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Salmon Fishing in Scotland – Advanced tip and techniques

Scotland has much to offer the salmon angler. In this article, I will describe 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 16 years. In 2004 I founded Alba Game Fishing and we have grown to become 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. There are a few companies now offering this type of service, we were the first, and we’ve always tried to fine tune everything we do and improve continuously. Now as I write this in 2021, we have superb team of 20 guides, located through out Scotland, a huge stock of premium fishing tackle and waders and carefully researched fishing venues throughout Scotland.  

Overview of Salmon Fishing in Scotland

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

Choosing the most appropriate river, and at what time?

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 salmon 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 salmon 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 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 and 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 salmon fishing

Whilst having the right salmon fishing tackle, and techniques are vitally important, you can 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. He had been to Farlows a few days before the trip, and splurged his credit card on the very best rod/ reel/ line/ and waders. Even his underwear was made by Patagonia (he told me). Everything on him looked brand spanking new. He charged into the water, like a buffalo sending shock wave out across the water, let alone the noise, 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 to avoid everywhere 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 and trying to conduct business from the sanctuary and tranquility of the hut, everything we had all come to the river to escape from. 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 and the connection with your environment. You have to switch the devices off. To reconnect with your proper haunt, you need to disconnect the devices. 

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 

Also don’t over stretch your cast. 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 focussed, stay positive and treat the salmon with the respect it deserves.

How to read a salmon 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, the resting spots that still offer good oxygen and the 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 spots, but you can be sure he’s also learnt some from the relationship with the ghillie.  

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 and land with more delicacy than the shorter and more aggressive head Scandi, and Shooting head lines.

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

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, (similar to polyleaders, but balanced to the Skagit Head)  and large weighted flies.

In simple physics mass moves mass, therefore 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 salmon lines

Have a short, denser section of fly line attached to a thin running (shooting) line offering minimal resistance, and drag on the head in flight. Once you get the head outside the rod tip,(get the right level of overhang) send the cast and the heavier shooting head pulls the thinner running line through the guides. Choosing a running line can be as important as the head. Ideally 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, and whilst this is true, 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 they feast on 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

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.

Wading in a salmon pool

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 salmon 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.

Is this the best value euronymphing rod?…read on..

The Orvis Clearwater 10ft 2 weight nymphing rod, was a nymphing rod I eagerly awaited, and due to limited stocks I had to get two shipped over, from Orvis in America. I was like a kid in a sweetie shop when they arrived, but sadly the rivers were too high to fish, so I had to wait a few weeks till the levels dropped.

The day finally came when I was able to assess this rod, on the River Tweed. The river level was decent, and the wind not too strong. This was September, and a beat I fish regularly for salmon was empty, so a quick call to the Ghillie and I was on my way.

I’m very conscious to avoid disturbing salmon fishermen, after all, they pay premium. If a salmon angler is on the opposite bank, I’ll have a quick chat and explain where I was thinking of fishing and check if that works for him/ her.. Quite a few beats on the Tweed are single bank fishing, and this means that the fishing rights are divided on opposite banks, so a good deal of common courtesy, common sense and good manners are required.

Not that rivers ever get busy in Scotland, its rare to encounter another angler but if you do, just work with him, and remember they are paying top dollar to fish for salmon and Sept to October is prime time.

Fall in love with the Clearwater?

Anyway back to the Clearwater….it didn’t take long on my first outing to fall in love with this rod. I quickly got into the groove with it, and it started to make my 3 and 4 weights feel rather insensitive. The first fish I hooked was a lively 12 inch grayling and it felt like a 2 pounder, the soft rod absorbing the pressure and protecting the grayling’s delicate mouth. The Clearwater has a mid flex action and playing a fish allows the rod to bend right through the blank. This first grayling session on the River Tweed with the Clearwater, produced around 20 fish, and mainly because the rod performed so well and gave great sensitivity and feel.

After 30 sessions fishing on Scottish rivers, I am happy to report this is a rod I now wouldn’t be without. It’s a superb tool. In fact, the Clearwater 102-4 is in my opinion the best value nymphing rod I have fished with, at a meagre £239.00 it’s an absolute steal. For that money, you get a 4 piece rod, sectioned rod-tube and 25 year guarantee.

How does the Clearwater compare to the Sage ESN 10ft 2 weight?

If you’ve fished with an ESN it’s safe to say the SAGE is the ultimate nymphing rod, I have never enjoyed fishing a rod so much. It’s not just my opinion, but that of many of my fellow guides. But you should keep in mind the Sage is £950.00 GBP and the Orvis £239. The Orvis comes with a solid 25 year guarantee, and Orvis are always great to deal with when rods encounter any problems. The SAGE is covered by a lifetime, original owner warranty against defects in materials or workmanship.

Where the Sage and Orvis rods differ is as follows:

Rod weight comparison Sage ESN vs Clearwater

The Orvis feels a little tip heavy compared to the Sage, the blank certainly has a thicker diameter, and you should try to balance the rod carefully to counter this. I find the Orvis Mirage reel or Sage ESN reels both work well. If like me, you use a Sage ESN reel, then its perfectly balanced on the 10ft Clearwater without any of the Sage counter weights. That balance comes from using a minimal amount of backing and a nymphing line (low diameter).

Tip recovery Sage ESN vs Clearwater

The SAGE wins this particular battle hands down, and this is partly due to the blank and also due to the action of the rod. The Sage has a beautifully designed tip section, if you flex the rod, you’ll see it bends towards the tip, whereas the Clearwater bends through to the middle of the rod. However when playing a fish, the SAGE will bend through the middle of the blank as well, how they do that, I don’t know, but that’s how it is in the real world. Considering these differences, keep in mind the Orvis is almost a quarter of the price, and offers exceptional value. The Orvis still performs remarkably well, and if you are looking for a rod to begin your Euronymphing journey, this is it. The SAGE is also a more accurate casting rod, and when fishing three flies with a total weight of perhaps 2 grams, it delivers the flies to target with real accuracy. You’ll get less tangles with the ESN when fishing a 3 nymph rig, due to smooth stroke of the rod ti, whereas the Orvis there’s a degree of wobble in the rod tip, and this results in a few more tangles.

However all that said, the casting of the Clearwater that is a joy. When Euronymphing you can feel the weight of the nymphs on the back cast with a slight pause before pitching them upstream into the drift. It helps you get into a rhythm of effortless casting tangle free. This is something I always struggled with with other rods, feeling a little detached and sometimes missing the timing.

Aesthetics Sage ESN vs Clearwater

Both rods look great. Naturally the Sage has the edge. The cork on the Clearwater is standard grade, and if like me, you tend the attach your flies to the cork handle when walking to a different pool, you’ll find the handle can break up if not careful. The cork on the Sage is superior as are all the finishing and finesse of the rod. Nether rod has a clip for the fly, which is bloody annoying! I will probably install small rubber bands to both rods, or the cork will not last very long! The black nickel aluminum reel seat on the Orvis, is down locking and very effective. The SAGE has a Stealth Black anodized aluminum down-locking reel seat. The Orvis has a fighting butt.

Feel of the Sage ESN vs Clearwater

This is where the differences are les obvious. The SAGE has the edge, and the Orvis offers brilliant value here. You really can feel everything that’s going on with both rods. It’s easy to differentiate between snags, takes, stop takes and when you pick up a twig. The Sage does feel like a ninja weapon, perfectly balanced and in tune with all the elements. The Orvis come close and for the money, you couldn’t complain.

My Euronymph set up is a 20ft length of 8lb Amnesia (colour Sunset) nylon, leading to a length of indicator tippet terminating in a tippet ring and on to a cast of two/three flies.

To avoid tangles I keep a nice open-arc loop when casting and keep it as smooth as possible. It’s noticeable that you do get more tangles with the Orvis, as the tip oscillates more on the cast stroke.

Playing a fish, a joy on the Clearwater

Downstream strikes were forgiving if you were rather heavy and connected with a bigger fish. The softness of the rod, cushions any sudden surprises like hooking a large trout that explodes into action. Playing a fish is a real joy, smaller fish still manage to put a bend on the rod, and you can really feel what’s going on during playing the fish. One of my trips using the Clearwater was on the River Teviot and after several grayling I hooked a salmon. I was using two grayling nymphs on 3.6lb tippet and managed to steer a 6lb salmon to the net. Any sudden lunges the fish took were easily soaked up by the flexibility of the rod and the smooth reel I was using (an Orvis Mirage LT)

As the nymphs tack downstream bouncing along the river bed, you can actually feel this through the blank, every little tick, I’d recommend putting your index finger on the blank gently as they track downstream.

Conclusion SAGE ESN vs Clearwater rods

Both rods are fantastic. If you have deep pockets, and are a nymphing maniac like me, get the SAGE. If you fish occasionally and are looking for great value, go for the Orvis. I take both rods with me on a days fishing and happily switch from one to the other.

So in summary, for a rod that retails for £239.00 GBP this offers exceptional value and I heartily give it a Highly recommended “Best Buy” rating and 5 Stars.

If you are new to Grayling fishing/ Euronymphing and want a guided grayling fishing day using the Clearwater or Sage ESN rods, please get in touch

Stewart Collingswood, Founder Alba Game Fishing

Post Lockdown Breaks for Better Mental Health

2020 has been a difficult year for all of us, in so many ways. Dealing with a pandemic and the seismic shift in our day to day routines were hard enough, let alone being told by an inept government what we should and shouldn’t do. On top of everything, our being restricted to travel overseas, whilst in my view, essential to control spread of the virus, was something that didn’t sit well with many people.

In the UK we work very hard, and our rewards are simple enough, no I don’t mean red wine, chocolate, or binging on Netflix. I’m talking about our overseas holidays, for some relaxation and sunshine. 

Escape from the noise, go fishing!

Sometimes the pace of life is hectic, and noisy. I mean noisy in the sense we are surrounded by a constant drip feed of communication, coming at us via email, tablets, phones, TV radio and adverts churning out a non-stop conscious babble. The pressure of work too can be overbearing, deadlines, long hours, stress and managing work relationships, can all take its toll. By the time our holiday arrives, We’re knackered. It’s as if we need a few weeks of meditation to help us wind down and prepare us. In the lead up to our escape, frantic tying up of loose ends and working long hours to complete deadlines takes its toll, leaving us totally frazzled, emotionally and physically.

And then escape! The vision of Tim Robbins in the Shawshank Redemption as he emerges from the sewage pipe and holds his hands up to the skies – freedom, TIME OFF! (albeit in the pissing rain)

We as humans are super stoked about escaping for overseas holidays and rightly so, we deserve it, life is too short! and it’s great to get a break. A break from not just, day to day life, but the vagaries of the British weather.

And then Lockdown. Travel restrictions, and cancelled overseas trips.

July 202 onwards, staycation busy

Then in July, travel restrictions were eased, and this led to a very busy period through to October for our Orvis Endorsed fishing guiding company Alba Game Fishing in Scotland. What we lost with inbound American/ overseas visitors, we made up for in UK guests looking for a workable alternative to a holiday abroa. There was a huge appetite for people to escape to enjoy freedom, fresh air and a sense of well being on the river. 

Nearly all the guests that came fishing post lockdown, confirmed they were indeed substituting a sporting break in Scotland for their holiday abroad. In fact not just fishing, the whole of Scotland was overrun with people escaping the cities. If you were lucky enough to head to the far North and drive anywhere near the NC500 it was rammed! Guest houses and hotels were full as were camp sites and camper van parks. People were sleeping in cars in lay bys and everyone wanted to be outside, enjoying the fresh air and there were very few places left where you could actually escape people.

Where in Scotland can you escape crowds?

This is where the river and lochs of Scotland were winners. It seemed to me the only place you could enjoy the countryside and escape the crowds. River beats are privately owned so usually free from public access. Yes there is a right to roam in Scotland, but you wouldn’t see a camper van with 6 folk frying sausages and throwing a frisbee in a River Tay beat car park. The Ghillie would send them packing with some solid advice! 

Our days with guests allowed them to really enjoy getting away from it all, with space, freedom, safe social distancing and relaxation. Open space, room to breathe and a place to really disconnect, to reconnect with the real you.

A new way to deliver trips – safely

We quickly had to find a new way to deliver trips safely. For the safety and comfort of guests and our guides. All of our guides completed a Coronavirus Infection prevention course with the World Health Organisation and with that in place we then applied common sense procedures that didn’t require much fuss. For example

• We met guests at the venues to avoid car pooling
• No handshakes, high 5’s or hugging. 
• We temporarily stopped serving lunches and guests brought there own
• We carried bottles of hand sanitiser made by our local Gin company, any time we handle a rod, hands are thoroughly sanitised first 
• Safe distancing (easy when you are fishing)
• At the end of a day, all the rod handles and points of contact are cleaned down with alcohol

All of the above measures are carried our without any fuss. There are more layers to it and you can read them here, but for the main part its easy to stay safe and not cause a fuss. Our fishing days carried on pretty much as normal.

How did we maximise our time during lockdown?

What an opportunity lockdown was for us. No seriously! An opportunity to gear ourselves up for future success. Time is our most precious commodity and here was a chance to waste not a moment. We managed a fishing tackle audit of the entire stock and purchased 20 new crewsaver life vests. Our fly tyers were kept busy tying some highly effective patterns. This proved to be time and money well spent. John Richardsons Red Francnsnaelda signature tune fly had almost 20 salmon this year. It was a fly to fall back on, when the going got tough. As well as a huge investment in superb salmon patterns, we filled several fly boxes from some of Scotland’s best trout and grayling fly tyers, like Davie Mcphail, Cuillin Rae and Billy Scott.

On the tackle front, we added some new Sage LL trout rods, our favourite being the 9ft 4weight. The new Orvis Mission and Clearwater salmon rods were a superb addition, and guests were able to try before buying these superb rods. The 14ft 9 weight Mission was a particular favourite and perfect salmon fishing on the River Tweed and the River Tay.

Lockdown took us to new levels…of Nymph fishing

Perhaps the sexiest addition to stock is the purchase of the Sage ESN (European Style Nymphing) rod and reels, and the new Orvis Clearwater 10ft 2 weight nymphing rods. These are the real deal and I am in the process of writing a full review on both of these rods.

This has taken nymphing for trout and grayling to a new level. A superb rod, and well done Orvis.

After a review of our stock of waders, we added 5 pairs of waders and boots to stocks, and now carry 35 pairs of Orvis Clearwater, Encounter and Sonic waders and 36 pairs of Orvis boots. We have various sizes all the way up to few pairs of size 15 boots, that were launched with a bottle of champagne cracked on them, as they slid down a runway to the river, in front of crowds of cheering people. 

Post lockdown fishing for everyone – beginners to experts

When an enquiry comes in to us, often the enquiry is misaligned to what the best fishing is for that time of year. For example we get requests to take groups sea fishing in December when the  sea is souped up and fishing is extremely slow as most of the bait fish have departed and the herring and mackerel are long gone, taking the bigger predators with them.

We also get enquiries from people simply looking to “go fishing” and with an open mind. No matter what category any enquires fall into, we really do try and recommend experiences that will deliver the best according to the time of season, river levels, and ability of the clients. 

Many of the “just go fishing” guests were encouraged to fish for salmon this year. Covid has been cruel in many ways, but a blessing for salmon stocks. With restaurants closed for the main part and commercial fishing curtailed, there were certainly record numbers of salmon returning to the rivers and we capitalised on this and had a bumper year.

For the trout anglers, post lockdown fishing in the lochs was fantastic and it was hard to fail. Catching free rising trout in the rivers and lochs and using nymphing techniques.

For the sea fishing anglers, we delivered some exciting shore fishing and boat trips, fly fishing in the saltwater for Pollack and sea bass. 

Then of course when the river are too high and the sea too windy, we have fantastic pike fishing on offer, on a private loch (lake) south of Edinburgh. 

Good Mental Health, the solution is ….go fishing

Look lets not beat around the bush, Covid and lockdown affected most peoples mental health. I know being stuck in the house with my lovely family led to some rising tensions and arguments over….well nothing really! 

On a personal note, I decided to stop drinking and exercise more during lockdown and this helped me greatly. But I couldn’t help feeling trapped. The thought of not getting away to new spaces, the outdoors and fishing were taking its toll. There was a palpable air of tension everywhere. 

This all changed, as soon we were all allowed out on the river again in July. I never quite realised how much I missed doing what I do, and how privileged I was. To spend time in beautiful places with guests has to be one of the best jobs in the world. The most rewarding aspect of all of it was helping people relax and get into a good mental space. You could see how grateful our guests were, to be in the outdoors and enjoying the river. No tension, no babble, just the sounds of nature, the calming effect of the water and occasional moments of excitement when a fish was hooked or landed.

Hunter gatherer instinct

Perhaps it’s that fishing taps into the primal “hunter gatherer” instinct that lies deep in our brain make up. Instincts forged by our ancestors and sometimes dormant in many people, due to the pace of normal life. When we fish, we awaken those instincts and I believe this is brain nourishment, exercise and a great stimulant, that results in well-being. It’s easy to become focussed in the moment when fishing, and that by default shuts down the stream of conscious noise. I’ve always understood that fishing for me, is a form of therapy, meditation and promoter of positive thinking. Only when we let go of the noise, and shift our focus into the moment, the nuances of tempting a fish, do we truly disconnect and relax.

As we wind down what has been a weird and wonderful 2020, I know that 2021 will be another challenge. With recent news of a vaccine, it looks positive and hopeful that our American and overseas guests return. We will help everyone to reconnect with nature, space, relaxation, and a sense of well being. The fishing is an added bonus.

Our motto going in to 2021 is to Disconnect to Reconnect! Good health and be safe!

Everything you need to know about getting started with salmon fishing

This is a comprehensive no-nonsense guide to getting started, if you’re looking to learn how to fish for salmon.

So you want to get into salmon fishing but don’t know where to start? Hopefully this guide will help. This is a simple guide to help you get started. I’ve based the knowledge in this article on 16 years as a professional salmon fishing guide throughout Scotland.  

It can be daunting starting out, where to go, what equipment to use, how to read a river, How to fish for salmon, what is the river etiquette? What Spey casts to use? How much do I tip the Ghillie? The insights are here, please read on:

Let’s break his down into a step by step guide, beginning with:

Tactics for fishing for salmon

The first thing to understand is that salmon do not feed when they enter freshwater. They have two things programmed in their brain, reproduction and survival.

Why a salmon takes a fly nobody really can be certain. It’s thought to be a combination of aggression, curiosity and a conditioned response from when they fed in saltwater. 

Make no mistake, salmon fishing is a dark art. You need resilience as blank days are frequent, and determination to keep moving your flies through the pools with method, focus and a clear strategy. Usually you would cast your fly down and across and try to keep a steady swing on the fly, letting the current do the work. As you work through a pool, imagine you are playing battleships and draw a picture in your mind of the river as a god, and your prospecting all the squares hunting a fish. Work through the pool by casting and then taking a step downstream.

If at first you don’t succeed, try doing what the Ghillie told you in the beginning

My best advice is listen to the experts, when you arrive at a river, speak to the ghillie, his advice is invaluable. Remember he lives and breathes his beat of the river, knows where the salmon lies are and importantly at what water level where to fish. Ask him also what tip to add to your fly line (sink rate or floater) and what fly. If you’re a beginner, get him to show you the correct knot for the fly. I recommend a double turle, for salmon fly in doubles (two hooks). Most of all keep it simple, persistence beats resistance and don’t overcomplicate your casting or try too hard to reach that extra few feet. Often fish can be a rod length or two away. Don’t make too much disturbance when wading. 

What equipment to use for salmon fishing in Scotland? 

Most rivers in Scotland are fly fishing only, and some allow spinning like the Tay and the Tweed. The sensible thing to do is to ask yourself, do I want to fish one of the big rivers? The River Tay, The Dee, Spey and Tweed, or a smaller spate river, like the River Ericht, Orchy or Alness.

Salmon Fishing Seasons in Scotland

Salmon fishing Equipment for Big 4 rivers – The Tweed, Tay, Spey and Dee

A 14ft or 15ft Fly rod, is a perfect size to cover a big river, don’t go any smaller, because if you get into a big fish, you’ll struggle to control it. You don’t need to spend the earth, a Shakespeare Oracle Scandi 15ft rod will set you back £100.00, and its a pretty decent spey rod, certainly good enough for a beginner to enjoy learning the fundamentals of Spey Casting. The Scandi version is my pick (there are other Shakespeare Oracles) is that Scandi (short Spey) lines are easier to cast for beginners.

If you’re looking for a robust, great value salmon reel, the Vision Deep ticks many boxes. It will set you back about £80.00 can take a battering, has a decent drag and great line capacity. It does what it says on the tin.

Salmon Fly Lines

So what salmon fly line is best for a beginner? If your setting out, do not use a long head Spey line, i.e. 65ft, opt for a Short head Spey line(sometimes called Scandi lines). These are easier to cast and I can tell you that in my years as a guide I have got literally thousands of people casting lines like this good enough to cover fish in under 30 minutes of tuition. You cannot go wrong with an Arflo Rage Shooting head kit. For £79 this gives you a running line/ short spey line and tips, floater, intermediate and sink tip. This will cover most scenarios and this is an extremely easy line to cast. If you’ve heard about lines called Scandi or Skagit, then this line sits somewhere in between. Take it from me, it’s easy to cast, and hugely versatile.

So there you have it. A complete, fly rod, reel and line for £280.00.

Spate rivers: If you are looking at fishing smaller rivers, then use similar equipment to above but come down to an 11ft 8 weight. This will help you fish in tighter spaces and still give you enough clout to play a bigger multi-wintered fish. 

Tippet. Go for Maxima. 15lb for bigger rivers and 10lb for the spate rivers. This line is reliable and tried and tested. It stretches when a fish lunges on a run, and it comes in two colours. Chameleon for peat stained water and Ultragreen for clearer rivers. It also changes colour when the line degrades and oxidises, going a pale pink colour.

What are the best value breathable waders?

Waders are an item you should be careful buying. Many people buy cheap and pay the price.. many people buy expensive and pay the price too. I cannot see past the Orvis Clearwater waders, they offer excellent value for money, and I would recommend trying them on with thickish socks and wading boots. Make sure you try bending down and standing up and all legs movements are easy and unrestricted. Get the Orvis Clearwater wading boots too, they are superb value, the waders and boots will set you back £368.00 but often Orvis offer deals and discounts, don?t be afraid to contact your local store and ask.

So in summary, £650.00 will get you properly set up, and enable you to be tooled up for a day on the river. (Excluding flies and nylon tippet)

Which river in Scotland is best for salmon fishing for beginners?

This depends where you live, but make sure you select a beat with a good Ghillie, preferably one who holds a casting qualification like SGAIC and therefore can give casting tips and tuition. If you want a more dedicated (one on one) guide for the day, then pay the extra and get a good one. You can meet the guide at the river, use your own gear and he or she can take you through the fundamentals and various casts. This can be invaluable in the beginning, so bad habits don’t set in. Salmon casting can also be physically taxing when you set out. First off you are using muscles and movements that are strange and alien to the norm. Having a guide and casting instructor can help you understand how to put less effort in and more technique, this can save you damaging muscles and getting a repetitive strain injury.

The River Tay at Fishponds is one such beat, a gem of a Ghillie in Iain Kirk, a casting instructor and rod designer for Mackenzie Fly Rods, he’s always willing to help. Its good water for learning and relatively inexpensive in the earlier parts of the season (spring and summer)

Ghillies – The dos and don’ts

Whilst were on the subject of ghillies and guides, it’s customary to tip them. This is the right thing to do and as a general guide, anything from £20-£50 depending on the day you’ve had is the norm. Some grilles are very helpful and get involved and work hard to keep you right, others will show you the pool and hide in the hut, there’s no right or wrong, that’s the way to is, this will help you decide how much to tip. Tipping isn’t mandatory, but if you don’t give them a “handshake’ don’t expect the same level of service next time or any worthwhile help. Ghillies never forget! 

Hire a guiding company to take you out, they will provide you with quality fishing tackle, waders, boots, life vest and rain jacket. Well we do that certainly!

Rather than but all the gear and then discover its not for you, you may want to consider hiring a guiding company for your first trip. They will provide you with quality fishing tackle, waders, boots, life vest and rain jacket. This will set you back approx £375.00 for a full day including dedicated guide with you all day, permit, tackle and VAT. Our team of professional fishing guides include SGAIC casting instructors, so if you want to try various combinations fo rods and lines and learn various Spey casts, we can help.

Stewart Collingswood, Orvis Endorsed Guide/ founder Alba Game Fishing Ltd

Safe and isolated locations to practice social distancing when fishing

As Scotland emerges from the Covid pandemic, people are looking to escape to the outdoors post – lockdown and enjoy some new found freedom again. Here are my top fishing trips in Scotland, that allow you stay safe, enjoy the open air, marvel in gorgeous scenery and know you are being looked after by a team of guides that understand how to stay safe post Coronavirus (Covid-19)

First of all all of our guides have completed this course by the World Health Organisation, which reassures you that we know how to stay safe, and help you relax and enjoy your fishing in the outdoors, risk free.

Salmon Fishing on the River Spey – Safe Isolated, Great for scenery and fresh air

The Spey beats are never crowded and from what we hear, all estates have now got post lockdown procedures in place. Ideal for experts or beginners – Fly Fishing Only.

We usually fish either the Gordon Castle beats, or Ballindalloch Estate. Both have excellent fishing. If you prefer to stay in self catering accommodation there are a wealth of options in Speyside. You can meet the fishing guides at the beat hut every day and we will have all your fishing tackle and waders ready for you. All safe, all sterilised, all good to go.

These beats look to be set to open tentatively on June 1st and we are now able to take bookings going forward. The River Spey salmon season runs from 11th February to 30th September. To understand the conditions please see this article.

Salmon Fishing River Tay – ideal for bank fishing, experts or beginners (spin casting allowed)

Situated a few miles from the market town of Perth, the lower River Tay will be a great choice for the summer and autumn fishing on the Tay. We fish the Scone Palace beats, and one thing is for sure, there is plenty of open space, fresh air and great scenery.

We can meet guests at the hut or if they prefer at the entrance gates of Scone Palace and then follow the guide to the beat from there (10 mins) All the fishing tackle will be set up prior to arrival and waders ready to put on. The rods, waders and tackle will all have been sterilised and handled with rubber gloves. We will maintain good social distancing rules and enjoy a relaxing day in fabulous scenery.

Salmon and Trout Fishing River Whiteadder

The Whiteadder is somewhat of a Hidden gem of a salmon and trout river, it is one of the main tributaries of the River Tweed and starts in the Lammermuir Hills, before flowing into the Tweed near Berwick. If conditions are right, this is a brilliant river. To get an idea of the size of the river watch this short video, you can see that after high water the river starts to settle back and clear. Not only can you catch salmon in this river, but excellent there’s also excellent sport for brown trout and sea trout fishing too. Your fishing permit covers all three species. This is not a crowded place and its rare to see another angler when fishing here. The photo below shows it in low water level.

There are no beat huts here, this is wild fishing. Unlike the bigger rivers like the Tay and the Spey, where you can almost drive right to the river, there is a wee bit of walking involved. Occasionally, you can expect to be walking through nettles and undergrowth to reach the best spots, but everything is on the level. A moderate level of fitness is an advantage. The beats are wild in nature and do not have the manicured banks of the Tweed. But the scenery by far makes up for that. Fishing is generally with single hand 10ft 7 weight rods of and 11ft #8 weight switch rod. Fishing on the Whiteadder can also get lively in Autumn as large volumes of fish move into the river for spawning.

Salmon and Trout Fishing River Ericht

If you?re looking for adventure, wild scenery and a great day out, then this narrow spate river is one of the best small salmon rivers in Scotland. The River Ericht is formed from the collaboration of the the rivers Ardle and Blackwater. It runs into the River Isla, and eventually the River Tay. The river passes through some very scenic Perthshire farmland and was once used to power several textile mills in Blairgowrie.

You will not get the manicured banks of the Tay, this is very much scenic wild country, authentic, historic and breathtakingly beautiful. The River Ericht arguably the best spate river on the Tay system, meaning that it requires good water levels to bring the fish through. The fish counter on the river boasts a run of 8000 to 13,000 fish annually. 

Being an upper tributary of the Tay, and therefore relatively narrow, it is an excellent salmon river for single-handed fly rods. A 9 or 10ft #7 weight is perfect or a 10-11ft Switch rod, like the Mackenzie Atlas is ideal. 

Durness and Caithness – Saltwater fly fishing and trout lochs

If you are looking for real solitude, vast open spaces, dramatic light, stunning beaches, gin clear lochs and imperious landscapes, Durness and Caithness tick all the boxes.

We have some truly world class shore fishing marks here, near Sandwood Bay, that offer some of the most awesome shore Pollack fishing in Scotland. You can enjoy freedom, space and lively sport. In addition soak up the majestic scenery and disconnect (to reconnect)

Further north, in Durness are a group of gin clear freshwater trout lochs sitting on a. limestone fault and offering some of Scotland best trout fishing. I first fished these waters in 1987 and have been traveling north ever since. I’ve spent many holiday up here. The lochs are not easy, but the rewards are high. If you are lucky and hit the water when conditions are right, you have a real chance at specimen fly fishing for wild brown trout. True wild fish, genetically perfect. There is a choice to fish from a boat or the bank in these lochs, or indeed a float tube. I would recommend that post Covid, we avoid boat fishing as it’s very difficult to social distance in a two ro even three man boat, and stick to bank fishing or float tube. We have a stock of excellent breathable Orvis Sonic Waders in all sizes, boots with studs and Float tubes, so leave it all to us, we can help.