Loch Ceann a'Bhaigh South Uist

It was planned early in the year that my good lady and myself would go to South Uist for a weeks holiday which would incorporate some fishing for myself. She would indulge in her outdoor artistic work whilst I fished. All the best of intentions but the weather in the West of Scotland has been awful for most of April, May & June so far. I fished last week in Loch Rannoch (see post) where the snow was still on the hills, June dammit.

The narrow gap looked a nice spot

The slightly choppy ferry crossing from Uig in Skye to Lochmaddy in North Uist indicated that the high winds were not going anywhere and so it proved. For he whole week there were constant 25-30 mph westerly winds with regular gusts well exceeding that to make the fishing a no go this trip. Speaking to some guys who had taken a weeks holiday and paid to fish the estate waters their days on the waters were endurance tests with little fun and few fish. There was no insect life in the air so no rising fish. I was told that the trout were still deep lying and the only real option was to get down into the depths and make very fast retrieves, not my ideal fishing.

The 30 seconds of blue sky makes it look good!!

I had the OS map all highlighted with the smallish waters I wanted to fish in between tourist stuff with the wife, frustration. I probably could have fished but the good lady could not have done her outdoor work.
However, on my last night I decided to give it a bash. Although this water was not on my list we had walked some of the area the other day. I noted that I could bank fish reasonably well here. My only concern was that it had a salmon farm further up and as I had not seen any fish move, was it barren water? 
I parked my car in a small lay-by and as soon as I got out I was having second thoughts. The wind was howling through at a rate of knots but I was here so half an hour anyway. The wind conditions dictated the bank I was fishing from as it was blowing left to right, my right handed casting meant the dangerous hooks were being blown away from me. Kitted up so at least I was not cold I put the rod together. I heeded the advice and put on my sinking line and a bibio up top with a small black pennel on my only dropper, in this wind only 2 flies.
Beside the car parking area the loch narrowed for a stretch with 2 foam lines right down the middle with the waves looking like the sea. The edges were heavily weeded, green slimy stuff but the middle looked deep water. Trying to cast straight was impossible as the wind immediately took the line at right angles. To get out to the middle I had to resort to casting from the water itself rather than casting through the air and this did work better, better being a relative term. I was moving with every cast but was having to clean the weeds from the hooks regularly.

Back to the grey/windy reality, looking up to the salmon farm

Still not seen a fish yet I managed to find deeper water with some shelter at my back which eased casting. I changed flies and went with an orange dunkeld, more of a sea trout fly to act more as an attractor. Within 3 casts a good tug from the dark waters and a decent fighting brownie surfaced and tried somersault its way off the hook but I got it in, weighed 3/4lb it will do, back to fight another day.

The 1st broonie nice fish

Sadly I was now back in the stormy winds again, this is not really a lot of fun. I heard barking which surprised me as I am a reasonable way away from crofts but wind does make the sound travel. More barking closer this time and then the rod bent, another fish was on. Just as I raised the rod I heard a splash close beside me and 2 rather large red deer, one stag and one hind, leapt the burn beside racing across the moor towards the hills. Thank god I had not been in their path as it would have been a nasty accident in the making. I got the trout in, smaller than the first and released safely. I then heard an owner calling and 3 dogs appeared on a hillock then careered back towards the road. No doubt them that spooked the deer.
The rain was now on and the wind was worsening so I called it a day. I had been out a couple of hours got 2 fish so better than blanking. Considering the estate boat guys were only catching about 4 in a full day I was content.
On the way back I passed this mud patch with this print in it. I know otters a very common up here, was this a print, the rear one shows 5 clear nails? I will pretend it was as it makes for a better story.

Otter or not?

Time for a beer or a dram and warm up.
I will be back for a full weeks fishing soon.