Casting Lesson

I only fished for tadpoles and sticklebacks with a jam jar when I was a kid. Proper fishing I left to my Dad and brothers, who fished in the Firth of Clyde with lines and rods. However, living in Scotland, you soon learn that there are wild salmon in rivers and these are caught by a technique called fly fishing.

You don't need instruction to enjoy fly fishing, but tuition is offered at salmon rivers for anyone interested in trying the sport. This does not come cheap, as the right to fish on prime stretches of salmon rivers is highly prized. The stretch of the River Tay running through the Dunkeld Estate is an idyllic spot, and in the photo you see a couple in the early morning, receiving their first lesson on casting. Further up an experienced fisherman in waders is casting his 15 foot rod with great gusto. Click the magnifying glass to see the larger version.

It was a beautifully sunny day which belied the fact that the temperature was not much above freezing. After taking this shot I headed back to Glasgow. This will be my last blip of this gorgeous river for some time.