When it comes to fishing the mighty River Tay, few are more experienced than Gerry Rattray. Growing up nearby, he’s been fishing with his father from a young age and, following a stint in the army, he’s clocked up nearly nine years as a ghillie at Gleneagles as well as representing Scotland in fly fishing at the highest level – making him the perfect candidate to share some wisdom from the riverbank.
“Guests don’t realise just how bonnie the scenery is here until they’re out on that river – and when they see it they’re often overwhelmed,” he says of the unique draw of the river, which is particularly known for its excellent salmon fishing.
Rattray is part of a team of experts at Gleneagles who take guests out on fishing excursions throughout the year, with a typical day seeing guests sized up for waders, boots and jackets at the estate’s fishing lodge before heading off to the Tay for a day on the water, accompanied by a first-class Gleneagles lunch. One of the nuances of fly fishing is often selecting the right gear, with flies varying in their weight, colour and material – something the ghillies are always on hand to help with. Gleneagles has its own signature salmon fly, the Gleneagles Glory, which – designed and tied by resident ghillie Willie McCutcheon – is known for its good movement in the water and is presented to those guests booked onto a salmon fishing trip.
