Your First Guided Salmon Fishing Day on the River Tyne: What to Expect and What to Bring

If you've never fished for Atlantic salmon or sea trout before, a guided day is by far the fastest and most enjoyable way in. You get onto proper water, with the right kit in your hand and someone alongside you who knows the river — and you skip years of trial and error. Here's exactly how a beginner's guided day runs at Bywell, so you know what to expect and what to bring.

Getting to know the river and the beat

We start with an introduction to the river and to the beat itself — how things are done at Bywell, where you'll be fishing, and what the day looks like. It's a relaxed way to get your bearings, and it means that by the time you're in the water you already understand where the fish lie and why we're fishing the way we are.

A quick safety briefing

Next is a short, friendly safety briefing: wading sensibly, reading the current, and the few simple things that keep the day both safe and comfortable. None of it is heavy going — the point is that once you're confident and settled, you can forget about it and concentrate on the fishing.

Gear: general first, then conditions-specific

We then go through gear properly — first the general principles, then the specific equipment that suits the day's weather and water. You're very welcome to bring your own tackle, whether it's been handed down to you or it's kit you already own; in the end it's what you'll be fishing with, so it's good to learn on it. But if you'd rather travel light, Bywell is fully equipped. We fish Loop rods, from little single-handers right up to heavy double-handers, matched with RIO MDC lines and Loop reels — quality kit that's genuinely suited to the task. Whether you bring your own or use ours, everything you need is right there to be had.

Casting, from zero

Then we get into the casting. Instruction runs from a light refresher all the way down to the very basics — genuinely from zero, so an absolute beginner is in exactly the right place. And it works the other way too: advanced and very advanced anglers always leave with something to sharpen. Wherever you're starting from, there's a next step to work on.

Lunch at the hut, then fishing

There's usually lunch at the hut somewhere in the day, and the quicker we find the groove, the sooner we're fishing. That's always the aim — to get you comfortable and competent enough, quickly enough, that you spend the bulk of the day actually fishing.

It's all about watercraft

Because ultimately, salmon fishing is watercraft. A guided day is a technical and tactical apprenticeship in how to fish for Atlantic salmon and sea trout — the dos and the don'ts, in real depth — all of it building toward that one electric moment a fish takes the fly. Our aim isn't just to catch a fish today; it's to make you a genuinely better angler and give you the best possible chance every session that follows. With a real variety of water of different characters at Bywell, there's plenty to get your teeth into — and it starts with reading the water and understanding the season, run by run.

Ready to book?

Whether you're picking up a rod for the first time or coming back to sharpen up before the autumn run, we'd love to get you on the water. Get in touch to book your day, or find out more about casting tuition at The Northern Fishing School.