You can see the frozen riverbanks behind this group of celebrating River Tay salmon fishers. This was an opening day party out in the boat near Pitlochry. Early January is a highly picturesque time to be out salmon fishing as long as you wrap up well like these salmon fishers did.

Here's a traditional River Tay salmon boat moored up at the March Pool sand bank immediately downstream of the Tay/Tummel confluence. This is a perfect low water sunlit early Spring fishing day which is always a pleasure to be out fishing for salmon in. A professional Tay salmon guide will always utilise the boat to commute salmon fishing holiday guests into the best fly fishing locations like this one.

Here's an upstream shot taken from the Upper Kinnaird salmon fishing hut looking towards the traditional Tay salmon fishing boat and water gauge. Look atn the perfect rainbow stretching across the sky on the far riverbank. This is a very popular salmon fishing holiday destination on the River Tay.

I sited this bench in this perfect elevated riverbank position after pulling it out of an upstream tree following a big January flood on the River Tay. This current position allows any occupier to have direct site of the upstream & downstream River Tay and also right up the River Tummel which is directly opposite the bench. This bench is a great resting location for Tay salmon fishing guides and guests and is sensibly positioned above the high water line.

A Scottish Spring salmon is the most perfect creature of all and their physical beauty is something truly splendid especially when you have the tactical fishing awareness to create an up close inspection like this. This fine Springer I caught on the fly rod during April near Dunkeld on the River Tay in Perthshire. Look at the perfect marine colours this fish is still wearing while lying on this sand bar immediately before its quick release.

This is the Cathedral Stream and River Braan mouth which is located on the Dunkeld House salmon beat in Perthshire. This is a superb middle Tay salmon fishing pool that running salmon love to stop in. This was an evening shot that I took while working as a salmon fishing guide on the Tay while on my way home crossing the Telford Bridge which spans the river at Dunkeld.

This perfect early Spring River Tay salmon took a Copperass tube fly neat the River Tummel River Tay confluence which is a renowned salmon fishing area near Dunkeld. Early Spring salmon like this are always perfect specimens to catch and there's huge fishing satisfaction from outsmarting them. As a professional Scottish salmon fishing guide I love to show visiting fly fishing guests these fine fish up close like this.

River Tay Opening Days

By Jock Monteith 10th January 2020

The 15th of January each year is indeed a highly monumental day in the Scottish salmon fishing calendar as it marks the opening of the River Tay salmon fishing season.

Thousands of salmon fishers will ascend on the Tay next week for this special occasion and in pursuits of Scotland's finest gamefish.

Here's the freezing conditions of January on the River Tay in Perthshire. Salmon at this time of year are found in the slightly milder upper water column thermals and not down deep as per popular belief. When the Scottish rivers are running cold like this you need to think outside of the box and let logic be your compass and not general hearsay as to where to target cold water salmon.

The Sound Of River Tay Bagpipes

The 'magic' of being back out on the Tay is a big relief for thousands of dedicated Scottish salmon fishers who started their own personal 'countdown' shortly after Christmas was over. Great celebrations will be happening on all of the Tay salmon beats next Wednesday and the sound of bagpipes will be heard throughout the valley at around 9am when each River Tay salmon beat will having its own individual opening day ceremony.

Catching A River Tay Salmon In January

Make no mistake about the fact that there will be a scattering of fresh run Spring salmon holding in the many of the Tay salmon beats throughout the river system due to the recent mild air temperatures and decent water levels. Although these fish will be present it often takes a little bit of good fortune and persistence to place your fly or lure at just the right speed into that square metre of water directly in front of a Spring salmon to make it take. Being extra patient and methodical in your salmon pool approach will often pay off in the first few weeks of the Tay salmon fishing season.

This upstream dusk shot of the Cathedral Stream was taken from the middle section of the Telford Bridge in Dunkeld. You can see the salmon fishing guide with his fishing guest still out in the boat as the light is starting to fade in pursuit of an evening salmon.

Treat Salmon Kelts With Total Respect

The Tay will also be full of many successfully spawned kelts and occasional 'rawners' & 'baggots' that are salmon from last year that haven't spawned yet or possibly won't spawn. These salmon are out of condition and are usually very keen to intercept a fly or lure and it's normal to hook many before connecting with the big silver fresh run River Tay 'Springer' you seek. Treat these out of condition salmon very carefully and show them the full respect they deserve as these are the successful salmon that have made it back against all of the odds to keep the Tay populated with new stock.

The Best River Tay Spring Salmon Beats

The middle River Tay is and always has been a fantastic Spring salmon holding area and none more so than the Kinnaird salmon beats which have some of the most attractive Spring salmon fly fishing water on the entire middle Tay and are positioned exactly upstream & downstream of the River Tummel junction. I'd be surprised if these fabulous Tay venues don't produce a few perfect fresh run early Spring salmon this year due to the recent abnormally mild spell and the benefit on having River Tay expert and true gent Martin Edgar as 'Head Ghillie' overviewing the fishing effort on both of these excellent middle Tay beats.

The Cold Water January Salmon Take

Whatever you do next week make sure you treat every tug, dunt or click on the fly reel with the utmost caution as often the take from a perfect River Tay Spring salmon will commence in the most subtle manner. Give your fish a few extra seconds after you think the time is right to set the hook as often the take is a slower more drawn out affair in early Spring water conditions. Keeping your salmon take composure is vital so don't let the caffeine or malt whisky make you react too quickly! Always fish with a suspicion that these perfect early Spring salmon could be right in front of you and remember that they haven't seen a fly this year which usually equates to 'sub surface cooperation' when they do!