Hello again Philip - nice to see you out on the water again, and what a glorious spot is is too. I always think that catching fish is a bonus, its just nice to be out in the fresh air and on the water. You are a lucky man to have such rivers to fish. See you in the next one. Cheers Doug (from Down Under)
I agree Doug, in a strange way spring fishing on Lewis is very relaxing because there isn't a spring run, so there aren't any fish to catch. As such it is an ideal time to sit about, drink tea, admire the view, make a few casts, and just enjoy the day out. There's no pressure to catch anything when there's nothing in there :-)
Philip that was an excellent production. Never mind the fish they will come soon. You are very lucky to be able to fish such a wild river it takes me back to my earlier fishing days. Tight lines from AUS.
Thank you Norman, glad you enjoyed it. Rivers such as this really do make for a fantastic day out even if the spring fish are extremely rare and I really like the challenge of the spring fishing just because the run is so tiny that it requires a lot of luck just to find a fish, never mind land one. Look out for another video from this river where I go on to prove that :-)
What a beautiful location to kick the season off ….thanks very much …I really enjoyed fishing along with you …the season closed here last Sunday ..now in the official week of mourning 😀😀
It won't be so very long until it is opening again Rick, and maybe you will get a better spring than we have. I'm at salmon because it is simply too cold to bother with trout, for the most part. I've had one day at trout and hopefully a video will follow but don't be expecting any catching :-)
It is an amazing place William. You will be aware that the river was a little high to be ideal for fishing but I just love it like that as it is such an amazing river so the lack of fish really didn't bother me. I have another video to come when the river was back to about 4 on the gauge on the Kelt Pool and I managed to drop a fish so that was an extra bonus. Springers are so rare that even dropping one counts as success to me.
Glad you enjoyed it, it really is the most amazing river. Lewis is a grilse fishery and doesn't get a spring run so the chances of a spring fish are vanishingly small and that is part of the challenge for me. So, the fishing might not pick up as such, but just sometimes the angler can get lucky.
The simple things in life! Like a magnificent day out fishing an Hebridean river. Thank you Philip for bringing this to us. Lots of water hope some fish make it. How about Trout in the summer?
There has definitely been one fish come up that river this year and in due course there will be a little video that shows this :-) It was a great day out, in the Hebrides you have to start with zero expectation of a fish as there simply isn't a spring run but it is just fantastic to get up the river and enjoy the day with the knowledge that there is a tiny chance. So far it has been too cold for trout but I have fished one day for trout (plus a few "stops by the roadside for 10 minutes) and hopefully there will be a video of that coming along as well. In the cold wind it was tough going so I need to wait until things warm up.
Good luck up in Sutherland. Lewis is still very cold with the wind in the North for weeks now. However my experience of years when the spring is like that is that the fishing often comes on with a "bang" once there is some heat so I'd say that is positive for your trip.
Really enjoyed that, fantastic looking spate river. I take my hat off to you for trying for a springer, the odds are very much against you but even if no fish, what better way to spend a day? I don’t think anyone really tries over here for one (except the most hardy soul!) and I’m similar, maybe I should. All the best in your quest and for the rest of your season.
You'll be aware that we are a grilse fishery so no one fishes for the spring fish, or at least no one in their right mind :-) However a few do get caught and they seem to be most frequent on systems with big lochs or a group of lochs further upstream. They also tend to run up the systems at very high speed and so are usually caught close to the sea where, I guess, they maybe sit for a few hours after moving in. Most commonly they are caught in May but I have had one on 2nd April and I remember one March fish many years ago. It might make an interesting project for you to try for one if you have some suitable fishing? The best thing to do would be ask around as my experience is that spring fish tend to come from very specific areas of the river, often one specific pool. If you know someone in the local poaching community it is often worth talking to them. I do have to highlight that springers are really rare and some rivers might have produced one or two fish in the last decade. The other side to it is that they tend to be really easy to catch in the sense that if you can find one and get the fly over it then you are in with a good chance it will take the fly and this is very different from fishing at the back end of the season.
i am a member on our local spate burn on the west of scotland , the other members do not fish for salmon until august . would it be silly to fish now if there is water ? will salmon run in spring on any river or is it only certain river systems that support spring runs ? i am a new angler so not clued up
This is a difficult one as it is impossible for me to know the exact position on your local river - the river in this video is not fished for spring salmon by many people as the run of fish will not come until late June. However, a very few spring fish do get caught each year but generally speaking it is not worth putting in the effort it takes to catch one. It is impossible for me to say if your local river gets any spring fish so probably the best you can do is ask around, maybe look out old catch records, talk off the record to a few of the older people around the river, and if you can find some local poachers then speak with them! There is always a possibility of there being the very occasional spring fish coming into your river and while it might be a huge challenge to find one, and hook it, there is a lot of satisfaction in doing it. It is equally possible that no spring fish at all run the river. If you are going to try and chase a super rare springer then you need the right water and everything to be in your favour as your fly might only cover one fish in a day, and on most days won't cover a fish at all, so you need as many factors as possible in your favour.
@@caorach3354 that was as good a rundown as i could have hoped for , i am on the east kintyre peninsula and our water runs into the kilbrannan sound without naming it as per club rules on publicity . thanks so much , food for thought . you have given me enough confidence to try a cast after the next big rainfall , it is a small water and lots of the best pools are easily covered so i feel it may be worth a shot. perhaps the old boys never get spring fish because none of them are fishing for them
@@captainflint89 It is always possible that you are right and that no one is fishing however don't lose sight of the fact that many families who fish these waters have done so for several generations and have very little to learn about the river - it is always possible that no fish run in the spring. If there are spring fish there then I'm willing to bet that they will hold up in one or two select locations on the river and these might not always be the best spots later in the year for the grilse. Finding someone locally who sets a net on the river and does a bit of poaching is often the best source of info as if there is a spring fish there then they will be, or will have been in the past, netting them.
My GoPros and other bits are getting quite old now and they've had a bit of a battering over the years so in one sense they've done well for me. However, it is always annoying when things are letting me down especially as I've no way to view the video until quite some time after it is recorded so I'd no idea there were sound problems on the day. The weather was a bit bright for getting a fish especially later in the day but there's always a chance plus it is such a lovely river to fish that I wasn't for giving up :-)
Hello again Philip - nice to see you out on the water again, and what a glorious spot is is too. I always think that catching fish is a bonus, its just nice to be out in the fresh air and on the water. You are a lucky man to have such rivers to fish. See you in the next one. Cheers Doug (from Down Under)
I agree Doug, in a strange way spring fishing on Lewis is very relaxing because there isn't a spring run, so there aren't any fish to catch. As such it is an ideal time to sit about, drink tea, admire the view, make a few casts, and just enjoy the day out. There's no pressure to catch anything when there's nothing in there :-)
Philip that was an excellent production. Never mind the fish they will come soon. You are very lucky to be able to fish such a wild river it takes me back to my earlier fishing days. Tight lines from AUS.
Thank you Norman, glad you enjoyed it. Rivers such as this really do make for a fantastic day out even if the spring fish are extremely rare and I really like the challenge of the spring fishing just because the run is so tiny that it requires a lot of luck just to find a fish, never mind land one. Look out for another video from this river where I go on to prove that :-)
What a beautiful location to kick the season off ….thanks very much …I really enjoyed fishing along with you …the season closed here last Sunday ..now in the official week of mourning 😀😀
It won't be so very long until it is opening again Rick, and maybe you will get a better spring than we have. I'm at salmon because it is simply too cold to bother with trout, for the most part. I've had one day at trout and hopefully a video will follow but don't be expecting any catching :-)
Great footage of a fishery that I know and love. No fish but such stunning water!
It is an amazing place William. You will be aware that the river was a little high to be ideal for fishing but I just love it like that as it is such an amazing river so the lack of fish really didn't bother me. I have another video to come when the river was back to about 4 on the gauge on the Kelt Pool and I managed to drop a fish so that was an extra bonus. Springers are so rare that even dropping one counts as success to me.
It's good to get out and about again ,tight lines for the season.
Thank you Alan, the same to yourself. Let's hope for a decent run of fish this year and plenty water to get them out of the sea when they come.
Fantastic, the scenery is outstanding. Hope the fishing picks up next time.
Glad you enjoyed it, it really is the most amazing river. Lewis is a grilse fishery and doesn't get a spring run so the chances of a spring fish are vanishingly small and that is part of the challenge for me. So, the fishing might not pick up as such, but just sometimes the angler can get lucky.
Well done Phil, will be sitting down to watch this with tea and bun tonight!
Enjoy the tea and bun, but don't expect to be seeing many fish :-)
Great footage good to see you back all the best for the season Philip
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it despite the lack of fish. It is a wonderful river and always makes for a great day out.
The simple things in life! Like a magnificent day out fishing an Hebridean river. Thank you Philip for bringing this to us. Lots of water hope some fish make it. How about Trout in the summer?
There has definitely been one fish come up that river this year and in due course there will be a little video that shows this :-) It was a great day out, in the Hebrides you have to start with zero expectation of a fish as there simply isn't a spring run but it is just fantastic to get up the river and enjoy the day with the knowledge that there is a tiny chance. So far it has been too cold for trout but I have fished one day for trout (plus a few "stops by the roadside for 10 minutes) and hopefully there will be a video of that coming along as well. In the cold wind it was tough going so I need to wait until things warm up.
Great to see you back and what a fantastic looking river, I like the tea segments too Philip. I’m up in Sutherland in a fortnight on our annual trip.
Good luck up in Sutherland. Lewis is still very cold with the wind in the North for weeks now. However my experience of years when the spring is like that is that the fishing often comes on with a "bang" once there is some heat so I'd say that is positive for your trip.
Really enjoyed that, fantastic looking spate river. I take my hat off to you for trying for a springer, the odds are very much against you but even if no fish, what better way to spend a day? I don’t think anyone really tries over here for one (except the most hardy soul!) and I’m similar, maybe I should. All the best in your quest and for the rest of your season.
You'll be aware that we are a grilse fishery so no one fishes for the spring fish, or at least no one in their right mind :-) However a few do get caught and they seem to be most frequent on systems with big lochs or a group of lochs further upstream. They also tend to run up the systems at very high speed and so are usually caught close to the sea where, I guess, they maybe sit for a few hours after moving in. Most commonly they are caught in May but I have had one on 2nd April and I remember one March fish many years ago. It might make an interesting project for you to try for one if you have some suitable fishing? The best thing to do would be ask around as my experience is that spring fish tend to come from very specific areas of the river, often one specific pool. If you know someone in the local poaching community it is often worth talking to them. I do have to highlight that springers are really rare and some rivers might have produced one or two fish in the last decade. The other side to it is that they tend to be really easy to catch in the sense that if you can find one and get the fly over it then you are in with a good chance it will take the fly and this is very different from fishing at the back end of the season.
i am a member on our local spate burn on the west of scotland , the other members do not fish for salmon until august . would it be silly to fish now if there is water ? will salmon run in spring on any river or is it only certain river systems that support spring runs ? i am a new angler so not clued up
This is a difficult one as it is impossible for me to know the exact position on your local river - the river in this video is not fished for spring salmon by many people as the run of fish will not come until late June. However, a very few spring fish do get caught each year but generally speaking it is not worth putting in the effort it takes to catch one. It is impossible for me to say if your local river gets any spring fish so probably the best you can do is ask around, maybe look out old catch records, talk off the record to a few of the older people around the river, and if you can find some local poachers then speak with them! There is always a possibility of there being the very occasional spring fish coming into your river and while it might be a huge challenge to find one, and hook it, there is a lot of satisfaction in doing it. It is equally possible that no spring fish at all run the river. If you are going to try and chase a super rare springer then you need the right water and everything to be in your favour as your fly might only cover one fish in a day, and on most days won't cover a fish at all, so you need as many factors as possible in your favour.
@@caorach3354 that was as good a rundown as i could have hoped for , i am on the east kintyre peninsula and our water runs into the kilbrannan sound without naming it as per club rules on publicity . thanks so much , food for thought . you have given me enough confidence to try a cast after the next big rainfall , it is a small water and lots of the best pools are easily covered so i feel it may be worth a shot. perhaps the old boys never get spring fish because none of them are fishing for them
@@captainflint89 It is always possible that you are right and that no one is fishing however don't lose sight of the fact that many families who fish these waters have done so for several generations and have very little to learn about the river - it is always possible that no fish run in the spring. If there are spring fish there then I'm willing to bet that they will hold up in one or two select locations on the river and these might not always be the best spots later in the year for the grilse. Finding someone locally who sets a net on the river and does a bit of poaching is often the best source of info as if there is a spring fish there then they will be, or will have been in the past, netting them.
Hi GoPro problems across the board on UA-cam,do you get a one year guarantee or?
Nice weather makes a happy viewer, not perhaps the angler.
ATB
My GoPros and other bits are getting quite old now and they've had a bit of a battering over the years so in one sense they've done well for me. However, it is always annoying when things are letting me down especially as I've no way to view the video until quite some time after it is recorded so I'd no idea there were sound problems on the day. The weather was a bit bright for getting a fish especially later in the day but there's always a chance plus it is such a lovely river to fish that I wasn't for giving up :-)
Hi. good weather keeps you out there.@@caorach3354