Water conditions in April vary. They can be high, but in recent seasons we’ve had low-water on the Spey. Warm days might just bring a rise in water height if any snow lingers in the hills; more often, rainfall determines water height.

My choice of flies is simple: for higher water I opt for a Willie Gunn Waddington or Black & Yellow tube; if the water is low and clear, a Cascade tied on a double iron, most likely a size 8. All three have a touch of yellow – the classic colour for spring fishing. All three seem to me to suit the water conditions, height, temperature and water colour.

I use both tubes and Waddingtons to gain depth. I guess they both fish at about the same depth but I have a slight preference for Waddingtons, which seem to cut through water well and fish better through streamy water.

Behind my tubes and Waddingtons, I’m more likely to have a double hook nowadays; I use trebles less and less. All my hooks are de-barbed but I seem able to release fish hooked on doubles more quickly – important, since here on the Spey, the Board policy is that the first fish is returned and anglers can keep their second if they so wish.

During this time of year, for this part of the Spey, a 15ft double-handed rod with a #10 or #11 line is ideal.

I use a crisp-actioned rod, but not so stiff that I can’t feel it loading. My standard Spey line has a 75ft head, but most casters can’t handle that head length. It’s much better to choose a line with a more modest head, say 60-65ft, and spend your time fishing rather than struggling to cast. 30 yards is a long cast and that should be your target.

Although the water can be clear, it’s unlikely the river is warm enough yet for full floating lines, so an intermediate (a fast intermediate or slow sinking line) and/or a floating line with a fast sinking poly-leader will do the job.

Leader length is important for controlling the depth and speed of your flies. On an intermediate line, my leaders are typically only 5ft or, if the river is low, 6ft long; I prefer a slightly longer leader, 6-8ft, when fishing a poly-leader.

At this time of year, I would typically cast a long line at an angle to the bank, mend like crazy, and fish my fly as slowly as possible, trying to keep the fly in line with or ahead of my fly-line – standard Scottish salmon-fishing style. This was before I went fishing in Russia. Since fishing in Russia, I cast square and mend very little. In low and slow water I may even mend downstream to put more belly in the line.

Casting square, obviously my fly comes round faster, behind the fly-line, and only comes ahead as the line straightens. That’s when fish take, the salmon equivalent of the induced take, I suppose. Whereas salmon seem to follow a slow-moving fly and may make a half-hearted take during the dangle, when casting square and fishing the fly more vigorously, with more action, subtle draws and half chances are rare, takes are positive and more taking fish stay attached.

April salmon are mostly running fish; residents are still sorting themselves out. Adapt your fishing effort to suit. Expect to find new arrivals resting at the tail of the pool. Once they catch their breath, salmon soon make their way to the head or neck of the pool where they often wait before running on. Concentrate your efforts at the neck and tail of the pool.

Later in the year, you’ll probably fish over resident salmon. A fly passing through a pool disturbs them. That’s when I work down a pool and then let it rest. During April, because fresh fish are (hopefully!) coming and going all the time, you can fish more or less non-stop.