As ever things didn't quite go to plan but that didn't mean any lack of fun or sport. For the most part this "report" is just an excuse to post a few photos but I will add a caption and hopefully those interested in a bit of fishing will enjoy the photos.
As some may recall an oil rig washed up on the shore recently and it had been moved into a sheltered area where it was floating about minding its own business and as I set out for a cast at sea trout I spotted it and thought to take a quick snap, with the current good weather I suspect that it will probably be gone soon, indeed maybe it already is:
It was my intention to try a new 11 foot 4 weight rod for the sea trout as I thought they'd give cracking sport on it and, of course, it will also be a good rod for the brown trout on the lochs. Now Lewis is prone to bad wind and so a 4 weight rod is not going to be practical on many days but on this particular day there wasn't much evidence of bad wind, or any wind at all:
To be honest a bit of a wave would have helped me as I've never known a pool that didn't fish better with a good wave on it. However, in the end the 4 weight saw a bit of action and I kept a couple of 2.5lb sea trout that made for a tasty meal as well as a cracking fight on the 4 weight:
I also had a young chap out for his first try at fly fishing and also his first try for sea trout. He is new to fishing but I had him out earlier in the season with his spinning rod and he got his first brown trout. Unfortunately the sea trout didn't cooperate so very well for us and we only had one fish between the two of us for our little adventure but I think he enjoyed the day out and by the end of the day he was doing well at the casting:
For me one of the great joys of Lewis fishing is walking to remote lochs that may not have been fished in a long time, maybe in many years. Not only is this about the fishing but also about taking in the view, and enjoying the walk, and even looking at the old disused buildings on the moor and wondering who might have spent time there. This loch produced a good catch of brown trout for me and I just can't help but wonder who the last person to have a cup of tea in this shieling was, and how long it has been since they departed:
As is normal in the Hebrides the weather was changeable and while I did have bright sun and fluffy clouds I also had some breezy and overcast days ideal for fishing, in this case on a loch known for its sea trout the wind and cloud helped me to a few fish:
Everywhere does look nicer in the sun so here's another sunny photo to brighten the mood:
When the water was low stealth tactics are useful on our small salmon rivers - this particular river can produce good catches of salmon even when the water is low as long as there is a decent amount of wind to put a bit of a wave on the pools but keeping low will greatly increase your chances of a fish:
During September there were a few periods of good water so on some days sneaking about wasn't so necessary:
As I am always keen to relate one of the really great things about Lewis fishing is getting the maps out and walking to remote lochs that haven't seen an angler in some time, or ever. This loch gets a good run of salmon and sea trout and no matter how you go at it is about a 10 - 12 mile walk across empty moor from the nearest parking spot. I walked out for a cast. As far as can be established (you need a permit to fish it so there is some monitoring of its use) I have been the only person to visit or fish it this year and although someone did visit it last season, on a quad bike, they weren't fishing. Given this I am as certain as it is possible to be that I'm the only person to have fished here in at least 2 years:
when I got out there I wasn't alone, however, and the little beach showed evidence of lots of deer and once my scent made its way up the feeder stream it wasn't long before I spotted them heading off over the horizon:
That is probably me finished with the fishing for this season and, once more, I've had some wonderful days on the moor and some success for salmon, sea trout and brown trout. When I get to places like this it isn't just about the catching, or the fishing, but about having wonderful days out in remote places and enjoying the whole experience of Lewis fishing at its best:
As some may recall an oil rig washed up on the shore recently and it had been moved into a sheltered area where it was floating about minding its own business and as I set out for a cast at sea trout I spotted it and thought to take a quick snap, with the current good weather I suspect that it will probably be gone soon, indeed maybe it already is:
It was my intention to try a new 11 foot 4 weight rod for the sea trout as I thought they'd give cracking sport on it and, of course, it will also be a good rod for the brown trout on the lochs. Now Lewis is prone to bad wind and so a 4 weight rod is not going to be practical on many days but on this particular day there wasn't much evidence of bad wind, or any wind at all:
To be honest a bit of a wave would have helped me as I've never known a pool that didn't fish better with a good wave on it. However, in the end the 4 weight saw a bit of action and I kept a couple of 2.5lb sea trout that made for a tasty meal as well as a cracking fight on the 4 weight:
I also had a young chap out for his first try at fly fishing and also his first try for sea trout. He is new to fishing but I had him out earlier in the season with his spinning rod and he got his first brown trout. Unfortunately the sea trout didn't cooperate so very well for us and we only had one fish between the two of us for our little adventure but I think he enjoyed the day out and by the end of the day he was doing well at the casting:
For me one of the great joys of Lewis fishing is walking to remote lochs that may not have been fished in a long time, maybe in many years. Not only is this about the fishing but also about taking in the view, and enjoying the walk, and even looking at the old disused buildings on the moor and wondering who might have spent time there. This loch produced a good catch of brown trout for me and I just can't help but wonder who the last person to have a cup of tea in this shieling was, and how long it has been since they departed:
As is normal in the Hebrides the weather was changeable and while I did have bright sun and fluffy clouds I also had some breezy and overcast days ideal for fishing, in this case on a loch known for its sea trout the wind and cloud helped me to a few fish:
Everywhere does look nicer in the sun so here's another sunny photo to brighten the mood:
When the water was low stealth tactics are useful on our small salmon rivers - this particular river can produce good catches of salmon even when the water is low as long as there is a decent amount of wind to put a bit of a wave on the pools but keeping low will greatly increase your chances of a fish:
During September there were a few periods of good water so on some days sneaking about wasn't so necessary:
As I am always keen to relate one of the really great things about Lewis fishing is getting the maps out and walking to remote lochs that haven't seen an angler in some time, or ever. This loch gets a good run of salmon and sea trout and no matter how you go at it is about a 10 - 12 mile walk across empty moor from the nearest parking spot. I walked out for a cast. As far as can be established (you need a permit to fish it so there is some monitoring of its use) I have been the only person to visit or fish it this year and although someone did visit it last season, on a quad bike, they weren't fishing. Given this I am as certain as it is possible to be that I'm the only person to have fished here in at least 2 years:
when I got out there I wasn't alone, however, and the little beach showed evidence of lots of deer and once my scent made its way up the feeder stream it wasn't long before I spotted them heading off over the horizon:
That is probably me finished with the fishing for this season and, once more, I've had some wonderful days on the moor and some success for salmon, sea trout and brown trout. When I get to places like this it isn't just about the catching, or the fishing, but about having wonderful days out in remote places and enjoying the whole experience of Lewis fishing at its best: