Sea Trout Isle of Skye

I've just got back from the Isle of Skye after spending nearly 2 weeks up there visiting family with my girlfriend, which we do quite regularly. Obviously for me it's a chance to get some serious fishing in especially now the the Salmon & Sea Trout are in full flow.

My goal on this trip was to catch specifically Sea Trout. I'd scoped out a few areas during my last trip up to Skye in May - but did little fishing as the weather was truly rotten (it was hail & rain for a whole week).

Luckily this time it was +25 degrees the whole time we where up, perfect for a spot of night fishing.

My first Sea Trout I actually caught during the day about 2pm on the River Ose, one of the lesser fished rivers on the Island due to its remote north westerly location - but trust me there's plenty of fish in it and worth the trip

It was around 2 pounds and caught in a brilliant corner pool about a half mile from the main road, if there is such a thing on Skye. I new this was a place that I wanted to get some time on as it is a perfect resting spot for running fish - which have a clear run up from the estuary even without a spate.

I nailed it on the good old fashioned Butcher Fly on the dropper - a really important fly to have in your box for Trout fishing in general.

My first proper outing and 1 in the bag - good result. I also had a couple of brownies around the 1 pound mark on my Mallard & Claret tail point fly, these where returned unharmed.

My next area of interest was about a half mile from my girlfriends Mum & Dads house in Glen Dale, Dunvegan. There is a cracking sea estuary that the River Hamara leads into which at first glance a lot of anglers would turn there nose up to.

After a reckie down at the estuary on the first night in Skye, falling down a hole by the river side and spotting an otter, it was clear the fish where gathering in the bay as the movement was very busy indeed.

Now usually I would always recommend waders - but due to the hot weather and gravel based sea bed in the bay, it was a no shoes and shorts job for getting into the water. Also with it being a full moon it was very easy to see where to wade safely.

After fishing for nearly 3 hours with fish jumping straight out the water all around me and several fly changes later, it wasn't until 11:30pm that I managed to hit a fish. It was around the 1 and a half pound mark. It was caught on a bit of a try and see fly for when it comes to Sea Trout fishing in the sea - but a killer trout fly none the less the Elk Hair Caddis. Yes, I was surprised too, but it just goes to show that you need to be prepared to adapt to strike fish sometimes.

I fished this same spot again the last night before we left to come back to sunny Glasgow, again wading in my shorts. Again it was proving difficult to catch the fish and again it was very busy activity wise. Surprisingly all I caught was small Pollack - which was both amusing and frustrating.

All of a sudden, bang straight into a fish which was giving my 4Wt rod a good testing. It was a Cock Sea Trout about 3 pounds and caught on a Soldier Palmer which I bought while I was on Skye a while back. A 3 pound Skye Sea Trout, on a Skye tied fly, while fishing at night in my shorts up to my knees in the water with no shoes on. My GF thinks I'm mad, but I had the best night ever.

So that was it for me this time round on my trip to the Isle of Skye fishing wise, a great success as I managed to achieve my goal and had a great time catching one of fishings most enigmatic and acrobatic fish. Hope you enjoyed my ramblings!