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.

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.

If you've hooked your salmon correctly and played the fish properly then managed to steer the fish to a quieter area of the salmon pool then the landing stage is nothing more than drawing the fish over a pre-sunk landing net then simple lifting the net as you can see here.

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.

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.

Salmon Landing Nets

By Jock Monteith 1st August 2026

While fishing for salmon it's very important that you have & carry at all times a suitable landing net that can be used to stabilise your salmon prior to releasing.

Unfortunately even the very best landing net manufacturers are often found lacking when it comes to the choice of net bag that they fit to the frames of their salmon nets.

If you've hooked your salmon correctly and played the fish properly then managed to steer the fish to a quieter area of the salmon pool then the landing stage is nothing more than drawing the fish over a pre-sunk landing net then simple lifting the net as you can see here.

Salmon Fin Protection

It's just not right to return a salmon that has had its fins split as logic should endorse so take the large meshed net bag off your net's frame and destroy it. The best thought out landing net bag designs are ones that have a flat base but unfortunately most nets currently do not have this feature as most of them aren't thought out properly enough. A flat based net when the salmon is lifted to the waterline will turn the salmon onto its side which makes it much more stable for unhooking.

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.

Looking After Your Atlantic Salmon

It wasn't that many years ago when knotted net bags were banned as the the knotted versions were causing too much damage to the flanks and mucus membrane of fish. That was definitely a step in the right direction even though only a half way measure. A good net bag should have a soft knotless fine mesh bag which avoids tearing a salmon's fins unlike the often larger meshed versions you see on most salmon nets. Most professional salmon fly fishing instructors have these knotless fine mesh landing nets and understrand the importance of carrying one.

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.

Salmon Landing Net Bags

The triangular shape of the net bag you see here is another excellent feature as the head of the salmon will inevitably find one of the corners of the net bag which again helps with stabilising the fish for unhooking purposes. Soft mesh with a flat base are the two main features you should be looking for and some nets these days are now coming fitted with mesh that's rubber coated which again is much kinder to the fish. These are the features to look out for with the well being of your salmon in mind.

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.