The pull of a salmon
In the first of a two-part beginner’s guide, Marina Dombaj (née Gibson) introduces the essentials of salmon fishing, from Spey casting to tackle selection
THERE’S SOMETHING quietly addictive about salmon fishing. I always say to people who haven’t tried it that Spey casting with a double-handed salmon rod puts a spell on you. It has a therapeutic and simple rhythm: the line lifting off the water, the cast forming in the air and the fly swinging from one bank to the other as your mind drifts.
Salmon fishing teaches patience in a way few other pursuits do. It asks you to read a river, trust your instincts and keep going when nothing happens for hours, days or even weeks. Only when you catch a salmon will you understand that all the time spent, and all the angst felt is worth it. Words cannot describe that feeling.
Marina, aged 11, with her first salmon on the River Oykel, Scotland — a fish that shaped her fishing life.
To understand salmon fishing, it helps to understand the fish themselves. Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) are not just another species: they are travellers, returning with remarkable precision to the rivers in which they were born. They are anadromous, meaning they are born in freshwater, migrate to the sea to feed and grow, then return with remarkable precision to the very rivers in which they were born to spawn. At every stage of their lives, they are vulnerable: to pollution, rising sea and river temperatures, predators and man-made obstacles. The list is endless, but somehow, they survive and offer anglers some of the most captivating sport that’s possible with a fly-rod.
Salmon do not feed once they enter the river to spawn — making them more difficult and less predictable to catch than trout. Instead of taking a fly as food, they are thought to strike out of aggression, irritation, territorial behaviour or simple curiosity.
Salmon fishing takes you to the world’s most stunning rivers, not all of them daunting or costly.
How fisheries work in the UK and beyond
It’s true that salmon fishing is often seen as elitist, mainly because it can be expensive. Tickets for the most productive private salmon beats range from around £100 to £400 at peak times. That said, there are other, more affordable options costing as little as £30-£40 for a day-ticket.
Joining a local fishing club or syndicate can suit some people more, especially if you only have a few hours free in the mornings or evenings, or if you aim to maximise fishing time for your money. Memberships can be as little as £100 per year, some even less.
On the other hand, if you have limited time for fishing each year, it might make sense to spend your budget on a few days on a particularly good beat. In the UK, you can book these through platforms like FishPal or directly with the estate or fishery. In Europe, many rivers are publicly accessible with just a fishing licence, which makes them more accessible than in the UK. Alternatively, you can book a week’s fishing, often linked to a lodge. You will pay a premium to be in a small group of anglers fishing an exclusive piece of water, but that can be better than turning up to the river and having to queue to fish a pool, which can, in rare instances, happen.
If you have limited time for fishing each year, it might make sense to spend your budget on a few days on a particularly good beat
A gillie boats his rod on the Bridge pool on the River Tyne’s Bywell beat, England.
Fishing with a gillie, guide or friend could prove worthwhile if you hook the salmon of a lifetime.
Gillie, guides and tuition
Much of the expense of a private beat in the UK is tied to the fact that many come with a full-time gillie employed by the owner. This is far less common in Europe, for example, where an independent guide will typically be hired if you want support on the water.
The difference is simple: a gillie is tied to a specific beat and looks after all the guests who are fishing each day. They also maintain banks, huts and tracks, and sometimes even help with bookings. It is normal to tip a gillie at the end of the day and show your appreciation for the time they give you and for the unseen work that they do.
A guide, on the other hand, is typically more mobile and focused on improving your technique and sharing their knowledge of the river, helping you to cover water effectively and find the places that salmon rest. Guides are also mostly self-employed.
What you need to go salmon fishing
First things first, make sure you have a licence, if required. In Scotland, you don’t need one to go fishing, but the rest of the UK, for example, requires you to buy a rod licence through the government website. Always check local rules and regulations before fishing, wherever you are in the world.
You don’t need an excessive amount of kit to start salmon fishing, but the right equipment makes a big difference. The following will get you started:
Rod and reel
Most salmon fishing in the UK and Europe is done with a double-handed salmon (or Spey) rod, typically between 12ft-15ft long. For a first rod, I’d recommend something between 13ft-14ft rated for an eight- or nine-weight fly-line, as it will cover most sizes of river. If you’re fishing smaller rivers, a shorter switch rod or something around 12ft long can make more sense — anything longer might be overkill.
Low summer rivers will require small flies and a more delicate approach and a shorter double-hander like this 12-footer, or Switch rod.
Pair your rod with a correctly balanced reel, with a smooth drag — this is essential for salmon fishing. Some people also prefer a reel that makes a noise when a fish runs — it’s one of those moments where you can’t help but enjoy the attention from a nearby angler or friend, but it also alerts you and others (buddy or gillie) to the behaviour of your fish during the fight.
A reel’s audible click on reels like this will alert you and others to the fish’s movements once hooked.
Lines
Selecting a line for salmon fishing can be a challenge for beginners (quiz your retailer), but here is a breakdown of the three main types on the market:
Spey: A Spey line is 55ft or longer and is a traditional line for double-handed rods. Its weight is distributed throughout the line rather than concentrated in a short head. Spey lines are more challenging to use, but highly rewarding once mastered.
Scandi shooting head with tips: These are usually 30ft–45ft in total, including the tip. They are easier to cast than a full Spey line and offer excellent versatility, allowing quick depth changes by swapping tips.
Skagit: Best suited to higher water, heavy flies and fast-sinking tips, the Skagit’s short, heavy and powerful head makes it easy to cast bulky set-ups, turn over heavy tips and handle windy conditions and big flies
A Scandi head is easier to master for the beginner — then you can experiment and master your technique.
Invest in a good line and you can use it across different rod and reel set-ups, so long as everything is balanced and matched to the correct weight
Modern salmon-fishers often use shooting heads or Skagit systems, which make casting easier. I’d recommend starting with a Scandi line with tips — it’s easier for beginners to learn with. A Scandi head and tip system covers you in most situations, so if you are only buying one line to begin with, this is the one to go for. You can always experiment with other set-ups once you’ve learnt the basics of casting and line control.
In terms of specific brands, I’d recommend looking at lines from RIO Products, particularly the new Elite Scandi MDC Kit, which includes a shooting line, Scandi head and tips. If you prefer a coated running line, then RIO’s Metered Shooting Line will do the trick.
As a rule of thumb, the order of importance is line, rod, then reel. Invest in a good line and you can use it across different rod and reel set-ups, so long as everything is balanced and matched to the correct weight.
The bigger and heavier the fly, the thicker the leader must be to turn it over.
Leaders and tippet
I use tippet strengths between 8lb-24lb, depending on water level, clarity and line set-up. As a rule, the higher and more coloured the water, the bigger the fly and the heavier the tippet; the lower and clearer the water, the smaller the fly and the lighter the tippet. When fishing Skagit lines and heavy sink tips, I’ll typically use 18lb-24lb, dropping to 8lb-15lb in lower, clearer summer conditions.
I generally only use tapered leaders with light tips or floating lines as they provide a more delicate presentation and keep the fly-line further from the fish. Occasionally, I’ll taper heavier leaders on aggressive sink tips to achieve a smoother turnover.
For tippet length, I usually fish around 1m when using large flies and heavy tips, extending up to 1.8m when fishing smaller flies, lighter tips or in clear water conditions. In the latter instance, it would be better to use a tapered leader rather than straight tippet.
You may become obsessed with salmon flies…
Flies
A fisher can never have too many flies, but in reality, you only need a few. Most days you’ll probably fish with just two or three. They’re hard to resist — because they’re just so pretty — and if you have the time to get into tying your own flies, it opens a whole new side to fly-fishing.
A simple selection of dressed flies (tied directly onto a hook) and tube flies (tied onto a tube, separate from the hook) will get you underway. It is better to have a few patterns in different sizes and weights than have lots of patterns in the same size.
- Shrimp patterns (e.g. Ally’s Shrimp, Cascade)
- Tube flies in a range of sizes and weights
- Stoat’s Tail, Green Butt or similar classic small, dressed flies
- Sunrays in different lengths and weights (aluminium tube, weightless, conehead)
… but keep it simple with just the patterns listed above — in various sizes and weights — to start with.
Casts worth learning
Unlike trout fishing, the traditional way to fish for salmon is with a double-handed rod using Spey casts. The cast is built on three fundamentals: the line briefly touches the water (the anchor); it forms a sail-like shape off the shoulder you’re casting from (the D-loop); and you follow the 180-degree rule, with your back cast lining up directly with your target across the river. The key is learning to cast off both banks, both right-handed and left-handed, so you can adapt to any wind or situation.
When you step into the river, the first thing to check is the direction of the wind, as this will determine the cast you use: if the wind is hitting your left cheek, your D-loop and anchor should be on your right side (casting off your right shoulder with your right hand on top of the rod handle), and vice versa. This helps to avoid being hit by your fly on the forward stroke.
The key is learning to cast off both banks, both right-handed and left-handed, so you can adapt to any wind or situation
Stance and grip
Before you make a cast, it’s important that you’re stood correctly and comfortably, and that you are holding the rod properly.
Have at least one foot pointing towards your target (where you want your fly to land). I like to use an open stance (one foot forward and one foot back) rather than a neutral stance, as it gives you more stability. As with everything, personal style plays a part — find what works for you and what you feel most comfortable with.
With a double-handed rod, you grip the rod with a “top hand” (steering hand) and a “bottom hand” (power hand). Hold the rod with your top hand as lightly as possible — this helps to prevent you from overpowering the cast with that hand. I like to hold the butt of the rod with my bottom hand, almost as if it’s sitting in a ball-and-socket joint.
You can try a thumb-on-top grip, finger-on-top grip or a key grip, but again, it’s all about personal style — do what feels most comfortable for you.
Spey casting isn't just for double-handed rods — it can be done with a single-hander too.
The roll cast and switch cast
This month, we’ll start with the roll cast and the switch cast, as they form the foundation of all waterborne anchor casts.
The roll cast is more static, with the line staying in contact with the water before the forward delivery, whereas the switch cast is a more dynamic version due to its larger D-loop and lifting motion into the D-loop position. They are both excellent casts, requiring very little space behind you, making them ideal when trees, bankside vegetation or steep banks prevent a conventional back cast.
Both casts are useful for elevating heavy lines, tips and flies up through the water column to set up your next cast. They’re also handy for freeing a snagged fly, or for clearing your hook points of pesky leaves during autumn.
How to do a roll cast
How to do a switch cast
They’re often the first casts you’ll learn and are ideal for introducing the three essentials of Spey casting (the D-loop, anchor and 180-degree rule), while also helping beginners to develop timing and use their top (steering) hand and bottom (power) hand correctly.
If you’re new to salmon fishing, find a local instructor, ideally on the river you’ll be fishing most often. Gaining local knowledge alongside focused casting tuition will help fast-track your progress. I must admit, I envy those just starting out; discovering salmon fishing for the first time is something quite special. Everything feels new and exciting, and getting past those small early challenges is incredibly rewarding if you invest in tuition.
I must admit, I envy those just starting out; discovering salmon fishing for the first time is something quite special
There are few feeling that compare to catching a salmon.
Common casting faults
Rod tip too far back during the D-loop position: This flattens your D-loop and causes what’s called “line stick” — a horrible splashing noise when you try to go forward.
Fix: Keep your rod tip nice and high, pointing up to the sky. If you hear the splash, watch your D-loop form to make sure it isn’t getting squished.
Rod tip too far forward (low stop): This turns your narrow, parallel loop into a wide, inefficient one.
Fix: Stop it high, watch it fly — stop it low, it won’t go!
Also, always roll and switch cast on your downstream side (in-seam) — rather than over the bank — to stop your line from crossing over and tangling.
With the foundations of Spey casting covered, in next month’s part two, I’ll cover the most useful change-of-direction casts used in salmon fishing, including the double Spey, single Spey, the snap cast and the snake roll. I’ll also discuss line management, reading the water, how to approach a pool, a few essential knots and most importantly, fish welfare.
Until then, tight lines!
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY: STEPHAN DOMBAJ
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marina Dombaj
Marina Dombaj is a certified FFI casting instructor, guide, author and passionate conservationist. She runs The Northern Fishing School at the Swinton Estate in Yorkshire, which now teaches fishing to over 400 people each year. An ambassador for Loop Tackle, Marina uses social media to promote fly-fishing in a positive and engaging way. In 2024, her book Cast, Catch, Release was published.
