Fishing On the
Isle of Lewis
Some of the key information relating to Fishing on the Isle of Lewis*.
Lewis and Harris have some of the finest Salmon and Trout fisheries anywhere in Scotland. The Hebrides have over 2000 fishable Lochs and a large number of rivers with access to the sea.
Isle-of-Lewis.com
Fishing on the Isle of Lewis offers something for every fisherman and woman. Whether your love is fly fishing on lochs and rivers for Salmon, coarse fishing with a rod and worms or sea-cliff fishing off some of Scotland’s most amazing cliff faces then Lewis is your new challenge that will have you returning year after year.
There are some very well defined fishing areas that require permits and there are thousands of lochs, as of yet un-fished by man. In the summer months you can fish all through the night as the sun fails to dip below the horizon.
Our home is perfectly positioned for Fishing on the Isle of Lewis with youngsters with a local river close by that lets you stand on river beaches to get the best angles into close, deep, pools of brown trout. You can also dig for worms at your leisure! Our home offers a kayak and lifejackets for rent as well as rods, reels and kit and we can let you know the best places to get your supplies.
You might also want to bring a midge net and repellent if you are out in the early hours or at dusk. They enjoy a fisherman for dinner.
BARVAS
AROUND HEBRIDEAN HOME
Fishing on the Isle of Lewis is the best it gets. With big skies and long nights it time to get acquainted with the rivers, lochs and seas of the Isle of Lewis and Harris. Fish all night in summer during our 18hr days of sun…especially as the fish start to jump for the flys! You can stay with us at Hebridean Home while you fish, with plenty space to store rods, dry off and relax!
At the bottom of the croft at our home is Loch Mor Bharabhais and the River Barvas, part of the Barvas Estate, which offers great bankside or boat fishing for a daily permit fee. You can discuss boat hire for the Loch with the local Ghillie (see rates and permits).
Fishing on Loch Mor Bharabhais and the River Barvas is fly fishing only for salmon. You can also fish off the coast and cliffs, but not at the estuaries of the lochs, for fresh and salt water species.
All other Fishing* on the Isle of Lewis, on the West side of the Island, (considered from Barvas around to Carloway with the exception of the Carloway River) is free of charge as long as the general laws of the water are observed with regards to fishing seasons and return of certain fish types/age to the waters. Fishing is especially good for sea trout, wild salmon, brown trout, Arctic char, pollack, flounder and ferox trout. There are also a plentiful supply of river eels to tangle around your equipment and their ability to produce slime will leave you wanting to cut everything down and start again!
*to the best of our knowledge at the time of publishing. If you know differently please contact us and we will update out listings.
Locations & Links
Laxdale & Blackwater
The season runs from 15th April to 31st October.
4 miles double bank fishing on both the Laxdale and Blackwater rivers. Estuary bank fishing for salmon and sea trout in the Steinish and Tong Pools. Bank fishing on Loch Garbhaig (Laxdale Fishery) for salmon and sea trout. Bank fishing on Loch Mor a Starr (Blackwater Fishery) for brown trout.
CREED
4 miles double bank fishing from Loch Chlachain to the Matheson Pool (Fly fishing ONLY permitted downstream of Matheson Pool). 20 named pools. Bank and boat fishing on Loch Chlachain (2 boats) and Loch Ois (1 boat).
GRESS
The river is now under the stewardship of The Gress Angling Association who are attempting to manage the river back toward it’s known habitat sustainable stocking density. Some improvement can be seen in the fish numbers and size but this is seen as early days in terms of the river’s hopeful recovery.
Ravenspoint Lochs
The Ravenspoint fishery is a new community venture. Permission to issue permits for salmon and sea trout fishing has been generously granted by Eishken Estate which is approximately 15 miles from Stornoway on the Stornoway to Tarbert road. The fishing consists of six lochs set in the heart of the Eishken Estate. Five of the lochs offer salmon, sea trout and brown trout fishing.
CARLOWAY
4 miles double bank fishing from Loch Chlachain to the Matheson Pool (Fly fishing ONLY permitted downstream of Matheson Pool). 20 named pools. Bank and boat fishing on Loch Chlachain (2 boats) and Loch Ois (1 boat).
location
Please visit Fishpal.com to see their full interactive map and much more locations and information.
Rates & Permits
Laxdale & Blackwater
Adult day ticket – £15 (£10 + £5 deposit*)
Junior (U-16) day ticket – £10 (£5 + £5 deposit*)
* Deposit refundable on receipt of completed catch return form*
Tickets can be purchased from Underground, 10 Francis Street, Stornoway.
BARVAS
Visitor Permit: £60 per day covers River Barvas and Loch Barvas
Boat Hire: £10
Type: Salmon fishing catch and return only
CREED
Bank and boat fishing on Loch Chlachain (2 boats) and Loch Ois (1 boat).
Adult day ticket – £30 (£25 + £5 deposit)
Visitor season ticket £120 (£100 + £20 deposit).
Junior day ticket (U-16) – £15 – (£10 + £5 deposit)
Evening ticket (all anglers) – £15 (£10 + £5 deposit)
Boats on lochs Chlachain and Ois – £10 per day up to 5.30pm – £5 from 6.00pm
Gress
Visitor’s day ticket: Adult – £10, Junior (U-16) – £5
Season is June 1st – October 15th. Restrictions from Sept:
NO bait fishing, ALL hen fish (both sea trout and salmon) to be released, Spinning permitted ONLY downstream of wooden footbridge.
Ravenspoint Lochs
6 Lochs, No boats
Angling guides available by separate arrangement
Season: 2nd May to 31st August, Price: £20 per rod/day
Carloway
Day ticket £20 per rod; Weekly ticket £50 per rod
Tickets can be purchased from the following outlets:
- Go Fish at No 10, 10 Francis Street, Stornoway, HS1 2XE
- Carloway Pop Up Shop, Care Unit, 1 Lios na Glibe, Knock, Carloway, HS2 9AU (Open Wednesday and Saturday 2-4pm)
Or Tickets available directly from Urras Oighreachd Chàrlabhaigh by phoning 01851 643481
Cautions
Gyrodactylus Salaris
Gyrodactylus salaris (GS) is a parasite which infects the skin, gills and fins of salmon, trout and some other types of fish in freshwater. It is less than half a millimetre in size, so small that it is barley visible to the naked eye. Despite this, it can cause serious damage in some strains of Atlantic salmon. The effects of this disease are so serious that salmon stocks have now been lost completely from more than 20 Norwegian rivers, with the particular race of salmon in affected rivers being lost forever. Gyrodactylus salaris does not occur in UK rivers but experiments carried out in Norway have shown that our salmon, like those of Norway, are killed by the parasite. It is therefore essential that the parasite is not introduced into UK waters.
To help ensure that the Outer Hebrides remains GS free all Fisheries in the Outer Hebrides require that anglers sign and present a declaration form to confirm that if they have fished abroad their kit has been thoroughly disinfected.
To help prevent an outbreak of Gyrodactylus Salaris anglers MUST disinfect their fishing equipment after fishing foreign waters. Gyrodactylus Salaris has had catastrophic effects on some foreign rivers and could easily be transmitted to rivers and lochs here without the correct preventive procedures being taken. All fishing tackle with no exception, should be disinfected, and if it has not you must inform the fishery management immediately on arrival.
Anyone wishing an information booklet on either catch & release or Gyrodactylus salaris should contact the Outer Hebrides Fisheries Trust on 01851 703434
Cyanobacteria
As temperatures heat up during spring and summer, be on the watch for harmful algae blooms when fishing. Here’s what anglers should know.