Steve Clarke to open River Tay salmon season.
Scotland national team manager Steve Clarke will perform the traditional first cast to mark the opening of the 2026 salmon fishing season on the River Tay on Thursday.
The ceremony will take place at Meikleour and is hosted by the Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board, the Tay Rivers Trust, Meikleour Fishings, Perth and Kinross Council and the Perthshire Chamber of Commerce.
Clarke, who fished for salmon during his time coaching at Newcastle United, will lead the opening after a formal blessing of the river, followed by the first cast of the season. The event also includes a procession of anglers led by the Perth and District Pipe Band.
Organisers said the opening comes after a challenging 2025 season marked by difficult weather and lower catches. Attention is now focused on catchment management and juvenile salmon survival, with the Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board planning further work on habitat and freshwater pressures.
Proceeds from opening day fishing at Meikleour Estate will be donated to the Salmon in the Classroom programme, run by the Tay Rivers Trust.