Fish North Uist
North Uist fishing is truly something to experience. The numerous lochs, sea pools and brackish lochs give every fly fisher the ultimate challenge to try and catch beautiful Hebridean brown trout, hard-fighting sea trout and wily salmon. North Uist has some of the most spectacular waters for sea trout in Scotland, with many fly fishers coming to test themselves at the renowned sea pools.
Fishing on North Uist is something to savour, and with huge skies, endless horizons and a landscape that appears drowned with the numerous lochs and lochans, it is easy to see why people fall in love with this incredible place.
If you genuinely want to fish in pristine waters on the edge of the Atlantic or in some remote moorland, then North Uist is the place to fish.
The untamed land
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Book Your Fishing Accommodation
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North Uist Sea Pools
North Uist is famous for its incredible sea pools where seatrout and salmon are found in summer and autumn. This is a unique experience for the fly fisher and something to savour out on vast open beaches next to the Atlantic. These tidal jewels change with every tide, they flow for miles and are set in the most breathtaking of scenery. Sea pool fishing is something truly unique and North Uist boasts over twenty recognised pools to fish for salmon and sea trout. Some sea pools lie miles out on the vast beaches while others run close to the edge of the land. Each sea pool is different and never fishes the same on different tides. Planning your fishing trip to North Uist should also include looking at the tidal charts for the area to ensure that you are able to fish the sea pools fish during your stay. In times of a lack of water and the lochs do not fish the sea pools come into their own.
02
Tidal Gems
As the tide retreats across the vast tidal flats of North Uist the sea pools begin to appear. These incredible tidal pools and in places tidal rapid systems are amazing places to fish. Throughout the fishing season the fish begin to gather in the outer pools making their way to the upper pools as the waters warm and the sandeels begin to appear in large shoals in the shallow waters. The sea trout can vary in size from small finnock to larger fish often in excess of 7Ib and sometimes well over 10Ib with the average about 3Ib in weight. The thrill of hooking these powerful fresh fish in the sea pool is truly magical. A fish of 3 pounds and over will give you a good fight on the reel and with the added challenge of fishing around seaweed the skilled fly fisher needs to have their wits about them in order to land these beautiful creatures.
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Fishing these gin clear waters
Fly fishing in these gin clear waters is a wonderful experience. Fish can often be seen moving along the weed edge, lazily resting on the edge of sandy bays or at the side of rocks. Other times they can be seen swirling and jumping throughout the day and just being here in this moment is totally awesome. In some pools when the salmon are present they often leap beside the wading fly fisher startling them as they splash back into the water and swim past. Nothing can truly compare to North Uist sea pool fishing. It makes fishing in North Uist utterly magical.
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To Fish with or without a Ghillie
It is always the fly fishers preference if they wish to use the services of a local Ghillie. That said we would always reccommend using the services of a local Ghillie especially if heading out to some of the further sea pools. Their knowledge and awareness of the tides and likely fishing lies goes a long way to bringing success to a fishing day. Whatever your decision always make sure you are fully aware of the state of the tides and when they begin to ebb and flow on the flood.
North Uist Lochs
A Mosaic Landscape
Those who enter into the moorlands discover a world of many ecosystems and a vastness that seems never-ending. It is a challenging place with untold beauty and hundreds of lochs and lochans.
North Uist Loch Fishing
North Uist has been a mecca for fishing on our brown trout lochs since early May. The choice is endless, and they say a fisherman can be here for four years and fish every day on different water and still not have fished all the lochs. With our trout lochs on the East and West Coast, both sides have a beautiful world of contrast. The trout fishing on the west side occurs in the famous MAchair lochs. These fertile waters have trout up to six pounds in weight with an average of 3/4 Ib to 11/4 Ib. The trout fishing in the East is in the moorlands, and from the tops of the hills, there appears to be more water than land. The vast, unique labyrinth of Loch Sgadabhagh almost defies belief with its enormity. When one goes fishing on this incredible body of water, the joy of North Uist Fishing truly comes alive.
Wildlife Paradise
The moorland lochs of North Uist are great places for the naturalist/fisher as they are home to some of the island's iconic wildlife. Summer sees the remoter lochs with beautiful black and red-throated divers, greylag geese, and Arctic skuas, while the heather banks have noisy wrens, stonechats and red grouse. Fly fishing on these trout lochs is an experience in the heart of nature and surrounded by the calls of the wild. The fishing can be tremendous with the average trout / 1/2 Ib to 11/4 pounds.
Experience Fishing Freedom
Whether you head into the remote hills or stop by a loch close to the roadside, there is always a sense of freedom as you walk across the North Uist landscape. That journey into the unknown is full of expectancy and excitement as the water appears before you. You stand by the edge of the water and cast your flies across the gentle waves anticipating with every cast a take. Around you, the vast skies illuminate the horizon and you become absorbed in this world of North Uist loch fishing.
The Hebridean Ghillie
Masters of their own World
Fishing in North Uist is a dream for those seeking actual wilderness fishing, and over the years, many have fallen in love with the sheer variety of fishing waters at their disposal from April to October. Coming to fish North Uist leads you on a journey into a captivating environment that has been classed as a drowned landscape interspersed with hundreds of lochs on the east coast, while to the west, the fertile machair plains give way to stunning powder sand beaches.
Many fishers have become regular visitors, returning year after year on their fishing pilgrimage for one week of heaven, from late summer to October. During this time, they will have been introduced to the Hebridean Ghillie, spent time with them in the local hotel or out on the lochs and gained an insight into the fishing waters and the techniques. Many have forged friendships that have lasted for over forty years.
To fish North Uist, a ghillie is recommended, especially on the vast moorland lochs, to have a better chance of success. Big Lochs like Geirean Mill, Obituary, Scadabay, Fada and numerous others take a lifetime to become familiar with, and the knowledge and expertise of the ghillie cannot be underestimated. The sea pools are a different world, continually evolving after winter storms, some filling others becoming deep pools where sea trout could lie. Some sea pools are like vast rivers way out across miles of unfamiliar sand. The wise angler would always use the services of a ghillie to attempt to go to these far-flung pools while other pools lie closer to the road, and fly fishers sometimes chose to fish these alone or with a Ghillie.
When out with a Hebridean Ghillie, you are working as a team; the ghillie leads you out onto the open water, a steady pull of the oars and polite conversation as he alertly watches with a critical eye your every cast. They scan the water and follow your fly as it bobs on the surface, noticing the minor disturbance beneath the surface at the fly before you even see it. They offer advice on technique and fly selection. They row the boat along the shore, varying the angle, making your world a little more challenging as you cross-wind fish towards the shore or hold you over a rock for what seems like an eternity, knowing a fish is present. Instinct and local knowledge cannot be underestimated. These Hebridean Ghillies have spent their lifetime learning their craft on these lochs and pools and have been nurtured through the shared understanding of previous Ghillies. Fishing these waters is their way of life, and they gain much joy from your success. If you are coming to fish in North Uist, book a Ghillie service and enjoy the freedom to fish with local experts.
Weather
Prepare for all seasons
The weather in North Uist can change in a moment, and sunny days can become windy ones with howling gales, driving rain and sometimes sleet. The best months weather-wise are usually from May to August, with September and October becoming a little bit more unpredictable, with westerly gales often appearing from nowhere. But like all-weather, it is hard to predict when booking your adventure, but we always advise you to come prepared for seven seasons in one day.
One of the biggest challenges facing flyfishers on North Uist and across the Hebrides is the wind. There are days when fishermen stand in the eye of a storm casting into murky water and find the fish are taking while on other balmy, seemingly perfect days, nothing moves.
The beauty of North Uist fishing is that even on stormy days there is water to fish so be assured if wrapped up in proper waterproof clothing the fishing adventures carry on
North Uist Loch Fishing
Available Ghillie Dates 2024
Whether you are looking for a couple of days fishing or a week fishing, then drop us a line with the required dates, and we will let you know of availability. We can cater for groups of up to 4 fishers and novices to experienced fly fishers. North Uist is a wonderful environment to experience the wild brown trout loch fishing and the beautiful tidal sea pools. We will always confirm all booked fishing days by email.
Fishing Days/ Fishing Weeks - May to October
Our Fishing Rates 2024
Please find below our rates for the 2023/24 fishing season and Ghillie guiding services. Please note that this does not include any accommodation or fishing permits issued by Lochmaddy Hotel or North Uist Estate. These need to be arranged on your arrival, and we can advise the best way to do this. Please note that there is a limited number of Ghillies on North Uist, and it is always advisable to book well in advance.
Weekly Rate
6 Days Fishing Guide
£900
For those fishermen and women, our weekly rate is for a ghillie for two rods and covers loch fishing, sea pools and brackish waters. It does not include accommodation or permits from North Uist estate or Lochmaddy Hotel.
Basic Day Rate
£ 150
This is the cost for one or two rods and is a cash payment on the day. This includes fully guided fishing with a local ghillie for either, Brown trout, Salom or sea trout.
Day Rate
Additional Rods
£50
If there are more than 2 rods, there is an additional charge of £50 per day per rod with a maximum group size of 4 rods.
Additional Rods
The Experience
Fishing in North Uist is a fabulous experience in a pristine environment with endless choices of trout lochs to fish, excellent sea trout waters and challenging salmon fishing lochs. Out on the water with friends and a local ghillie is something special. Those afternoons in a remote hut for lunch reflecting on the mornings fishing and the prospects ahead, listening to fishing stories and fond memories of beautiful days is something to cherish.
Fishing is not only about catching. It's about experiencing and appreciating the world around you on these peaceful days. Catching a glimpse of a sea eagle, listening to the roar of the stags in the Autumn or the silent flight of a hen harrier as it floats across the moors. These are the moments to treasure and savour in North Uist.
Lochmaddy Hotel
The fishing on North Uist is owned by North Uist Estate but administered through the Lochmaddy Hotel. Lochmaddy Hotel was established in 1863 and is the oldest hotel in North Uist. Recently the hotel has undergone refurbishment. You will find the owners, John and Lorna - who currently have 13 years of experience running Lochmaddy Hotel - on duty most days. John looks after all the fishing guests, giving them plenty of advice and often providing a ghillie service. Lorna is at reception most mornings and is often a great source of local information.
Books on North Uist
For further information about North Uist, its loch and sea pool fishing, please refer to the following books by John Clapham, a regular North Uist visitor for many years.
1. North Uist Travel Guide.
2. Loch Fishing - Brown Trout, Sea Trout & Salmon.
3. Sea Pool Fishing - Sea Trout and Salmon.
A truly magical fishing world
North Uist Fishing
Enriched by Nature
From early May to October, the North Uist fishing waters take you into an incredible environment teeming with wildlife from the coastlines to the remote moorlands. Take a row up a moorland loch and encounter golden and sea eagles as they often soar above or pass nearby to get a closer look. The eerie call of the black-throated and red-throated diver can be heard across the stillness of the lochs, or they can be seen heading to the coast to fish before returning to their chicks out on the distant lochs. On the west coast and at the sea pools, common and Arctic terns are seen and heard screeching as they search for sandeels while the soft cooing of rafts of eider ducks is heard as they swim past in the pools.
Fishing in a pristine environment
On the Atlantic edges, grey seals and common seals are spotted lazily basking on reefs or popping up in the surf, while on many lochs where there are streams, otters can be spotted playing in the sparkling waters.
Walk out to any Machair loch, and you will encounter oystercatchers, Lapwings, snipes, golden plovers, redshanks and, if lucky, a glimpse of the rare corncrake. As you drive back to your hotel after a successful day, you may spot short-eared owls, merlin, hen harriers and kestrels hovering above the heather.
North Uist fishing is a truly wonderful and fulfilling experience for those who appreciate the great wild outdoors and its beauty. How often have we spotted fish leaping as we stop for a coffee on a small island and watch the wildlife around? From these moments, great days have unfolded.
About Your Guide
James Macletchie is a fly fishing enthusiast offering an exceptional experience for anglers exploring the beauty of Scotland’s lochs and rivers. With over 40 years of fly fishing experience gained from a lifetime exploring these waters, James provides top-notch instruction, skill, knowledge and understanding of the fishing beats. His boatmanship skills and intimate knowledge of the lochs and sea pools are second to none.
You will be in good hands with James, whether a novice or a seasoned angler. He is passionate about fly fishing and committed to providing everyone with a safe and enjoyable experience. Explore the wilds of Scotland with James and experience fly fishing at its finest.