The potency from contact with a wild Atlantic salmon really needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated.
Make no mistake about what I'm about to disclose here to potential or new salmon fishers who haven't yet felt the extremely potent natural adrenalin high created in the initial moments of contact with a wild Atlantic salmon and the rising excitement levels often felt prior to or while commuting to the salmon river. There's a gradual build up of excitement that preceeds any salmon fishing trip so excitement levels will be gradually building from the night prior and while commuting to the salmon fishing destination. This excitement can easily switch up a gear when an angler arrives at their salmon fishing destination and especially when they start to build up their fishing rod as their fishing start time gets closer.
Given the already heightened state of excitement most salmon anglers experience before they start fishing paired with the amazing natural beauty of the salmon river surroundings they're now immersed in there's a much more potent high readily available for any angler who's tuned into the correct tactical approaches and who's thoughts are 100% sub surface as they methodically search the salmon pools for a fish that's in the right frame of mind for an alien abduction! The truly amazing high I'm referring to are from the super charged 'time freezing' moments when the initial plucks & tugs are felt from a salmon that has just intercepted your fly. The take from a wild Atlantic salmon on a fly rod is the only thing that can truly stop time and will instantly charge your body with a perfect flush of salmo adrenalin.
During these super charged initial moments of a salmon fly interception it's vital that the angler doesn't let adrenalin take control of their actions and that they maintain full composure of their realisation to what's now ocurring under the waterline. Those who can 'keep the heid' during these critical moments and have the composure to allow the salmon's initial plucks & tugs to develop into a nice steady draw of fly line from the fly reel then they are already more than half way to converting their salmon fly investigation into a landing net salmon inspection. Once the steady draw of fly line is ocurring and several seconds of steady fly line draw have lapsed then is the correct time to simply clamp the reel face (to stop the line stream dead) with the rod pointing down in the direction of the fly line allowing the salmon's forward momentum & body weight to fully tighten the line for a few seconds (before lifting the rod) therefore effectively exerting sufficient hook point pressure to properly set the hook.
If you're new to Scottish salmon fishing or still haven't grasped a solid understanding of the vital basic salmon fishing skills required for success in this amazing Scottish rural pursuit then consider booking a professional salmon guide for a day to assist your grasp of proven salmon fishing tactical skills. Don't blunder into this pursuit with quesswork as your guide as that's a slow road which may have too many pot holes to get you to the desired destination. A professional salmon guide will significantly accelerate your learning curve and get you off the starting block quickly & effectively. Follow this link for detailed information on guided Scottish salmon fishing on Scotland's famous big 4 salmon rivers; Tay, Dee, Spey & Tweed.
