Premium guided fly fishing holidays in Scotland
Fly Fishing Scotland
Spey cast for Atlantic salmon on the River Tay, then fish a private hill loch for wild brown trout, all from a comfortable estate cottage in the heart of Perthshire.
◷ Season Jan–Oct ⚲ Edinburgh & Glasgow ✦ Atlantic salmon, sea trout & wild brown trout
Three waters from one Perthshire estate
Plan a Scotland fishing holiday around salmon, loch trout and river sport
We fish three very different waters from a single Perthshire base: the mighty Tay for salmon, a private hill loch for wild brownies, and the River Almond for a quiet day on the fly. Most guests mix all three across a week, following the season and the conditions.
Salmon fishing on the River Tay
The Tay is Scotland’s biggest river and its most storied salmon water. This is where Georgina Ballantine landed her 64lb fish in 1922, still the British record. You will fish classic fly beats of deep pools, streamy runs and long glides with a double-handed rod and a ghillie who knows every lie.
Spring brings the heaviest fish, summer the grilse, and autumn the most fish of the whole year. Casting tuition is on hand if the Spey cast is new to you.
Wild brown trout on a private Highland loch
A short drive from the estate sits a hill loch we fish by private arrangement, ringed by heather and rarely touched by anyone else. Wild brown trout come readily to a team of traditional wet flies worked from a drifting boat, and to the dry fly when the evening rise comes on.
It is the most relaxed fishing we offer and the easiest place to learn loch-style, so it suits families and newer anglers as well as seasoned hands.
Wild trout on the River Almond
A tributary of the Tay winding through wooded valleys and quiet farmland, the Almond is a classic spate river and a pleasure on a single-handed rod. Its brown trout average half a pound with better fish over a pound, and in autumn it takes a run of salmon and sea trout of its own.
It is a gentle, wadeable river that rewards anglers who like to keep moving, and an easy place to find your feet on running water.
Why fish in Scotland
Salmon, wild trout and estate comfort in one trip
Few places pack so much fishing into so small a country. Within an hour of the estate you can swing a fly for salmon on a famous river, drift a wild hill loch for brown trout and work a spate river through wooded glens, then be back at the cottage in time for dinner.
Scotland gave the world Spey casting and loch-style fishing, and both traditions are still very much alive here. Add red deer on the hill, ospreys over the loch and a dram by the fire, and it is a trip a non-fishing partner tends to love just as much.
Speak with a Scotland fishing guide
The fishing traditions Scotland does best
Atlantic salmon rivers with real pedigree
The Tay, Tweed, Spey and Dee are the big four of Atlantic salmon, and we fish beats with the history and the water to match. A fresh salmon on the fly is one of angling’s great prizes, and there are few better places on earth to chase one.
Wild brown trout on lochs and hill burns
Away from the big rivers, Scotland is full of wild brown trout in lochs and small streams that see barely another angler. These are unstocked fish in beautiful condition, and the loch-style and upstream-wet traditions are a real pleasure to learn.
A fishing cottage right by the water
Your base is a private estate cottage a short walk from the river, with a wood-burning stove, room for the whole party and a ghillie on call. It is the comfortable, unhurried Scottish fishing holiday people picture, and we run it just that way.
Practical info
The best time to fish salmon and trout in Scotland
Salmon run the Tay from 15 January to 15 October. Spring brings the largest fresh fish, summer the long days and grilse, and September and October the most fish and the best of the sport. Brown trout run from 15 March to 6 October, with May to September the pick and the evening rise coming into its own from June.
For a mixed trip that fishes salmon and trout side by side, aim for late summer into early autumn.
Trip package
What your guided trip includes
Whichever waters you choose, we handle the details so you can just fish:
- Access to premium River Tay beats and a private loch
- A local ghillie or guide on your fishing days
- Cottage or lodge accommodation in Perthshire
- All beat permits and paperwork arranged
- Quality tackle available to hire
- Spey casting tuition for newcomers
Testimonials
What Our Anglers Say
“An amazing week in the cottage fishing the Tay. The place was beautifully kept and the fishing even better, with a salmon landed by every member of our party.”
— Richard P., England
“A great week on the Tay, the Almond and the estate loch. Our guide Stuart was brilliant and we came away having caught both salmon and trout and learned a lot. The cottage was the perfect base.”
— Tom & Helen W., United States
Enquiry
Tell us how you want to fish, and we'll shape the week
Send us your dates, your experience and whether you are set on salmon, happy with trout, or want a bit of both. We will match you to the right water, ghillie and time of year.
If a different week would fish better, we will say so. The aim is a trip that suits your ability and your budget.
Your guide to fly fishing Scotland
First-hand advice for travelling anglers
From the rivers and how the fishing works to getting there and what to pack, here is how to plan your Scottish trip.
Rivers, lochs and the Perthshire base
We fish from a private estate in Perthshire, at the heart of Scotland’s salmon country. The River Tay and its tributary the Almond are on the doorstep, along with a private hill loch for wild brown trout. The Tay is Scotland’s longest river at 117 miles, running from Ben Lui to the sea at Dundee, with beats to suit every height of water.
How the guided fishing works
Salmon on the Tay is fly-only water fished with a double-handed rod, covering the pool with a controlled swing while your ghillie reads the lies and the height of the river. Loch trout is loch-style, drifting a boat and working a team of wet flies on a floating line, then switching to the dry when fish rise. The Almond is single-handed river fishing, cast upstream to visible fish and likely lies. All levels are welcome, and casting tuition is part of the trip.
Getting to Perthshire
Edinburgh airport is about an hour away and Glasgow around an hour and a quarter. Perth has fast rail links from Edinburgh, Glasgow and London, and the estate is an easy drive off the A9 and M90. Transfers and car hire can be arranged on request.
Tackle, flies and kit to pack
For salmon, a 13 to 15 foot double-handed rod in 9 or 10 weight, with a floating line and polyleaders through summer and autumn and a sink tip in spring. Cascade, Willie Gunn and Ally’s Shrimp cover most days. For trout, a 9 to 10 foot single-hander in 4 or 5 weight, with traditional wets like the Kate McLaren and Soldier Palmer and a few dry flies. Bring layers, waterproofs, polarised glasses and midge repellent from June to September. Quality tackle is available to hire if you would rather travel light.
Seasons, permits and access
Scotland has no national rod licence, but every beat needs its own permit. We arrange all the permits for the Tay, the Almond and the private loch as part of your trip, so there is no paperwork to sort out yourself. The salmon season runs 15 January to 15 October and the trout season 15 March to 6 October.
Days out for non-anglers
Perthshire is easy to enjoy off the water, with whisky distilleries, castles like Scone and Blair, hill walking, championship golf and the towns of Perth, Pitlochry and Dunkeld all close by. It is simple to combine a few fishing days with the rest of a Scottish holiday.