Frequently Asked Questions

Anyone, any age. The exception being that under 16 year olds must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

There is no physical strength required in Salmon fishing.  If you can climb a flight of stairs unaided and are steady on your feet you’ll be fine.  We will ask you to declare any physical issues that may need us to change the location we use.

Whether you are a complete novice or a more experienced fisherman, having someone who is familiar with the river Tay and especially the beat you will be on, will help you to maximise your day and improve your chances of catching a fish. 

Your instructor \ Guide will help you with his knowledge and expertise to learn and /or improve your casting ability and help you choose the best place to cast and advise on the best equipment to use.

Jim & Paula work together to offer you the best value for money Guided Salmon Fishing Experience.  We can do this by keeping all our expenses to a minimum and not subcontracting our guiding work out.

Email, telephone or WhatsApp us and Paula will happily discuss your requirements.

You will be using top quality equipment that our Guides use themselves.  Handmade English rods by Michael Evans.  Reels by Vision.  Lines by RIO, Airflo and Mackenzie along with flies tied by hand.  A selection of the equipment we use are shown in our photo gallery.

90% of our days are carried out on the River Tay or it’s tributaries near the beautiful town of Dunkeld in Perthshire Scotland.   We choose beats for both their productivity and also their ease of wading. You will be asked when booking your age range and physical ability to book beats to suit you best.

If you are staying in Dunkeld, we can pick you up from your accommodation.  Depending on distance a small addition charge may apply.  If you have your own car we will give you directions, if you are travelling by train then Birnam & Dunkeld station is nearby.

The Salmon Fishing Season on the River Tay is 15th January to 15th October.  An experience can be a day or more than one day, but unfortunately, we cannot offer reduction in price for part (half) days as permits are purchased for the whole day.

Your day will commence at 8.45-9.00am with a cup of tea or coffee at the beat hut. A short safety briefing, followed by an introduction to the life cycle of a Salmon. You will get kitted out in your waders and be shown the equipment you will be using during the day. Then off to the river where you will be given a demonstration on spey casting.

Under the watchful eye of your personal guide (who will be shoulder to shoulder with you all day), your morning salmon fishing will commence. You will fish until lunch which is traditionally 1-2pm. We ask that you bring a packed lunch of your choice with you. During lunch you will meet other fishermen on the beat to chat about any fish caught and the one that got away! Then back to the river to fine tune techniques learnt during the morning session. Your fishing day ends at 5.00pm.

Although this is an indication of how your day will go, please remember this is your day and we will taylor it as much as possible to suit you. If you want to try Spinning as well as Spey Casting on the River Tay, your guide will carry the equipment for you to be able to do both. Spinning is not permitted on all Scottish Rivers but is acceptable on the river Tay.

Spey casting is a specialised technique used in Fly Fishing in Scotland.   Spey casting is primarily used for fishing on large rivers for Salmon and large Sea Trout.  The two handed spey technique allows for more powerful casts and avoids obstacles on the bank by keeping most of the line in front of the angler.  The technique was introduced in Scotland and Wales in the mid 1800s.

We will supply all the Salmon Fishing equipment that you will need (Salmon fishing permit, rods, reels, lines, salmon flies, lures and waders). We take your safety very seriously so on the day you will be supplied with a lifejacket which you will be required to wear whenever you are near or in the water.

You will need to bring with you a packed lunch, a waterproof jacket (in case of rain), layers of warm clothing, a pair of sunglasses or your own spectacles if you wear them (for eye protection), a hat or cap, a thick warm pair of socks and suncream.

INSURANCE – We cannot express enough the importance of you taking out the necessary insurance before booking your experience day.  It must cover cancellation, medical and emergency expenses (including repatriation), illness, death, injury, property damage and loss.  travelling expenses, accommodation as well as your booking with us.  JSL Sporting Services will not accept any liability if you book without the necessary insurance being in place.   Please always read our T&Cs which are at the bottom of the Home Page on this website.

Gratuities – In Scotland it is customary but is not compulsory.  We recommend tipping the Ghillie on the Beat.  The Ghillie is not your Guide, they are the person who manages the beat, the fishing hut and facilities, everything from cleaning the hut, cutting the grass, removing debris after storms etc and trying to make your environment whilst fishing as pleasant as possible.  Talk to your Guide for advice on the day as to the amount but approximately £10-£20 per person is quite the norm.

Transportation to the Fishing Beat from your accommodation, unless previously agreed in writing. 

We cannot guarantee this, however, our professional guide will do everything they can to get in the right place, with the right equipment, hopefully at the right time.

Water temperatures vary throughout the year.  You will be provided with waterproof waders, under which you can wear your own clothing.  We recommend that you wear a number of thin layers of clothing which can be added / removed to suit yourself. 

Yes of course.  Always check with us that your equipment is suitable and we can advise on any necessary cleaning of your equipment to prevent transfer of parasite.  This is Gyrodactilis Salaris and prevention is a necessary condition of you using your own equipment.

Please refer to our Full Terms & Conditions on our website. 

We operate a strict 100% catch and release policy.