring salmon lures.

An experienced salmon fisher in the boat on the back of settling river water conditions during April is also going to assist matters.

 

Here's a shot from the boat on the Dunkeld Beat of the River Tay in Perthshire. This Tay beat is a great high water beat for running salmon to stop at. This is an upstream shot of the Gauge Tree Pool.

The Dunkeld House Salmon Beat

While normally this perfect middle River Tay Spring holding water would benefit from 2 skilled boatmen working the beat daily through the Spring months this year the fishing has been expertly conducted by the Head Ghillie who personally notched up his 14th Spring fish encounter yesterday (of 17 caught from the beat so far) in true Tay form with perfect 18 & 22lbs salmon. If you ever want to see a display of precision traditional River Tay 'harling' then Dunkeld House is certainly one of those Tay venues where this 'craft' can be observed in great detail.

Here's a hand made work of art known as a River Tay 'coble' salmon fishing boat. This one was made by master boat builder John Ferguson of Stanley who's been making boats like this for 50 years for all of the River Tay salmon beats. Our Tay salmon guides utilise these fine boats to get our salmon fishing holiday guests closer to the long distance salmon holding areas.

Investment In The Dunkeld House Beat Facilities

Last December saw this famous middle Tay salmon beat being purchased by 2 fanatical London based property crew who are now further investing an additional six figure sum into new facilities on the Dunkeld House beat including a new luxury fishing hut, 2 new traditional (larch built) Tay coble boats, 3 new Yamaha 4 stroke engines and a vast array of other beat & fishing day improvement plans to make the Dunkeld House salmon fishing experience one of the very best in Scotland for all visiting salmon anglers. Great stuff indeed and brilliant to see significant investment going into Scottish salmon fishing and no doubt there will be more to follow on other Scottish salmon beats. Hopefully these investors will deliver on all of their promises.

There's something magical about fishing the Cathedral Stream on the Dunkeld House Beat of the River Tay. Maybe it's something to do with the old ley lines that run through this location. This natural energy can be felt by anglers and salmon! I took this shot of the salmon beat head ghillie in his boat while serving as the accompanying guest's salmon fishing guide. I took this upstream shot from the mid section of the 200 year old Telford Bridge at Dunkeld.

Why The Dunkeld House Beat Holds Salmon

It's not rocket science to understand exactly why this beat does particularly well during the high water Spring months. After running salmon have pressed their noses to the stop/start high pressure streams that lie on most Tay beats between Dunkeld & Perth then the lower end of the Dunkeld House beat from the hotel to the Cathedral offers salmon true respite just like a 'Holiday Inn' would do for an exhausted traveller! Even the 350 yard powerfully fast stream immediately downstream of the Dunkeld Bridge lower beat boundary to the neck of the Ferry Pool upstream of Eastwood House is enough to 'puff out' even the fittest of running salmon forcing them to stop at the Dunkeld House beat's Gauge Tree Pool in higher water or the Cathedral Stream during lower water.

This salmon is a great example of the build and beauty of a fresh run Scottish salmon. This boat caught fish was captured on the River Tay near Dunkeld by our salmon fishing ghillie and was quickly released after this photograph was taken. Look at the salmon landing net the fish is lying in which is essential for landing and releasing salmon from the boat.

Yesterday's Beautiful Spring Salmon

Both of yesterday's 'harled' Spring salmon were perfectly conditioned and while not carrying sea lice both had clearly only been in the river about a week. The big salmon that have been consistently caught on the Tay just about every day since the 2018 salmon season got underway is 'truly' great to see. Fish of this class are what made the Tay famous and although there's much negative publicity surrounding Scottish salmon fishing at this time primarily due to the boffins not being able to accept, enhance or even properly protect God's 'cyclical' way of managing his stocks it is truly amazing that no one is really properly promoting the return of big Spring salmon this year on Scotland's largest and most famous salmon river.

 

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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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