The opening of the brown trout season greeted anglers with cold but dry conditions which continued up until early April when the sun broke through and shone for the best part of two weeks, enticing more anglers out. However, although the weather was sunny, both the water and air temperatures remained cold.

Anglers fishing the usually reliable and ‘early’ Loch Eirearaigh on Lewis, were disappointed to find the trout in poor condition with the majority of them under 10oz. The condition of the trout this season coincides with the salmon smolt rearing hatchery, situated on the in-flowing burn to Loch Eirearaigh, closing down thus no additional nutrients were feeding into the Loch.

The lochs in the Achmore area of Lewis have produced several quality trout in the 10oz – 1lb+ mark, several of which have come from Stornoway Angling Association members fishing from their boat on Loch Achmore. Lochs Foid and na Craoibhe in the area have also produced decent catches of trout for the bank anglers.

Although anglers have been out regularly, attempting to hook an elusive Spring salmon from the Grimersta system, none have been seen so far.

A few reports have come in regarding the brown trout catches from South Uist: Billy MacPhee landed a 2lb trout whilst boat fishing on Loch Grogarry during April 11th, Stevie Rodger had a 1lb-8oz trout from Loch Hallan, again from the boat during April 9th and Peter Scott, bank fishing on one of the South Uist Angling Club Lochs on April 11th, landed a beautifully marked and well-conditioned trout of 1lb+. There are a few sea trout showing around the coast line of the Outer Hebrides with some appearing in the Sea Pools of the Uist’s; Colin Macleod, fishing an Orange Lure fly in the Creagorry Sea Pool, landed and released a bonnie 2lb-8oz sea trout on April 15th.