Finsbay Fishing
The Finsbay Fishings comprise of 50 lochs of a variety of sizes with two separate tributaries leading down to the sea. Some of the lochs are located near the road and most can be reached within 30 minutes to an hour’s walk.
Finsbay consists of the Abahain Na Ciste and Huamavat systems.
SYSTEM 1 of the Finsbay fishing is called Huamavat system, and includes the Sea pool beside the old Lodge. The fishing hut is also situated there, accessed from the same road which services the Finsbay Lodges.
Other lochs include Loch Holmasaig, on the opposite side of the road. This is connected by a burn to Loch Dempster, which is the first true freshwater loch in the system. Continuing upstream the small stream at the end of Loch Holmasaig, for 20 minutes brings you to Loch Dubha 2 and then on the left hand side, Loch Dubha 1. There are boats on all these lochs. The latter two are normally fished by those with a Flodabay permit. The longish Loch Fin can be found about half way up and on the right hand side of Loch Dubha 2. If you continue on from the end of Loch Fin and in the direction of the hills, you will reach Loch Rogavat. This is a fairly sizeable loch, all of which is fishable.
From the fishing hut on the way to Manish (about 1 mile), you will find the Huamavat system’s largest loch, Loch Huamavat. Here there are 3 boats, one of which has easy access to the front and is especially suitable for disabled fishers. If you continue from the end of Huamavat up the burn for a short distance, you will reach Loch Malcolm and beyond that Loch Cross. Then, carrying on up the burn, you will find other Hill lochs which can be fished: Loch Curtains and Loch Robert on the left and Loch Uamh nan Cnaimh and an unnamed loch on the right. Going still further in the direction of the hills and veering towards the left, you will reach Loch Rogavat.
SYSTEM 2 is called Abhainn na Ciste. This starts with a nice Seapool, five minutes walk from the fishing hut and in the direction of Rodel, and at the end of which there is another good pool. There is a boat by the road. There is a strong drift towards the sea when the tide changes, so please take great care.
There are two ways of reaching the other lochs. One (which is the longer way) is to follow the burn on foot upstream. The other is to drive up to the signpost on the road to Leverburgh marked Loch Meurach 1 and 2. From here, it is five minutes walk, you will find Loch Meurach 1 and then a further five minutes to Loch Meurach 2, the larger of the two lochs. There is a boat at the right hand corner of loch Meurach. A further five minute walk, will take you to Loch Clachain. When the water is high, there is a fine waterfall and a good pool at the seaward end of this loch.
The intervening lochs along the line of the burn can also be fished - Loch Duncan, Loch James, Loch Sandy and Loch Alistair.
