[Hamish Young]

It all started innocently two years ago during a conversation on a loch (somewhere...) with Euan. It went something like this:

"H "
"Uh huh"
"It'll be my 50th in 2014"
"You old fox"
"Less of that junior... where shall we go fishing "
"Well, what do you fancy ??? It's your 50th after all "
"We could do Mexico or Florida or even Canada"
"Canada eh "
"Shut it junior"

And so it went on. And on. Ultimately North Uist was suggested and settled on.... a long way from Mexico I concede but things like cost are always an issue. So Sunday the 17th (a day later than Euan and Caroline for complicated reasons I need not go into right now) saw me winding my way before sparrows fart to make the ferry from Uig on Skye to Lochmaddy on North Uist. It was very windy, cold and wet. Typical West Coast summer then.... In the ferry queue I met up with Iain Cameron, looking pretty bleary eyed after a gig in Inverness the night before.
The trip over was slightly lumpy (at that point the Uig/Lochmaddy route was about the only one still running) but went by quickly over breakfast and much discussion about the fishing with Iain who was on a return trip to the island.
We all met up at the Lochmaddy Hotel for a bite of lunch, a chat about fishing before Euan, Caroline and I headed for our cottage over on the NW side of the island.
Now I could wax lyrical about the fishing, the craic, the weather and so on but I'm not going to. Instead, dear reader, I will give you some photos to look at and leave you with these words of wisdom/observations:

It's always windier than you think on North Uist.
A wood burning stove is always welcome.
Angling club maps tend to be slightly apocryphal - or just crap.
We had all the weather we wanted, but never all the right conditions together at the right time for the required amount of time.
North winds for a week can be wearing.
Leaking waders can put a dampener on things.
A week isn't long enough.

And now some pics:

We did not stay in this cottage.

Setting up on day 1. Note the wind.

The birthday boy. "You 'da man"

Now that's a trout

We mostly didn't fish any of these lochs

Euan into another good trout

On a loch, somewhere

I can't resist a good sunset pic

And then the wind got up (funny that) and the sun came out

H 

[Mike Barrio]

Great stuff

[Noel Kelly]

Nice Hamish! North Uist is my new favourite place, well berneray to be more precise but it's the right neighbourhood.
Any luck with the silver fishies?
I recognise that boat! spent a few fruitless hours in it recently. Happily I then went on to have prob the best hours fishing I've had this year just the other side of the road....
Work permitting I've the beginnings of a plan to get up there again for the back end. 
 

[Eddie Sinclair]

Gents,

glad you enjoyed your wee adventure and Euan, welcome to the auld mannies club. Noel these guys were also on Berneray and actually managed to hook a couple of fish according to the rumors that I have heard. It is a magical place and as Euan and I discussed up on loch Beanie over a year ago why would you want to fly all the way to Canada to fish on your birthday when we have Uist so close. It is one of my two favourite places the other one being Durness and living in the desert now it is great to see photographs of familiar places. By the way H that shot from the road up to the early warning system radar type place, It is the same for me, I have been there quite a few times and I have not fished the lochs below in your picture either. So many lochs so little time.

Eddie.

[Euan Innes]

42 years after I first picked up a rod here I was on Uist for the big 50.
As Eddie says, it is a magical place, but last week was really fecking windy in paradise! Day one on Brusda was so full of promise and fishing the drop off was just weird! White sand and then black and in the blackness are some big fish.
The rumers are true Eddie. I got smashed by a trout that had the nerve to come out of the water and flip me off with it's massive tail. Must have gone 4-5lbs at least. Took my flies and broke 6lb Riverge like cotton.



Two heroes heading into battle.

As Hamish mentioned there was much confusion about who owned what water and where you could fish. North Uist Estate office is THE place to go to find out. North Uist AC is a bit lacking in info about all the lochs that are available but the Estates will put you right and once you translate their map to your own Landranger with Sharpie and highlighter then you get to catch fish like these.






And go to places like these,






Best bit of kit taken? MSR Pocket Rocket stove and billy can. Coffee, anywhere, anytime.



So would I go back? Yes, but probably staying in the hotel and walking more and not bothering with boats. I am more of a trout guy so there are plenty of places for me still to see. I would get a NU Estate ticket (just for Hosta and Euval!) and go walking.
The scenery is breath taking and the wildlife the same. On the last day Caroline and I got buzzed by a Golden eagle that went 50' over our heads. Don't get that at Locher!

 

[Hamish Young]

Any luck with the silver fishies?

I had one finnock about 12oz from that loch, saw plenty but caught none of the big silver tourists 

Work permitting I've the beginnings of a plan to get up there again for the back end.  

Given the right conditions...... I'd probably go too

Noel these guys were also on Berneray and actually managed to hook a couple of fish according to the rumors that I have heard.

You are remarkably well informed Eddie As Euan says he was broken and I had something the size of my forearm roll over my dropper. It was on and off in ten seconds. I saw something very large indeed clear the water but otherwise that was it for the day...... would like to go back there early season I think 

Best bit of kit taken? MSR Pocket Rocket stove and billy can. Coffee, anywhere, anytime.

I'd second that, in the conditions we had (colder than you might think from the pics) a pick me up coffee was always welcome 

H

[Mike Barrio]

Great photos Euan

[Iain Cameron]

was an excellent, if tiring, couple of days. Euan sported a large grin much of the time, and seemed to be loving it. His jetboil stove is an impressive thing. Must get one myself.

I'd been playing a gig in Inverness on the Saturday, and had planned to head to NU for a few days. Good timing, as it meant being able to get a wee cast in with Hamish and Euan for a couple of days. Though I'd not recommend getting to bed at 0145 after a gig and getting up again at 0445. urgh.

North Uist. It's always windy there, it seems. Sort of re-calibrates your wind gauge; just a breeze means anywhere between 15-20mph! Still, it keeps the midges away

Euan and Hamish braving the wind & rain. You look back over your shoulder and know that the Atlantic Ocean is just metres away:



After a skunking on that loch, I went with plan B and fished a smaller machair loch; plenty of fish from 1/4 up to this beauty of 2lbs



And one for Edfish - here's your old rod racks getting in on the action. Hope you approve of the setting!



I managed 5 lochs in 3 days, and caught in 4 of them. Blanked on that big bruiser on the first day. buuuuuuugger. So much water to explore, you would need years.

[Mike Barrio]

Great photos Iain

[Jim Eddie]

Great stuff guys 

 

Jim

[Eddie Sinclair]

Iain,

great pics, however did you have to use the loch in the first one? that is just not fair, you know how much I love that loch. Nice troot and good to see the rests being put to good use and I see that you got the new car hope you like it. As stated previously I will be home next summer so we need to crack the code on THE loch.

Eddie.

[Euan Innes]

As stated previously I will be home next summer so we need to crack the code on THE loch.

I'm in! I am not done with the bruisers in Brusda 

 

[Simon]

I have never been to any of the Scottish islands that is something I must correct.  An interesting write up and nice photos thanks