The fundamental guide to the essential salmon & sea trout flies

I am always being asked by clients and other fishing friends, “what flies should I bring with me to Scotland?” Well, there are two aspects to my response. In the first place, I would always recommend that you buy some flies locally, following the advice of your guide or the shopkeeper. There are always local variations or patterns that might fish on one river, but not on another. For example, on the Spey we tend to prefer very sparsely dressed flies, whereas on the Tweed, I would always use a more heavily dressed fly – the pattern might be the same for both rivers, but the way in which it is tied is very different. If you are paying £100 or more for a day on one of the best rivers it is false economy to deny yourself the best possible chance of taking a salmon, all for the sake of the cost of a few flies! And, if you are like me and you want that added pleasure of taking a fish on one of your own flies, then use the shop-bought fly as a model and tie some up for yourself.

The second part of my response would follow the principal of “keep it simple!” I now maintain three large boxes of flies; one for sea trout and two for salmon. I used to have a vast array of every pattern under the sun, but not now. Instead, I have a full range of sizes and a range of slight variations of just 3 sea trout flies and 7 salmon flies. Most are tied on both tubes and doubles – I very rarely use trebles any more. Depending on the season and the prevailing conditions of light, water height, air temperature and water temperature, I will select a restricted selection of flies to carry in one or two small boxes – leaving in the car the big boxes and the temptation to change flies every ten minutes. So, here are the patterns from which I will choose;

Sea Trout

Silver Stoat (especially this variation tied with a fluorescent green,silver-ribbed body)
Teal Blue & Silver
Dark Mackerel

Salmon
(Although I list these flies according to the season during which I use them most, they are generally good for any time of the year)

For the spring

Tosh (or anything black and yellow!)

For the summer

Ally’s Shrimp
Silver Stoat
Sunray Shadow

For the autumn

Cascade
Red and Black Francis
Temple Dog


Tight lines!

Cormorant crisis on the Earn!

The first day of the new salmon season coincided with the first rapid thaw of the winter snow and the first heavy rain of the new year. As a consequence, the Tay was in full flood and the Environment Agency (SEPA) warned all fishermen to stay away. So, with the opening day well and truly scuppered, I decided that instead I would fish the river Earn for grayling.

Now normally, this part of the river at Kinkell Bridge will produce between 2 and 3,000 grayling in a season. For good reason and for many years it has been accepted that this part of the river is probably the best in all of Scotland for the grayling.

When I arrived, the river was a little high (0.8m), but the water was running pretty clear. On the basis of conditions, hopes were moderately high. That was, until Sandy the ghillie showed up…. It seems that the winter had seen a huge increase in the number of cormorants on the river and that these greedy black b*****ds have eaten nearly every grayling and trout in the river – disaster!

The river still has a very large number of salmon, but I fear for the survival of the young fish in the spring. Something must be done to reduce the numbers of these birds but SEPA will not allow them to be culled. Quite frankly, the situation is ridiculous. It is only because the RSPB is so rich and powerful that nothing is done. In the meantime, the natural balance is being broken and our populations of fish are being critically damaged.

Anyway, I began fishing at about 09:30 and within one hour the river had risen in height to 1.4m and was now the colour of chocolate! By 11:30 I gave up – the river was up to nearly 2m and water was starting to enter the fields.

Let’s hope that this disappointing start to the season only means that we have all our bad luck on day one!

The Classic Scottish Fieldsports Break

Experience a true taste of Scotland’s finest country sports while staying at one of the grandest Country Hotels in Perthshire. During your three-night break you will hunt game using Harris hawks in the stunning surroundings of Glen Isla, visit one of the oldest whisky distillery in Scotland, fish for salmon on the mighty River Tay and shoot clay pigeons in Fife.

For groups of 2 to 8 persons, we offer;

3 nights accommodation at Ballathie House Hotel near Perth (Based on double occupancy standard rooms with breakfast and dinner)

The full-time services of a professional River & Green guide

1 session of clay pigeon shooting with instruction

1 day of salmon fishing (spinning or fly) on the River Tay, with riverside lunch & wine and including all fishing equipment

1 half day of hunting with hawks in Glen Isla, with packed lunch

All transport within Scotland

There is limited availability, so please check out our website and give us a call or drop us an email today!

Preparing for the new salmon fishing season in Scotland

This is a difficult time of the year for the fisherman. The trout season is more than two months away and we can't begin fishing for salmon until the middle of January and even then only on the Tay – for most rivers we must wait at least another 3 to 5 weeks!

So what are we to do during these miserable weeks of fishing inactivity? For me, this is the time to make an inventory of all my equipment and to take the time to think about which flies brought me success and which flies let me down during the previous season.

Here is my list of the 6 top tasks for the winter;

1. Carefully inspect all fishing lines – some faults can be repaired with a carefully applied drop of Aquasure, but in most cases, if a line is damaged, there is only one option; it must be binned

2. Reorganize all of your flies by pattern and size - get tidy. You should inspect every one of the flies in your box. If any fly is not perfect, take it out of the box and decide if it can be repaired. If it can't be repaired, perhaps you can strip off the dressing and reuse the hook. If not, then it must be discarded.

3. Carry out a service on all of your reels. They should be cleaned thoroughly, inspected and graphite grease should be applied to all working parts.

4. Repair any leaks in your waders. I use a specialist company to do this; DiverDave. Waders are expensive, so it is worthwhile to ensure that repairs are done properly - Dave and his team to a fantastic job and I will guarantee that your waders will come back better than new.

5. Prepare a list of all the equipment you need – either to replace what has been lost or to enhance your inventory. Then take out your wallet and start spending money!

6. Get busy making copies of all your best flies. I will make at least 5 copies in perhaps 4 different sizes of my 5 or 6 favorite flies – that equates to more than 100 flies! It is a big job, but when you consider that each fly would cost perhaps £2, that represents a big cost saving.

If you, like me, are fanatical about your fishing, all this work is actually a pleasure and doing it will fill you with excitement and anticipation for the season ahead.