Stewart Collingswood

Fishing in Scotland offers great variety of species. A step by step guide to each month and what species to target. Where in Scotland offer these the best fishing rivers and lochs.

This guide breaks down each month and suggests the best fishing available in Scotland.

Fishing in January in Scotland – What species to target?

The salmon season opens on the River Tay in January, however there are low numbers of migratory fish, running the river at this time of year. Grayling fishing is still prolific, and if you are brave enough to embrace the elements, and wrap up well, you can enjoy excellent sport. Which grayling river to target in January? The Tweed and Tay are my choice in January, when river levels are close to normal. If the big rivers are running high, then the Teviot, Annan and River Earn are all worthy options. Hatching insects are few and far between, so nymphing techniques are most effective.

Winter pike fishing is also a good winter option. Pike are less willing to chase lures and flies though, and the best sport can be had, fishing with dead baits.

Fishing in February, Scotland starts to warm up

The River Tweed and the Spey salmon season opens in February for salmon fishing, and die hard anglers go and search early spring salmon. Though they are not prolific in numbers, when you capture one of these fish, they are in prime condition. Bars of silver straight in from the sea, broad shouldered and hard fighting.

February is still in my opinion a great month for grayling fishing, and you can enjoy good sport as the fish feed heavily prior to spawning.

Fishing in Scotland in March – (start of the brown trout season)

The season for river wild brown trout in Scotland starts on March the 15th and is eagerly anticipated by everyone with a passion for river fishing. Scotland is beginning to warm up. Insect life is developing nicely. Hatches of March Browns and Olive duns are short and sweet. Often around the middle of the day, when the sun gets a chance to warm the temperature a few degrees, it often triggers a swatch. Occasional hatches of LDO’s (large dark olives) and March Browns can be seen. The trout are waking up and starting to feed a little more frequently.

In the last few years, it seems like the month of March is getting warmer and warmer, and so it’s worth targeting trout in the early season, as the bigger fish can be caught easier,. early season trout look to pack on weight and regain form after winter.

The best early season trout rivers in Scotland, are the River Tweed, River Annan, River Tay and Teviot.

Where to fish in Scotland in April – (Salmon and Trout spring fishing)

Spring salmon fishing, improves in April, as numbers start to increase. April also offers first class trout fishing, especially with the dry fly. A highly effective tactic would be to target salmon on one of the big 4 rivers in Scotland, but also take a trout rod,. You should be armed with a 9ft 5 weight rod, a floating line and a box of dry flies.

Often, in the middle part of the day, the river can explode with a hatch of dry fly activity. That’s when you put the salmon rod down, and try to catch some of the large trout that feed heavily during a fly hatch.

There are some excellent spring salmon to be had in April, and whilst they may not be prolific., if conditions are right. The sport can be excellent. The best rivers for these tactics, are the Tay, River Spey, Tweed and River Dee.

In addition to river fishing, the large ferox brown trout of Loch Awe, Loch Arkaig and Quioch are worth targeting. There are some true monsters of the deep here, and trolling articulated lures are often the most effective method.

Where to fish in Scotland – Month of May

The river temperatures are rising in Scotland. Warmer days bring on more frequent hatches of insect life and and trout fishing is at its best. May is the month when trout fishing starts to improve in the Highlands, Speyside, Inverness-shire and West Coast. If you lust after adventure, and are keen to hike to remote spots, the North of Scotland, is a huge playground for wild brown trout fishing.

The trout fishing on the River Don and River Deveron would be my choice in May. These two Highland rivers offer fantastic sport on the dry fly. Fishing wets and spiders, are also effective, before a hatch, whilst prospecting for fish.

The River Spey in May is also outstanding. This is a river much in demand, and you should try and look to book permits in advance, as often there is little availability. You can increase your chances by booking and entire beat for a week, as this makes it easier for the owners and reduces administration and risk.

Fishing in June in Scotland

As the trout fishing in the rivers in central Scotland starts to wane, the fishing in the Highlands starts to improve. Rivers and Lochs in the Highlands take a month longer to warm up than Central Scotland, and the Borders. If you enjoy fishing amidst stunning scenery, then head for the Highlands and the West Coast. There are some truly stunning scenic locations. If you consider there are over 30,000 lochs in Scotland, including Orkney, Shetland and the outer Isles, it opens up many options.

Sea trout fishing is also prolific in the month of June, the best fishing being in the early hours of the morning and in complete darkness.

If you would like to understand more about night fishing for sea trout, then read Hugh Falkus’s book on Sea Trout Fishing. A bible.

My favourite lochs to fish in June, are Loch eye, near Tain. The Limestone lochs of Caithness, and a selection of secret lochs we know if in the Highlands, that produce some very big wild trout.

If salmon fishing in Scotland is your focus, then the River Spey in June can offer the best fishing in Scotland. Permit availability is scarce, but if you have contacts, and knowledge of the beats, rods can be secured with forward planning.

Fishing in July in Scotland – Saltwater fishing and Summer Salmon

The temperature in the seas around Scotland are starting to warm up. This brings in an increase in bait fish, and with that, in turn, better fishing for predators.

Shore and boat fishing for pollack is excellent in Scotland in July and August. These hard fighting predators can be caught using lures, flies or fishing bait. Jig heads of between 15g and 25g are highly effective with soft rubber lures and grub tails. The most effective flies are closer minnow patterns, sparsely tied are best, as they tend to imitate sand eels. When bait fishing for Pollack, strips of mackerel float fished on a 2/0 hook is a highly productive ,method, also fishing king rag worm, either float fished, or with a jig head.

The best location in Scotland to fish from the boat in July is around the Mull of Galloway. There is such a wide variety of species to be caught here, as I understand, the boat we fish in have caught over 60 different species of fish, including:

Typical species of fish in Scotland (sea): Wrasse(4 different types), Pollack(Pollock), Coalfish, Ling, Haddock, Garfish, Spurdog, Skate, Gurnard, Tope, Mackerel, Sea Bass, Sea Trout, and Bull Huss.

Fishing in Scotland in August – What species of fish to target?

August arrives and offers new angling opportunities in Scotland. The Atlantic Salmon run is becoming prolific. You will get runs of Grilse. These are salmon that have sent one winter at sea and average 4-8lbbs in weight, as well as mature summer run salmon.

The Lower River Tay in August can be breathtaking. Some of our best days have been on the beats around Scone Palace. You can fly fish, spin cast or “Harl” for salmon on the Tay in August. Harling is from a boat, and involves trailing flies and lures behind the boat, and manoeuvring the boat over the lies of salmon.

These lower River Tay beats, fish better in lower water levels. Fly fishing is highly effective, using a double hand 14ft r 15ft spey rod, and floating or a slow 1.5 inch per second sink tip poly leader.

Fishing in Scotland in September – What’s the best species to target?

There are so many fishing opportunities in September. Trout fishing has a resurgence, as trout look to feed heavily prior to spawning. Trout also get aggressive and territorial and this can’t trigger feeding activity, when fishing attractor patterns of fly.

Grayling fishing starts to pick up in September.

Sea fishing is still prolific, as the sea holds a good temperature and head of bait fish.

Pike fishing is excellent, we tend to catch larger fish in September in the venues we fish. Pike will chase the fly and lure in warmer September days.

However if you were to single out a single species in Scotland to target in September, then it has to be the Salmon. The best rivers in September are the Tweed, The Tay, The River Dee and some of the smaller pate rivers in the South West of Scotland.

Salmon fishing in October in Scotland

Salmon fishing peaks in October on the River Tweed and Tay in October. There are huge volumes of fish running the rivers as well as a large head of fish that have run the system earlier in the season. The salmon start to display their spawning colours, and silver fish are rare. Sport can be fast and furious. October however is susceptible to weather variations and days are often lost due to spates.

The scenery on these river is spectacular. The autumnal colours and pleasant weather can make for some truly memorable days.

The technique in October calls for sinking polyleaders and heavier flies. Spin fishing is not permitted on the Tweed, however is allowed on the certain Tay beats.

Winter fishing in Scotland in November – Grayling

You can fish till the end of November on the River Tweed for salmon, although in my opinion this can disturb early spawning fish, unless you know where to avoid.

I would recommend grayling fishing in November and there are some truly excellent spots top target on the River Tweed Earn, Tay, and tributaries of these systems.

The techniques for catching grayling in November differs greatly from January and February. I’m not going to disclose my secrets on this blog, but can assure you we have some highly effective techniques for connecting with trophy grayling in November.

Fishing in Scotland in December

December offers two main species of fish in Scotland. Grayling and Pike.

The pike fishing in Scotland is on Stillwater lochs, and as fish are reluctant to chase anything, the most effective technique is fishing with dead baits and electronic bite alarms. It can be very relaxing sitting by the loch, with a dram, and some heat from a fire, waiting for the bite alarms to sound. It’s great to get out in December in the cold conditions and enjoy the diverse wildlife and scenery Scotland offers.

Grayling fishing is also excellent in December and not far away from as good as November. The problem you might encounter is that often the rivers are in spate. When they are fishable though, the sport is fantastic.

Fishing has always been there. Sometimes on the back-burner but nevertheless, still there simmering away for when I next need a hit.

For us all life is a roller coaster of love and loss. I’ve suffered the pain of loss many times now during the course of my fifty-three years. Cancer (my dad), suicide (my friend couldn’t handle lock down), overdose’s (17yrs old), heart attack (30yrs old) etc etc and on and on. Relationships have broken down; jobs have been lost. My cure. My solace. My constant has been fishing. My bolt hole is a river. Serenity in the arms of nature’s softly spoken language gives me my inner peace.

When in 2011 I wrote my first book – Terminal Chancer. It was both a cathartic process and also a message about pursuing what you truly love doing. Getting your life balance right seemed key. We can lose focus chasing trophies and forget it’s the process thats more important than the prize. 

Fishing to restore balance and escape the babble

We seem to live in an age of the worried well, self-help and middle-class guilt. The great outdoors has been unveiled and re-branded like it’s a new thing. From wild swimming to forest bathing, it’s all been supposedly just invented. Who knew! The outside can be quite relaxing! 

The cure is balance. The cure is pace. When I have fished a river beat from top to bottom methodically, I feel cleansed. Sounds over the top, and a touch dramatic, but it’s completely true. I’ve walked and watched. I’ve seen and I’ve heard. I’ve felt and I’ve touched. My eyes have widened, and my head has emptied. Cast and step all the way, into mother nature’s circuit board.  

Finding a place to think is hard. Our senses are bombarded by other people’s news, sales pitches, thoughts and ideas the moment you open your eyes. Radio, TV, signage and the advertiser’s little miracle – our mobile phones. Keep scrolling and don’t you dare die. All this has led to the new phrase of the digital detox. Imagine that 20 years ago.

The River is my church – Fishing is my religion

The river is my ashram, my church and my rehab. All I need is time. It’s important you engineer enough for the stuff that matters. The phrase – Find what you love and let it slowly kill you, sums it up really. It is a quote from the singer Richard Samet “Kinky” Friedman.

Below is a letter featuring Kinkys quote, supposedly written by Charles Bukowski
My dear, find what you love and let it kill you. Let it drain from you your all. Let it cling onto your back and weigh you down into eventual nothingness. Let it kill you, and let it devour your remains. For all things will kill you, both slowly and fastly, but it’s much better to be killed by a lover. Falsely yours, Henry Charles Bukowski”
I couldn’t have said it better myself. Check the river levels and take your head to the river.

James Gilbraith

James Gilbraith is an Author and passionate salmon angler on his home river in Lancashire the Ribble. His two books “Terminal Chancer” and “Hooked on Hope” are well worth reading. Ive just read for the second time “Hooked on Hope” – brilliant stuff. Laced with colourful characters, anecdotes and great stories, I was caught laughing out loud in public. This is a great book for anglers or mere normal humans. It even comes with a soundtrack!

Having spent a while thinking of a trip to the river spey. I say a while. What I really mean is twenty years. My thought process for a change is a foot race between Triggers brain and a tortoise in cement slippers. On my home river the mighty river ribble I can flog my guts out fifty to one hundred times a year and maybe get four or five salmon in a season.

So, when opportunity knocked and I was unexpectedly offered a place on the spey for a week in April I had a choice to make. Choose life. Choose to engineer a gap in time. Choose to juggle family and work life. Choose to think big picture. Choose to break the wheel. Choose to hit reset. Choose to exit the membrane of the grind.

Take the High Road to Speyside

Tackle in the car. Six-hour drive. Glorious scenery, palpable excitement, radio football commentary, playlist inspiring a cocktail of pleasant day dreams. What a drive. Man, I loved it. I arrive at the Mash Tun in Aberlour. My friends and fellow members of the escape committee are outside and beaming with broad smiles. We walk to the bridge and within seconds we see fresh salmon leaping. Plural. Fact. I can’t believe it. On the ribble if I see five salmon in a season, I pinch myself. Here I’ve already seen double figures. 

Our cottage was up the road in Archestown. Perfect in every way. Lovely rooms, parking, massive kitchen diner etc. You get the picture. I have booked half a rod – which means I share a rod with a mate. Mainly to keep the cost down but also, I don’t really want to fish for eight hours a day. Eight hours a day for five days….I’d be demented. Swapping every hour allows us both to stay fresh.  

A spring salmon off the Spey (second cast!)

Ok – so bare with me. This is true. On my second cast with a fly on the river spey. I catch a gleaming fresh run atlantic salmon. As Roy Ayers sang Everybody Loves The Sunshine. Elated I sit out the rest of the day and have a few beers and sagely advise my much-maligned friend. While I do this, I also admire the landscape of this stunning river. The whole area is bathed in a special spring light that makes everything seem a touch brighter. From a world mechanised to mother nature luminous.

Our beat was split into two sections. Lower and higher. Our ghillie Davey rotated us each session. This worked superbly well. We covered the water worth fishing rather than wandering blindly. I’m a dab hand at wandering blindly. For the week we managed seven salmon to eighteen pounds. Ate out every night, had a few beers, lots of excitement and plenty of laughs.

20 years dreaming of the River Spey (a dream fulfilled)

I’m not sure why it took me twenty years to grasp this nettle. Don’t make my mistake. It’s a special place. Speyside is the perfect re-set button. Life can be like being trapped in a washing machine on spin cycle. In the wise words of The Spencer Davis Group – Gimme Some Lovin – I’m so glad we made it. You will be too.

—
James Gilbraith

James Gilbraith is an Author and passionate salmon angler on his home river in Lancashire the Ribble. His two books “Terminal Chancer” and “Hooked on Hope” are well worth reading. Ive just read for the second time “Hooked on Hope” – brilliant stuff. Laced with colourful characters, anecdotes and great stories, I was caught laughing out loud in public. This is a great book for anglers or mere normal humans. It even comes with a soundtrack!

Fort William and Glencoe offer many fishing opportunities, set amidst spectacular scenery.

There are numerous salmon fishing opportunities in the area. The River Lochy offers the salmon angler some of the most spectacular salmon fishing in the Scotland. The river is 10 miles long, and flows through the Great Glen with the backdrop of Ben Nevis (UKs highest mountain) and the surrounding peaks.  The Loch produces big spring fish with a typical average weight of 17lbs (7-8kilos).   

The River Orchy is located to the west of Glencoe and flows into Loch Awe. This is a truly spectacular, and smaller spate river. You can catch migratory fish and brown trout. This is a streamy, fast flowing river, tumbling over impervious boulders in some sections, and gliding through deep pools in others. The best fishing here is when the river is falling after a spate.

If you are staying at the excellent Glencoe House Hotel, then both of these salmon rivers are accessible. The drive to the Orchy is worth considering, if you would like to marry the fishing experience with a scenic driver through Glencoe or Glen Etive.

Trout fishing near Fort William and Glencoe

There are numerous trout fishing rivers and lochs in this area. North of Fort William, you can enjoy fishing on the River Garry, Loch Garry, and numerous hill lochs. Wild brown trout are abundant here. The fishing starts to become productive in April and peaks in May and June. Large Ferox trout can be caught in Loch Arkaig and Loch Quoich.

There are two of the best wild brown trout fishing lochs in Scotland. Fishing here is from a drifting boat. We can supply tackle, life vests and the knowledge to target these fish.

Loch Shiel is also accessible from Fort William. It is a 25 minute drive west. You can fish for brown trout traditional style from a boat here. It’s an area of outstanding beauty and with Glenfinnan monument and viaduct visible at the East

Fort William offers a few sea fishing charters. The sea lochs in this area offer shelter and depth, as well as a variety of species. Pollack, wrasse, mackerel, dogfish, skate and other species can be caught in these waters.

Non anglers can enjoy these Sea fishing charters too, and enjoy the spectacular scenery and wildlife.

If you would like to arrange a day trip, we can provide all the very best equipment. We will also collect and drop off from your accommodation. Lunches can be provided, as well as professional photography.

Please get in touch to arrange a day.

Advanced tip and techniques

Scotland has over 400 notable salmon rivers, including the Big 4, The River Spey, The River Dee, River Tay and River Tweed. This article describes in detail, the Salmon fishing techniques we use throughout Scotland. 

Introduction 

I have fished all over Scotland for 45 years, and been a professional Orvis Endorsed Guide for 18 years. In 2004, I founded Alba Game Fishing and we have grown to become one of Scotland’s foremost provider of fishing trips. We offer tailored fly fishing experiences, for every species, throughout all geographic areas of Scotland. 

I decided back in 2004 to quit the corporate world as CEO of a software company in Edinburgh, swapping my suit and Oliver Sweeney shoes, for more appropriate  Tweeds and wellies. My idea and ethos for the company, was to create a new type of fishing experience, with focus on customer service, blending fishing with other elements like, delicious lunches, professional photography, high end tackle and transport in quality vehicles.

We pioneered this fishing guiding service, and work tirelessly to fine tune what we do, and improve continuously. Now as I write this in 2022, we have superb team of 21 fishing guides, located throughout Scotland.

Overview

1. Choosing the right river/ at the right time
2. Preparation for your salmon fishing day
3. Get into the right mindset to fish for salmon
4. Reading a salmon river
5. What salmon fly lines to use, flies and sink rate tips to select?
6. Techniques and how to fish the fly for Atlantic Salmon
7. Playing and releasing a salmon effectively
8. Photography 

What are the best salmon rivers in Scotland? (how to select the right river for you?)

How can you predict when the best time is to target each salmon river? The answer is you can’t. You can, however make an educated guess. By studying each river, and how it fishes at differing water levels, and marrying that with fish catch returns and historic data, you can start to draw some fairly accurate conclusions.

This allows us to offers our clients educated choices and the best opportunities, value and experience. Salmon rivers, are of course, an ever changing equation and need constant monitoring, for example, the river can change completely after a heavy flood, so constant monitoring is needed. Your finger needs to be on the pulse.

How to price a days fishing correctly?

I often get asked “how much is a day’s salmon fishing?” which is similar to the question… “how much is a ticket for the FA Cup?” Or “How much is a car?” To price a days salmon fishing, you need to start asking the following questions, to try work out the best options:

What date do you want to fish?

How many anglers and non anglers?

Where will you be based? (if your staying in Fort William don’t ask for a day trip on the Tay)

What is your expected budget? (A champagne beat on the Spey, doesn’t cost lager money)

What experience do you have of Spey casting? (Often none is the best – this way you don’t have to undo bad habits)

What is your main motivation for booking a trip? (Believe it or not, some guests want to focus on scenery, service and the all-round Scottish experience rather than a guaranteed catch)

A client made an enquiry for a salmon fishing day in August. He requested a day on the River Dee. I asked him where he was staying. He said Perth. I asked why the Dee? He said because a friend in the States said it was the best river. I explained the Lower Tay would be a heck of a lot closer to Perth, and more productive in August (and less expensive)and steered him to the Scone Palace fishings at Fishponds. Luckily the day worked out, he caught and released a grilse of 6lb and a salmon of 13lb both on the fly. It doesn’t always work out like that, but it’s great when it does.

How to prepare for a fishing day

My Dad was a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy and one of his well-used mantra’s was “proper planning and preparation prevents piss poor performance”. His wisdom is embedded in my psyche and his ethos underpins everything we do. Starting a day ill-prepared often leads to failure and time spent planning is time seldom wasted.

I confess I do like order, and am obsessive about detail. I like to spend time checking and preparing gear. It’s a vital discipline in the guiding game and trained into our team. A well organised fly box, containing confidence patterns that are appropriate for the river you are targeting. The correct sink tip/ leaders, you wouldn’t want to arrive on the river Thurso in summer, armed with only with 10ft/12ft poly leaders, when what you need are 5ft/6ft instead. Equally don’t turn up to the Tay with a 5ft leader for a 580grain line and a 15ft rod. 

Spare life vests and sunglasses in case guests forget there’s (they always do) Check all hook, clip off excess nylon. Freshen up leaders. Check the rod and reel for damage, have plenty of tackle to cover varying scenarios. Bring spare waders.

© Alba Game Fishing 

Best way to store tube flies

We use a lot of tube flies on the Big 4 rivers, the Tay, Dee, Tweed and Spey and I learned a great way to store them and get more into a box. Tube flies, Collie dogs, Snaeldas and sun rays are a bit of a nightmare to store, they get damaged, tangled and lose their shape when they get bashed around in storage. 

I learned a useful tip from John Richardson, one of our fly tyers. You’ll need a box of clear plastic straws, 8mm diameter. You’ll also need a cheap heat sealing machine. The whole set up can be bought for under £30.00 and it’s a real game changer. Importantly, when you take the flies out of the tube, they are in a perfect shape with no damage and they also dry out on the straws too.

© Alba Game Fishing 

Have the right Mindset when fishing

Whilst having the right salmon fishing tackle, and techniques are vitally important, you might as well throw everything in the bin, if you don’t turn up with the right mindset.

Salmon fishing can be a frustrating business, and it’s definitely not for the faint-hearted. My Dad used to say, “Persistence beats resistance” this is salmon fishing in a nutshell. 

Buffalo Bill goes fishing

I met an angler on the river once from London, called Bill. To furnish his new found habit, he had splurged his credit card at Farlows tackle shop of Pall Mall in London. He was now armed with the very best rod/ reel/ line/ and waders. Everything looked new, expensive and out of place.

When fishing, and wading, he moved through the water like a buffalo sending shock wave out across the water. Every fish in the pool would have scattered. He then flailed away, thrashing the water into a foam, casting repeatedly in the same spots and clumping around the river bed with the finesse of an elephant. It was grim to watch, and we quietly went as far away from him as possible, making a mental note not to fish, where he had been.

When we arrived in the hut at lunch time, Buffalo Bill had ran out of steam, and was sat in the hut, on his phone, killing the mood by conducting business. The sanctuary and tranquility of the hut, was broken. We all come fishing to escape and switch off. To disconnect from noise and enjoy the moment. Be present.

The point is, that anyone hunting for for wild salmon should treat the challenge with respect and quietude, in a similar way to stalking a Stag. You have to move with stealth and focus, and enjoy the connection with your environment. You have to switch the devices off.

Your mindset should be like a hunter, relaxed and focused. It’s almost a zen like state, with pure focus and a clear head. I promise you, if you try this, you will catch more fish, it gives you confidence, and that is a vital component when salmon fishing. 

Cast within your boundaries 

It’s good practice not to over stretch your cast, and fish within your limits. A 60ft cast with delicate presentation will defeat a 80ft cast with a heavy landing. More than everything, you must quietly believe that at any moment, each cast might catch a fish, and stay true to this belief. For every cast that doesn’t catch a fish, and there will be many, just quietly shift focus on to the next cast. Stay focused, stay positive and treat the salmon with the respect it deserves.

How to read a river

Now we are starting to get into the nitty gritty. Reading the river is so important and this helps you understand where the salmon lies are and at what river heights. I fish the River Teviot in winter for grayling and whilst this is one of my great passions, I am also using this time to work out where all the salmon lies are.

The Teviot is also a great salmon river in it’s own right and sometimes a worthy alternative when the Tweed is unfishable.  The salmon lies are easy to spot in gin clear water and you can spot the depressions in gravel behind boulders. Consider also resting spots that still offer good oxygen, and deeper channels where fish might run and get protection from predators. 

I cannot stress enough the importance of gleaning knowledge from the resident ghillie. Treat these professionals with respect they deserve, and they will look after you too. Respect their knowledge, they live and breathe the river every day and they know where the fish get caught.

A good ghillie will also understand where fish will be on differing river levels. Yes you can usually work this out if your a competent salmon angler, but there’s always spots that will take you by surprise. The ghillie will know where they are. Equally if you have a guide, who fishes a river regularly he too will know the best tactics. 

What lines, flies and poly leaders to use on salmon Rivers?

It can be confusing deciding what fly line to use on a salmon rod. And knowing the differences between Standard Spey, Skagit, Short Spey (Scandi), Spey and Shooting head lines can be a challenge.

Standard Spey Lines

When I learned to Spey cast all those years ago (1980’s) my tutor insisted in using a 65ft head Spey line. This is known as a Standard Spey line in Scotland. In fact in the 1980’s we were still probably 15 or 20 years away from the advent of Scandi, Skagit and Shooting head lines.

Learning on a 65ft head Spey line is a great way to learn the basics, and a great examiner of your technique. These lines also offer the best presentation. They present the fly with more delicacy than the shorter and more aggressive lines. A 65ft head Spey Line also allows easy mends on the line, when controlling a drift.

Short Spey Lines (Scandi)

Spey Lines with a short head are sometimes referred to as Scandi Head lines. They have a shorter length head than a spey line. The weight of the head is to the rear of the line, for example 43ft in length (as opposed to 65ft) Scandi lines come integrated (better) and looped to a running line. The head as a longer more graduated taper and therefore better for presentation. However they are  not ideal for throwing heavier sink tips, poly leaders leaders and heavy flies. They are also easier to cast than a standard spey and ideal for smaller flies.

Skagit heads

Skagit heads have a more aggressive taper and a lot more mass at the tip of the flyline. The Skagit head is ideal for heavier sink tips and Skagit Heads of varying sink rates can be attached loop to loop. Skagit lines are ideal for casting large weighted flies.

In simple physics mass moves mass. A heavier head Skagit will turn over heavier tip and your fly with a lot more easier than a Short Spey Line. These are also easy to cast, and your guide can get you up and running safely and quickly for an enjoyable day on the river.

Shooting Head lines

Have a short, denser section of fly line attached to a thinner running (shooting) line. This offers offering minimal resistance, and drag on the head in flight. With the head positioned outside the rod tip, the cast will pull the thinner running line through the guides. Choosing a running line can be as important as head choice. Pick a running line that is easy to handle and does not suffer from too much memory. 

Here are some benefits of a shooting head system:

• Quick loading, requiring minimal false casting.
• Effective in confined spaces or when back cast room is limited.
• They punch well through the wind.
• Like a Skagit, Shooting heads provide more mass, handling heavier or larger flies easily
• Basically a shooting head allows you to cast further, with less effort.
• Flexibility of loops to loop different heads quickly, without changing over spools / reels.

Why does a salmon take a fly?

You will sometimes hear guides and ghillies say that fly presentation is more important than choice. Maybe so, but it shouldn’t be ignored that fly choice can be the game changer. Let’s start by asking why a salmon takes a fly? After all as soon as they enter freshwater, they do not feed. So why would a salmon bite a bunch of thread and feathers? Here are a few reasons we’ve worked out:

Curiosity

A salmon has no hands, so if something interesting appears in front of it it might be tempted to ‘mouth’ the object out of curiosity

Aggression

Spawning fish are territorial and aggressive at time. A fly might just piss off the salmon enough to force it to grab the fly out of aggression.

Pavlov’s Conditioned Response

A salmon fly might resemble a food source that it fed on in the ocean, i.e. a sun-ray (sand eel) and Shrimp pattern Red Francnsnaelda. This behaviour is more prevalent, then the fish first enter the rivers with the saltwater feeding behaviours still fresh in their minds.

X factor

Nobody can explain this one. Your client completely flops a cast, the fly lands in a heap with the tippet like a bowl of spaghetti, the salmon takes the fly!?

Consider also which colour flies work well in different water colours, if the water is peaty and dark brown like some of the West Coast spate rivers then often the patterns differ to the clearer rivers. 

The difference between Versileaders/ Polyleaders

Selecting the right Versileaders, Sink Tips or poly leaders is as important as fly choice and presentation. If you’re not fishing the flies at the right level, you’re not in the game. 

Let’s define the name firstly, that’s easy. Versileaders refers to the Rio range of tips, and Poly Leaders are the Airflo brand. These are essentially tapered leaders which are either coated with a tungsten material of varying densities, or a plasticised material for floating. A sink tip is generally a faster sinking tips, looped on to the end of a fly line.

Common sense applies to what tip to use with what rod and line. For example a # 8 weight Scandi line is going to struggle to cast the very heavy sink tips or Versileaders, and there will be some hinging on the cast stroke. This is because the Scandi head tapers and there is no mass at the end to move the heavier tip.

Here is the range of Versileaders and sink rate offered by Rio for Salmon/ Steelhead:

Best tippet material for salmon

No one tippet is the best, fact. It depends on the colour tint of the water you are fishing and the topography of the river. In most cases I use Maxima as its tried and tested and has a degree of stretch/ elasticity, which in my opinion is better than fluorocarbon tippet which is brittle and more likely to snap under sudden strain.

I use 15lb breaking strain for the bigger rivers (0.37mm diameter) and 10lb (.30mm) for the smaller spate waters. It comes in clear, Chameleon (brown) and Ultragreen. Here are some scenarios to help understand the thought process into what tippet to choose.

River Tay – Open Bankside with no trees – clear day light cloud cover and water running clear – Maxima Clear

River Spey – Closed banksdide surrounded by trees, water running peat coloured – Maxima Chameleon 

River Tweed – Sunny day, clear water – Maxima Aquagreen 

What you are looking for is the line most invisible in the water and against the skyline. Be tactical, think it through and don’t be a one trick pony. 

© Alba Game Fishing 

Techniques to fishing a Salmon Pool

Now assuming you have all the aforementioned components in place, you’re approaching a pool and ready to go.

Approach the pool with caution and stealth, think very carefully about where the salmon lies are and your approach. Stay quiet and stealthy. You are stalking a wild beast that has made an incredible journey and is a miracle of nature, so show it the respect it deserves.

How to wade safely in a big river

You should wade only deep enough to give you an anchor point for your spey cast. Avoid deep wading and disturbing fish. I see it all the time, anglers almost standing as deep as where the fish would run. If you can fish a pool from the bank without wading I would always recommend this. If you do need to wade, go slowly and easy, like you were sniper approaching a vantage point. Also never wade somewhere you can put your fly through first. 

Be your salmon fly and imagine in your minds eye the fly swimming under the water. It’s vital that you are swinging the fly with control of the fly at all times, and that there are no belly’s in the line and drags. The fly should swing even and true and you should target the pool with precision and optimism. On occasions a skated fly or a fly cast across the stream and ripped back quickly will work if fishing a sun ray or a hitched fly, but be aware of the technique you are fishing and the method you are using and stay in control.

How to set the hook

After each cast, take a gentle step downstream and allow the fly to swing approx 3 ft below where it was before. Casting a fly repeatedly in the same spot will not convince the salmon to take the fly and this also allows you to cover more water and search out those “taking fish” 

Don’t strike – When good tactics induce a take, you have to discipline yourself to react in the correct way. This can be harder for trout fishers, as they are used to “Striking” when they feel a take. 

It can take a lot of investment in time, money and effort to create the moment when a salmon takes, so don’t mess it up at this stage. Let the fish take, turn back to its lie and then set the hook properly with side pressure and a grip of the line on the handle or by holding the reel. Once you have hooked a fish like this, let the clutch take over, play the fish, and you have a very good chance of landing it, because the hook is set properly. 

Adopt the right tactics

Stay alert and focused to land the fish. Adrenaline will be coursing through you, and senses are working overtime. Stay calm and focused and take as much time as the fish needs. It sounds silly to say this, but play the fish, don’t try and rush it into the net. Some fish come quickly, and others fight like demons, its not often size related and some of the best fights off a salmon have been smaller fish. When retrieving line back on the reel try to do so in a smooth efficient manner, pump the rod smoothly and retrieve on the way down. 

It pays to plan ahead and look for slacker water to land the fish. Side pressure is more effective than the rod raised to the sky, and this helps steer the fish to where you would aim to land it. If shallow gravel is nearby, netting a fish is impossible, beach the fish instead. If you have a bit of depth, net the fish, then keep it in the net under water while you compose yourself and unhook the fly and plan for a quick photo.

Capturing the perfect fishing photograph

When fishing catch and release, you would want a good photo, but good pictures require planning. It’s a good idea to ensure your camera settings are correct and in place, before you cast a line. There’s nothing worse than fiddling around with your camera while the poor fish waits, and is put through more stress. 

Wrap your forefinger and thumb around the knuckle of the tail and avoid bending the tail against the body. This will put less strain on the tail muscles when you lift the fish up. Rather than gripping the tail you are simply forming a sold loop with your finger and thumb and avoiding squeezing too much. It’s worth also washing your hands in the river prior to handling, do this when the fish is resting in the net, it will help remove bacteria from your skin and transferring it to the fish.

All too often I see fish in November with skin disease and the areas of the fish impacted are where hands of anglers have been during grip and grin photos. Finally cup your hand gently under the belly of the fish and find the centre of gravity, again do not squeeze the belly of the fish, simple lift it up from the net and minimise the time out of the water. I can rattle off a few photos in a matter of seconds with good planning and then be looking to release the fish.

A quick photo before release © Alba Game Fishing 

The correct way to release a salmon

Finally, feeling elated and bursting with excitement, the final act of kindness and respect, is releasing the salmon back to its environment, safely and without fuss. Using the same method of holding the fish you adopted for catch and release, hold the fish under water in the stream so that oxygenated water runs through its gills, allow the fish time to recover.

You’ll know when this is, and it varies depending on how long the fish was played out and how strong the fish is. When the fish is ready, it will kick to get away from you. Seeing a these magnificent creatures swim safely back to their element is one of the most rewarding aspects of angling. The King of fish.

So there you have it, front to back, the process of preparing for a day, approaching the water and fishing a pool, catching and releasing. I hope 2021 presents many exciting salmon fishing opportunities for us all, and we can get out on the rivers again and enjoy freedom, open space, camaraderie and good sport. Tight lines and have a great season.