For Finlay Wilson, the machair lochs surrounding Grogarry Lodge on South Uist are the ultimate trout-fishing experience
THERE IS SOMETHING VERY special about chasing wild trout and migratory fish on the Scottish islands; the farther flung, the better. I often daydream about how incredible it would be to spend a whole trout season on Orkney, Shetland, Islay and Jura, or Harris and Lewis. However, if I had to choose one place above others to live the life of Riley and lose myself for weeks and months exploring waters familiar and new it would be South Uist. More precisely, I would settle at Grogarry Lodge —this is a daydream, after all —enjoying views to the loch that gives the lodge its name, beyond which only sand dunes and a narrow strip of deserted beach, stretching for miles, separate you from the relentless crashing force of the Atlantic Ocean.
Grogarry sits in the heart of South Uist’s machair and the lochs that pepper this beautiful, unique area offer some of the finest wild trout fishing in the world, with the bonus of chasing tide-fresh sea-trout and salmon on the Howmore, Kildonan and Bharp rivers. It is the perfect base for exploration and intriguing fishing.
Location is a large part of the appeal. Being so close to the vast Atlantic —next stop Newfoundland —lends the lochs an outlandish feel, heightened by the delicate balance of flora and fauna. From spring onwards, peaking in July, red clover, daisies, harebell, bird’s-foot-trefoil and orchids carpet the machair surrounding the lochs. This variety of plants encourages invertebrates, which attract birds, adding to the visual and aural feast. Corncrake can be heard but are rarely seen, arctic tern flit constantly in the wind, golden and sea eagles soar, and flocks of lapwing, corn bunting and golden plover are common.
This mesmerising display is the backdrop to an immersive fly-fishing experience. The low-lying machair is highly fertile due to windblown shell sand with high concentrations of calcium carbonate. As a result, the lochs are alkaline and aquatic invertebrates thrive alongside healthy numbers of shrimp, snail and stickleback —the perfect environment for fast-growing, protein-pumped, powerful trout. Often covered from tip to tale in spots and mixing dazzling arrays of yellow, bronze, olive, steel blue, vermilion, silver and gold, they are among the prettiest fish on the planet.
A potential pitfall of any trip to South Uist is becoming overwhelmed by the number of waters available to visiting anglers. A scan of the names on the lodge’s ten bedroom doors provides a reminder and merely reading Bornish, Grogarry, West Ollay, Roag and Fada might send an excitable angler with previous k
