Colin McKay

Hi Fraser Most of the communications these days is via Facebook but I don't do Facebook. The river is fishing really well just now ....fish rising all over at the moment so bring a good selection of dry flies with you, Tight Lines. Colin.

I was joking Col.......About the lessons that is.....Takes more than luck....your just being modest !!

Nice one Col.......That 3lb'er is an absolute cracker of a fish......Obviously a lot more skilled angler than I am ! Do you give lessons !!!?

Out again yesterday on Bt 3. A few fish showing here and there but maybe not quite warm enough yet for a proper rise. Managed one small brownie on a silver beaded nymph but didn't touch anything else.

Out twice for a couple of hours on Beat 2 in the last couple of days. Tried heavy nymphs and big dries fished blind but no signs of the fish looking up or moving.....blanked both times with not even a sniff of a fish. Still a bit of a cold wind so hopefully the warmer weather will improve things.

I think, but not entirely sure as I don't do facebook or any of these things either, that is where people are communicating, but you are right Alan, there is not much communication going on outwith the committee members and a few others like yourself. You can't go wrong on South Uist Alan.......I've been there 3 times in the last 4 years and the fishing is great. I'll do a more extensive explanation later but I can guarantee you will not be stuck for choice.....all the lochs fish well on their day and there are some huge troots in some of them.....a wee word of warning though, if they are not "on their day" it can be dour!!....it depends on when, where and what you want to fish for how you go about it. One loch I would definitely recommend though is the Mill Loch.......my all time favourite and always gives me a good day. Best to get in touch with the South Uist estates office though prior to your visit and give preference on the lochs you want to fish......I can't remember the proper name of the organisation but I'll do a more extensive post when I have more time.

Hi Alan I don't think many...or any? ....people use the forum to communicate about the club / river anymore. I think the catch returns go to Richy Melrose the Treasurer. Not sure if it is too late now as they were to be in around middle of November. Hope you and Jack are well. Cheers Colin

Hi Keith You are probably a wee bit early as this season has just finished and the AGM has not yet taken place.....This is when the rules, prices etc for membership are usually confirmed. Beginning of January should be plenty of time. Not many members look in on the forum any more which is probably why you haven't had a reply yet. Tight lines when you eventually get fishing. Colin

Was out on upper beat 2 on Thursday night and there were a few big fish about.....saw one Brownie come right out the water which must have been around 3 or 4lb. I think it was trying to shove another fish out the lie as another around the pound mark came out at the same time about a foot away. Do fish do that ? Managed to catch a couple of brownies around the 1lb mark and was snapped by a brownie which was certainly not any less than 2lb. Took off like a train, tailing its way upstream.......exciting to watch but depressing when it snapped.....that's fishing !! Took a size 14 dry olive....barbless hook so hopefully it will work itself out.

Nice one Alan. Was further upstream last night and had a few nice brownies.....the river is fishing well this season.

I never go down that way to fish anymore as that part of the river just annoys me but I come across people without permits all the time further upstream ....More than once I have been told to f... off when I ask if they have a permit. It just seems acceptable to a lot of anglers that you can fish the Almond without a permit.....Don't know how we sort this but it always seems worse down the Princes St Beat when the sea trout and salmon arrive....loads of people without permits standing at the wall pool chucking spinners and bait at the same bit for hours on end !!

Nice one Alan.....Was that Beat 1? I was on Beat 2 last night and had a couple of nice brownies on dry fly.....a wee size 16 olive. There was someone else fishing downstream from me and I hope they caught something as there was fish rising all around him.

Great night on Beat 2 last night....River at a nice level and relatively clear with fish rising everywhere....10 to the net (average 8 to 10oz)... all on wee size 16 Olives apart from a couple on size 12 Olive Klinkhammers when dusk came. Many more lost and missed as per usual !

Great night on Beat 2 last night....River at a nice level and relatively clear with fish rising everywhere....10 to the net (average 8 to 10oz)... all on wee size 16 Olives apart from a couple on size 12 Olive Klinkhammers when dusk came. Many more lost and missed as per usual !

That's the way I have been catching Alan.....trial and error ! Was on Beat 3 on Sunday afternoon and had about a dozen changes of flies before getting any interest....very frustrating as fish were rising all over the place and I was faffing about with bits of leader and different flies. Eventually rose and netted a few on small size 18 olives but, as you say, it is hard going at times to work out what they will rise to. Beat 3 is now like a jungle and at a guess, in about 2 or 3 weeks it will be mostly inaccessible unless you stay in the water. So it will be back to Beat 2 or even the public park of Beat 1 if I have to !!