Category: Fishing Haunts

South Uist’s West Ollay  – I’m determined that one day this will be my favourite loch. This should be the place where my dreams come true.

My love affair with Corrib began shortly after my traumatic break up with my first true love, the sea trout lochs of Sutherland.

Fishing Loch Stack in the early 1970’s I judge myself to have been amongst the lucky ones.  Privileged to witness Stack in its final years as a great loch.

It would be around 7:30 and the switch had just been flicked. Only five minutes earlier the gentle ripples had been frustratingly undisturbed but now in ever increasing numbers rising trout were dimpling the surface in all directions. The rise had begun.

It’s August, which for me means a year of waiting is almost over, a return to South Uist is due. Fishing South Uist has many wonders, but for me its greatest are its sea trout – because it still has them, and has managed to escape the salmon cage imposed carnage inflicted on their mainland brethren.

Loch Caladail, a setting where the fish are the stars. Muscled slabs of silver, flanks highlighted with a hint of gold. Athletic, feisty and sometimes enticingly large.

The Lower Duart was a gem, and to my dad an obsession.

I say ‘was’ because, although it is still undeniably stunning and a hugely popular beat, in the past it was on an elevated pedestal of being one of the most wonderful, special and unique places to catch a Scottish salmon.

It always starts with a map. In those early days it would be the huge one taking up half a wall in the hotel lounge, all the Scourie hill lochs laid out for after...

Loch Dionard – if I was given the opportunity to spend my last twenty minutes on this earth in any place I desired it would be here, no hesitation, no doubt, it would be here. At the start of a drift just off the tiny islet and onto the rocky shore where salmon lie a mere rods length from the jagged loch side stones.