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Look at the lovely old oak tree overhanging one of the best salmon fishing pools on the Tay near Dunkeld. The natural surroundings in this area of the Tay Valley are truly breathtaking.
This is the right hand bank of a River Tay salmon pool with a lone angler out searching for some sub-surface cooperation with their fly rod. This is a particularly beautiful area of the River Tay Valley between Dunkeld & Pitlochry.
This is my most favourite River Tay salmon fishing hot spot near the mouth of the River Tummel 10 miles north of Dunkeld during some exciting light conditions in June. Check out the perfectly cut riverbank in the foreground which I just love to cut to make this pool look its very best.
This salmon tube fly looks like nothing at all but if you place it in the river the water activates its fine Arctic fox tail fibres and it transforms into a life like creation. This is the Jock's Shrimp' salmon fly which is one of my most effective salmon fly patterns.
This is the perfect March Pool on the River Tay near Dunkeld. Look how our 'Salmon God' is spot lighting the exact riverbank casting position to make it easy to intercept one of his finest creations. Pay attention to the little signs or notions you experience on the riverbanks and this approach was taught to me 45 years ago by my late River Tay mentor & great friend Willie 'the ghillie Laird who used to refer to such things as 'the nudge'.
This young lady was part of a family fishing party who came to the River Tay to try out a salmon fishing experience. After teaching everyone how to cast a Spey rod, move properly down through the pools and how to set the hook if a salmon takes the fly this lady hooked this perfect Summer salmon on the right hand bank of the March Pool directly opposite the River Tummel mouth.

Is The Take From A Salmon Exciting

The potency from contact with a wild Atlantic salmon really needs to be experienced to be fully appreciated.

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Is The Take From A Salmon Exciting

Is Scottish Salmon Fishing Exciting

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.

HOW POTENT IS THE TAKE FROM A SALMON

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. 

How To React To The Salmon Take  

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.

How To Learn Effective Salmon Hooking Procedures

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. 

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