Fishing at Uig Lodge

Although at times the rugged Atlantic coastline of Lewis can appear somewhat bleak and inhospitable it's a well kept secret that there is one special (some might say unique) spot where the wind-sculpted rocks relent and give way to a breathtaking expanse of white sands fringed by green machair against a dramatic backdrop of heather clad mountains.

Somewhere in these mountains the Fhorsa river begins its journey to the sea. Gathering momentum as it leaves Loch Slacsavat and cascading seawards via a series of spectacular waterfalls the Fhorsa finally cuts its way, a ribbon of crystal blue, through the sands of Uig Bay. This final stretch of the river where fresh water and salt meet is known to fishermen the world over as the Bruton Stream.

It is here from early June onwards that the first shoals of Salmon will arrive having completed the initial stage of their epic journey from the icy waters of the North Atlantic. As they gather in ever greater numbers in the waters of Uig Bay they offer the discerning fisherman the rare opportunity to exercise his fly fishing skills in salt water.

Every day in early Summer as the tides ebb and flow over the sands the fish, responding to that mysterious natural instinct which drives them to return to the river of their birth attempt to forge their way upstream. Having spent the previous winter at sea feeding voraciously they are in prime condition to tackle the hazardous journey ahead.

The diminutive smolt which left the river a year ago is now a sleek, torpedo of silver weighing up to 10 pounds. The time honoured combination of skill, experience and (occasionally) good fortune all but guarantees the visitor to Uig Lodge a memorable days fishing in one of the last unspoilt wilderness areas of the UK.

You can book the lodge and it's exclusive fishing at :-

Once the fish have crossed the shallow water of the sands they enter the Fhorsa system. Again, this is fishing of the highest order and large bags can be had under the right conditions.

When the fishing season ends the salmon, now red in colour, are free to ascend the tributary streams to their spawning areas where between them they lay millions of eggs in early December. These eggs are incubated beneath the clean gravel in the pure oxygenated water of the Fhorsa's headwaters. Some time in the spring the eggs hatch and the young salmon begin their arduous lives.

Why not take a look at the smoking process in action:
Smokehouse Tour

Good fishing links:

fishing-resource.com - A Fishing Web Directory : fly-fishing.