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The is the Gauge Tree Pool at Dunkeld on the River Tay. Salmon love to stop here after powering up through the fast streamy water below the Dunkeld Bridge you can see in this distance making this a serious salmon fishing hot spot on the middle Tay. This lovely green grassy bank makes for easy spin fishing for salmon fishing guides and their fishing trip guests.
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.
Here's an absolute peach of a fresh run Spring salmon weighing 24lbs which was caught near Dunkeld on the River Tay by our top professional salmon fishing guide. These highly prized heavyweight Spring salmon are what the River Tay is famous for producing and thousands of salmon fishing trip anglers come to the Tay each year for the chance of catching one.
Here's a salmon fishing holiday guest in the traditional Tay salmon boat at the Telford Bridge in Dunkeld. You've got to manage your expectations in salmon fishing and stay consistent with a well thought out fishing plan and when you do that results will always follow. Note this salmon fisher is wearing a life jacket which is mandatory with all of our guided salmon fishing guests.
This is the Cathedral Pool on the River Tay in Dunkeld which is a great salmon fishing proposition for visiting salmon fishing holiday visitors. When salmon run up through the fast water underneath the downstream sandstone Telford Bridge they stop right here in front of the camera for a rest where they can be fairly easily caught.
The is the Gauge Tree Pool at Dunkeld on the River Tay. Salmon love to stop here after powering up through the fast streamy water below the Dunkeld Bridge you can see in this distance making this a serious salmon fishing hot spot on the middle Tay. This lovely green grassy bank makes for easy spin fishing for salmon fishing guides and their fishing trip guests.

Salmon Fishing Hot Spots

By 1st June 2019

There are many beautiful salmon pools on the River Tay but few as perfect as this particular salmon lie which stops running fish & holds resident fish throughout the Tay's extensive salmon fishing season.

This fine renownded River Tay salmon pool shot could easily creep into your finest fishing dreams!

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.

The Gauge Tree Pool On The Dunkeld House Beat

This famous Dunkeld House beat salmon pool as featured above is the perfect 'stopper' of running salmon in medium to low water conditions when the River Braan side of the Tay becomes fairly shallow. The deeper running side of the Tay for salmon that have come up through Dunkeld Bridge is up along side the stone wall at the Dunkeld Cathedral which aligns them perfectly for the Gauge Tree Pool.

This was my first fish of the 2024 River Tay salmon fishing season and a fine fish too as you can clearly see here in this photograph. Look at its beautiful oceanic colours as they highlight against the dark browns of the river environment. I caught this fine at the Rock Pool on Kinnaird Water which has always been a good Spring salmon fishing area.

Memories Of The Gauge Tree Pool

I vividly recall connecting with a perfect March run 20 pound sea-licer in here which was one of the nicest proportioned 'scale perfect' Spring salmon I'd ever seen. The same Spring I also recall walking down from the Chestnut Tree Pool above and observing 3 or 4 salmon 'heading & tailing' close in at the Gauge Tree. On arrival my first cast was received by a solid 'dunt' before my second cast got a firm hold of the culprit! My fishing colleague appeared with the landing net and I told him to put the net down and have a cast too which he did and all of a sudden we were both playing Spring fish!

Here's an absolute peach of a fresh run Spring salmon weighing 24lbs which was caught near Dunkeld on the River Tay by our top professional salmon fishing guide. These highly prized heavyweight Spring salmon are what the River Tay is famous for producing and thousands of salmon fishing trip anglers come to the Tay each year for the chance of catching one.

Gauge Tree Pool Salmon Activity

Perfect Spring salmon are caught in the Gauge Tree Pool and often within a few feet of the riverbank when the river is running high. Until you've actually seen how close to the riverbank salmon move in higher water conditions you wouldn't truly believe it. On many occasions over the years I've advised anglers to stay on the riverbank on certain pools of the Tay who've ignored my advice to then see a salmon show between their wading position and the riverbank! I've personally followed a run of salmon up the side of the Tay in highish water conditions as they snooped slowly upstream within a few feet of the riverbank but you'd need to see this for yourself to stop you thinking I'm havering!

The is the Gauge Tree Pool at Dunkeld on the River Tay. Salmon love to stop here after powering up through the fast streamy water below the Dunkeld Bridge you can see in this distance making this a serious salmon fishing hot spot on the middle Tay. This lovely green grassy bank makes for easy spin fishing for salmon fishing guides and their fishing trip guests.

New Changes At The Gauge Tree Pool

Although salmon have previously been caught on the fly in this lovely Gauge Tree Pool over the years the high bank at the top end of the pool can psychologically put fly fishers off. I've seen this on many salmon pools on the Tay and often these areas are absolutely 'deadly' for a fly as is the case at the Gauge Tree Pool on the Dunkeld House beat where that type of slower cold water presentation is always going to have the advantage and especially at close range where the fly can be effectively fished right into the riverbank. This beautiful middle Tay salmon pool has recently become another Dunkeld House 'safe haven' for visiting salmon fly fishers as there's an over abundance of high quality spinning water upstream of the Gauge Tree Pool for those who prefer only to spin fish. I'm a big believer in fly fishing & spin fishing segregation and I'm well qualified to talk about the value of running successful salmon beats that way.

This is the Cathedral Pool on the River Tay in Dunkeld which is a great salmon fishing proposition for visiting salmon fishing holiday visitors. When salmon run up through the fast water underneath the downstream sandstone Telford Bridge they stop right here in front of the camera for a rest where they can be fairly easily caught.

The Cathedral Stream Pool At Dunkeld

The left hand bank fly fishing that the lovely Gauge Tree Pool represents doesn't get much better on the middle Tay for getting in front of a running or holding salmon and the entire area of the Dunkeld Cathedral has a certain 'magic' about it which has probably something to do with this specific 'historical' area being regarded as the 'sacred heart' of Scotland. The Cathedral Stream Pool immediately downstream of the Gauge Tree Pool is fishable only by boat and I'd say without doubt it's truly 'thee' most enchanting cast on the entire River Tay due to its perfect fly fishing stream and the magnificence of the 'commanding' 200 year old Telford Bridge. If you were to have a choice of positioning yourself optimally on the entire middle Tay for an encounter with a Spring fish then these two adjoining Dunkeld House Beat salmon pools would be my top preferences.

 

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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