Description
Three-Day Spey Casting and Salmon Fishing Course.
I have now been running my Spey Casting and Salmon fishing courses for over 30 years and they are very popular. The 2025 course is structured to take anyone wanting fairly intensive tuition through a full programme of learning to Spey cast and to fish for salmon with double-handed rods.
On this particular course I will be teaching my fairly formal program during the mornings and leave you free to fish in the afternoons under your own steam, whilst I have a cast myself.
There is always a good chance of a fish at Dalmarnock, but remember a lot of your time is spent learning rather than actually fishing, so don’t expect necessarily to catch a salmon.
There are a maximum of 6 rods on each course though others are welcome to join us or stay on for the week and just fish whilst we are there. If you want to book fishing only it is listed in my shop as a separate category.
Dalmarnock is a lovely beat and ideal for teaching, with both banks, good access with some fishing from the banks and nice easy wading. The resident ghillie is Colin McFadyen a long-time Tay ghillie and excellent fisher.
In April the Tay can produce some of the best spring salmon fishing in Scotland. In common with most spring salmon rivers all fish must be returned.
The itinerary is roughly as follows but is adapted to suit those attending as well as the prevailing conditions. Formal tuition takes place in the mornings on all three days:
Day One – Depart from the hotel at 8.45am.
- Get kitted up at the hut.
- General talk about the programme, the beat, safety and tackle assembly.
- Then out onto the river for the morning session which will start with a demonstration of how to wade tactically and safely. Followed by an introduction to double-handed casting techniques with a floating line, including overhead roll and single Spey casts.
- Instruction and practice with one-to-one tuition.
- How to fish a typical pool with the floating line.
- Hooking, Playing and Landing fish – The theory!
- In the afternoon: fishing under your own steam in order to be able to relax and practice the techniques learned during the morning and hopefully catch a fish!
Day two.
- Opposite bank for the Double Spey, the snake roll and casting off the opposite shoulder.
- Instruction and practice with one-to-one tuition.
- Controlling the speed of the fly.
- River walk: Salmon fishing tactics/reading the water/where to concentrate your efforts.
- In the afternoon: fishing under your own steam in order to be able to relax and practice the techniques learned during the morning and hopefully catch a fish.
Day Three
- Casting sinking lines and sink tips.
- Instruction and practice with one-to-one tuition.
- Tactics with sinking lines and sink tips.
- Lunch at the hut.
- Salmon fishing and casting with single handed rods.
- Sum up, re-cap and fault finder
- In the afternoon: fishing under your own steam in order to be able to relax and practice the techniques learned during the morning and hopefully catch a fish
The cost of the three day course in 2025 will be £450.00 This includes all fishing and tuition including the hire of fishing tackle should you need it. The cost does not include a ghillie’s tip (about £15/day/rod) or your accommodation for which you must now book direct as I can no longer get a deal from any of the local Dunkeld hotels.
You can book this course direct on line or by telephoning my office on 01342 850765.
