World Cup boss opens money-spinning Tay salmon season

Over £5m bound for the Perthshire economy

Scottish World Cup manager Steve Clarke has today (15th Jan) cast the first fly of a salmon season that is expected to net over £5m for the Perthshire economy.

The national team boss whose exploits in guiding the Tartan Army to the World Cup have sparked calls for an additional bank holiday on 15th June, took to the water at Meikleour Fishings at Kinclaven to officially open the Tay’s season.

Despite a rod catch by anglers which was below the five-year average on the river in 2025, the Tay remains highly sought-after by anglers worldwide, creating downstream benefits for hotels, guest houses, shops, pubs and restaurants.

Key rural sector

The ‘king of fish’ also sustains important jobs for ghillies on the rivers, who act as guardians of riparian flora and fauna such as the endangered freshwater pearl mussel.

Scotland-wide, salmon fishing accounts for 4300 full-time jobs both directly and indirectly and £135m flows annually into the nation’s coffers from the activity.

Celebrated Opening days on the Tay at places like Meikleour, Kenmore and Killin have become a much-loved part of the traditional tourism calendar, arriving at a time when local businesses enter the post-festive ‘quiet’ season.

“This is a really important event as part of our rural economy. We are largely a rural local authority. The money this brings in over the season to businesses is really important and spreads across to the wider economy, too, as well as the jobs directly employed on the Tay,” said Perth and Kinross Council Provost Xander McDade before handing over to the national team boss.

‘Euphoria’

Steve Clarke, himself a keen angler, compared salmon fishing to a special night at Hampden when Scotland qualified for their first World Cup since 1998.

“I was trying to put football and salmon fishing together, but it is not easy,” he said, with a smile.

“I use fishing as a release from the pressures of football. But I am thinking, if you go back to the euphoria of the night where we beat Denmark 4-2 and qualified for the first World Cup in 28 years, which is a long time, it’s probably the same now and salmon fishing is so difficult so that, if you do catch that salmon, over 10lbs or 20lbs or maybe approaching 30 lbs, you probably have the same feeling of euphoria.”

The Tay, a tidal river, is the UK’s largest with a catchment of nearly 2000sq miles. From its source at Ben Lui near Tyndrum to the high tide at Perth, it spans 86 miles.

Along its length there are many famous and prolific beats and iconic pools which are a lure to salmon anglers at home and abroad.