Colin McKay

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Posts posted by Colin McKay


  1. 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. 


  2. 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.


  3. 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. 


  4. 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.


  5. 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

     

     

     


  6. 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

     


  7. 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. 


  8. 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 !!


  9. 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.


  10. 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 !


  11. 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 !

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  12. 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 !!


  13. Down on Beat 2 last couple of nights.....fish rising everywhere. Managed a few to the net on dries...mostly taking wee size 16 and 18 olives.....one around a pound and a half....a beautifully plump and big red spotted fish which I took on an olive Klinkhammer.

    Tight lines.

     


  14. Out on Beat 2 yesterday afternoon.....fish rising in most of the deeper runs and pools.....to olives I think....I'm not that good on entomology.....water is very low but it's raining today so hopefully this will liven the river up a wee bit. Managed a few to the net....one of just over the pound.....big fat fish which fought like a demon......great sport on a 4wt !!  As usual, loads lost, risen and missed. All fish taken on dries size 16 grey duster and lark and grey. Noticed the vegetation on the bank is growing fast further upstream towards the Airport, so if you want to fish Beat 3 better do it soon before access becomes too difficult.

    Tight lines to all who venture out in the next few days.

     

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  15. Nice one Joe. I was on Beat 2 on Friday afternoon from about half three for a few hours. There was a nice hatch of olives and fish rising to take them in most of the pools and runs. Managed three to the net (all on dries....size 16 olives) and lost and missed more than I would care to mention...as always I am an expert at long distance catch and release !! Met with another member who had managed 5 nice fish that day....so all looking good on our wee river for the season ahead. 


  16. If you are fishing dries you can't go wrong with grey dusters, cdc f flies and any kind of olives....size 16's usually do the business for me and if the fish are fussy I will sometimes go down to size 18 and then 20. If the fish aren't rising I will usually try hares ears, pheasant tail nymphs and polish nymphs, sometimes with an invicta or silver march brown on a dropper, and I personally wouldn't use anything bigger than a 9ft 5wt rod on the Almond.....At present I am using a 9ft 4wt and will likely go down to a 3wt if the wind drops....the lighter the better as the Almond trout are very easily spooked. I use a 9ft 7lb tapered leader and attach around 4 or 5ft of 3lb flurocarbon to that with a 2mm leader ring. 

    As far as the different Beats go it is probably better to fish Beat 3 just now if you want to try it as come the end of June, access to the water can be very difficult due to the vegetation on the bank which grows very high and thick. Beat 3 has some very big brownies and in my opinion is very good dry fly water. The lower Beats are relatively easier for access and can also produce some big fish but they can be busy with dog walkers. Lower beat 2 can be especially busy with kids in the summer holidays. Lower Beat 1 ...below Fair a Far Weir.. is where you have most chance of catching a salmon or sea trout but be prepared for an audience if you catch anything !!.....Teal Blue & Silver, Silver March Brown or Peter Ross for them usually work. 

    Hope this helps guys.

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  17. Hi Adam

    Just as an aside.....to get any decent results from the Almond you will likely need to get in the water at some point. Be very, very careful .....The river bed is full of big holes and boulders. Best to have wading boots with felt soles, a wading staff, go slowly and just don't go too deep.

    Tight lines when you do get out there.

     

     


  18. Down on Beat 2 this afternoon for a few hours. The river is in great condition....running clear and at a nice level. A few fish rising for an hour or so. Managed 4 to the net and lost 3. Two of the fish well over the pound mark. All to the dry fly........2 on a size 16 grey duster and 2 on a size 16 light olive (with blue dun hackle and coq de leon tail).

    Also saw two kingfishers so looks like the river is coming to life again ! 

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  19. Out yesterday on Beat 3...Still a bit cold with an East wind blowing the cold in, but water at a nice level and flowing relatively clear (for the Almond !) ....no fish looking up yet but managed a couple around the 8oz mark...one in the net and another lost at the net !! Both on a wee size 16 gold bead head polish nymph, taken from the faster pocket water.