THE weather during the first three weeks of the new trout season was quite appalling; strong, cold, northerly or easterly winds, heavy rain or hail showers and very little in the way of sunshine.
However, the more determined anglers put on extra clothing layers, braved the elements and some were rewarded for their persistence.
Mr and Mrs Rice of Aberdeenshire, regular visitors to the Obbe Fishery in South Harris, were among the few visiti
ng anglers who were brave enough to face what the weather threw at them and were justly rewarded for their perseverance.
On Wednesday April 2 during a boat fishing trip to loch Langavat (uppermost loch on the Obbe Fishery) Susan hooked the fish of a lifetime. Whilst spinning with a 10 gram Toby lure, she hooked, played, landed and returned a magnificent 6lb + cock brown trout.
"The battle felt like 20 minutes but was in fact probably 10," said head ghillie, Tim Armstrong who netted the superb fish for her.
With no method of weighing the fish the weight was estimated at 6 - 7lbs but by the looks of the photo it could have been heavier! Returning the fish was paramount and after a quick photo the trout was held in the water till it swam strongly away.
Susan's catch has landed her the April Fish of the Month trophy along with a tackle voucher for £75. Her catch will automatically be entered for Fish of the Season which will be judged in November.
The lucky fish of the season winner will receive a tackle voucher worth £450 plus the superb 'Fish of the Season' trophy to adorn their mantelpiece for a year.
Well done Susan on the capture and return of this specimen brown trout.
Tight lines during May.
Donnie Maciver (Outer Hebrides Fisheries Trust)
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