Ynysoedd Heledd 'Sgota Gyda Julian Lewis Jones

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-I've left the sea behind...

-..to fish in the rivers

-of Lewis and Harris.

-Welcome to 'Sgota.

-Subtitles

-Scotland is famous

-for its fisheries.

-There's no better place to fish

-for salmon than in the Hebrides.

-The journey continues...

-..as we travel from Northern Ireland

-to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis.

-It has a population of 9,000.

-The port is a hive of activity...

-..with fishing trawlers

-anchored near to the castle.

-The ferry

-carries residents and goods...

-..back and forth to the mainland.

-Rhys and I have been invited...

-..to fish on a loch

-on the Amhuinnsuidhe Castle estate.

-It's 12 miles from Tarbert

-on the Isle of Harris.

-Hiya, Russell.

-I'm Julian. This is Rhys.

-Hiya, Rhys. Pleased to meet you.

-That's not

-a Hebridean accent I detect.

-You're right there.

-I'm Cardiff born and Cardiff bred.

-A Cardiff boy in the Outer Hebrides.

-Brilliant! We're in good company.

-Right then, we'll get cracking.

-Right then, we'll get cracking.

-

-Let's go then, boys.

-As we made our way to the loch...

-..thick clouds gathered above us.

-We feared a wet and windy day ahead.

-It's a lovely day here...

-..on the Isle of Harris

-and I feel very much at home.

-It's beautiful.

-This is a fantastic location.

-Where are we fishing today?

-We'll be fishing on Loch Scourst,

-a good sea trout and salmon loch.

-We'll be going out in the boat...

-..and we'll drift

-along the shoreline to catch salmon.

-We'll cover the lies

-of the salmon...

-..where they like to lie in.

-Also we have the sea trout

-to catch as well.

-Fantastic. Lead us to your vessel.

-Let's go, boys. Grab the net.

-No engine then?

-No, just the oars. Muscle power.

-Muscle power!

-Because of the rain, we can't get

-a clear view of the mountains.

-It's a pity,

-but it's good for fishing.

-That's good to know.

-The wind is quite strong.

-It's good to have a few waves

-because they hide your line.

-The wind breaks it up,

-so we're at an advantage.

-It also means

-we cover a lot more water.

-So the wind

-will help us drift across the lake?

-Yes, it will push us.

-We're trying to fish downwind,

-Julian.

-Hopefully, our flies

-will provoke a salmon or a trout...

-..to commit hara-kiri.

-Ooh, there's one there!

-It's a little trout.

-I think I got a trout.

-A sea trout, is it?

-Yes.

-I've caught a small sea trout.

-A small sea trout? Your first fish!

-It didn't take you long, Rhys.

-No.

-That took about three or four casts.

-Yes.

-Let me explain what I'm doing here.

-I'm using three flies.

-I'm using a silver fly on the point

-called a Silver Doctor.

-It mimics a small fish.

-In the middle,

-I'm using a grey fly...

-..which is quite nondescript.

-It's often difficult

-to think of a middle fly.

-At the front,

-or the bob, as it's called...

-..I'm using a Scottish fly

-called a Loch Ordie.

-It's meant to cause a ripple

-in the water and attract the fish.

-Because Julian

-is less experienced...

-..I've only attached

-one fly for him.

-I'm hoping the wind won't pose

-too many problems for him...

-..and he won't get tangled up.

-How's it going, Julian?

-Er, well...

-The fly's on the water,

-and that's the main thing.

-If it's not on the water,

-you won't catch any fish.

-Rhys had already caught a trout,

-so at least there was a chance...

-..of hooking more fish.

-Oh, Rhysie-boy!

-A good old sea trout.

-A small sea trout.

-These sea trout are lovely.

-Their backs are black.

-That's quite fresh, that is.

-A bar of silver.

-Lovely. A perfect little sea trout.

-Look, Jules.

-Lovely.

-Lovely.

-

-Back it goes. One kick and it's off.

-Well done, Jules.

-Here we are.

-I've probably caught

-the smallest fish in the loch!

-A lovely brownie.

-You have to start somewhere, Jules.

-You have to start somewhere, Jules.

-

-I have to walk before I can run.

-I'll let it go now.

-There was no change in the weather.

-If anything, it was getting worse.

-After fishing for some hours,

-it was time for a cuppa.

-It was also a chance

-for Russell to have a break...

-..after rowing energetically

-on the loch.

-That was an experience.

-That was an experience.

-

-The wind has picked up now too.

-It's very windy.

-It's very windy.

-

-It's hard work even for me...

-..so I'm sure you're struggling.

-I've caught one small trout.

-I've caught one small trout.

-

-Well done. Fair play.

-We've come inside for a break...

-..out of the wind and rain

-for a cuppa.

-I've taken Russell's advice

-and I'm changing my flies.

-I'm going to use this fly

-on the point.

-It's a simple salmon

-or sea trout fly.

-I'm using a jungle cock...

-..with a peacock feather as a wing.

-Hopefully, it'll lure the fish.

-As you can see,

-I don't use scissors, just my teeth.

-In the middle, I'm using a small

-black feather, the Black Pennell.

-Attached to that

-is a pheasant's feather as the tail.

-On the front end, the bob...

-..I'm using an Orange Muddler.

-Its tip is made from deer fur.

-That enables it to float.

-It's dragged across the water

-and causes ripples.

-A V-shape is created in the water,

-making the fish look up.

-They might then go for this...

-..or they might turn

-and go for one of the other two.

-This can go here.

-As you can see,

-I'm using a team of flies.

-It's important to use a team.

-As with every good rugby team...

-..every member plays a part.

-I hope this will be

-a winning team for me.

-We're very fortunate

-to be fishing in this lake.

-It's renowned.

-I asked how much it would cost

-to come and fish here for a week.

-This is the answer I was given.

-If I came here for a week

-with a group of friends...

-..it would set me back 27,000!

-If you have to ask how much

-it costs, then you can't afford it!

-I've hooked a little sea trout.

-They're known as finnock

-in this area.

-It's come off. That's what you call

-conservational fishing!

-Releasing it

-before it even reaches the boat!

-It was caught on the point...

-..with the new fly

-I was advised to use earlier.

-I don't know about you, Rhys,

-but I'm struggling with this wind.

-It's hard for you,

-not to mention me.

-This is horrid weather

-to be fishing from a boat.

-Let's try from the riverbank.

-Poor Russell

-is earning his keep today.

-You're earning your keep today!

-Aye, indeed.

-Flippin' heck!

-The wind is so strong...

-..and poor Russell

-has been rowing furiously...

-..to try and get us

-back to the slip.

-But we've had to bring the boat

-back to the bank here...

-..because we were fighting

-against the wind.

-The wind is so strong.

-We were barely moving

-from the middle of the lake.

-Very strong wind, Russell.

-Aye, indeed it is.

-Proper Hebridean winds up here, boy.

-Not for the softies.

-Not for the softies.

-

-Only for the Welshies, eh?

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-Subtitles

-Subtitles

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-Subtitles

-We're now back in Stornoway

-to fish on the River Creed.

-I'm meeting up with an old friend

-and former member...

-..of the Scottish fishing team,

-Gordon Mackenzie.

-Nice to see you again.

-What have you got planned for us?

-We're fishing on the River Creed,

-which is just south of Stornoway...

-..in the castle ground policies.

-Hopefully, we'll come into contact

-with a salmon or two.

-I've never caught a salmon before.

-As the rain poured down, it was time

-to get some advice from Gordon...

-..on how to catch

-a River Creed salmon.

-Nobody knows the river

-better than him.

-On this section of river

-we're coming to here...

-..you want to be casting from that

-stone there down to the other one.

-You can get the line and the fly

-to land in the foam area there.

-That's where the fish are lying.

-I'll have a go.

-Gordon is being very kind.

-He's teaching me

-how to master the roll cast.

-It's a technique that suits

-small rivers such as this.

-I'll give it a go.

-I'm more likely

-to catch a cold than a salmon.

-What you're doing

-is perfectly adequate.

-We need to find the fish

-that wants to play.

-While I was picking up tips

-from Gordon...

-..Rhys was upstream...

-..hoping that the salmon were biting

-as well as Loch Scourst's sea trout.

-Fish will often rest...

-..after overcoming an obstacle

-such as this cascade.

-They just rest there.

-Like motorway services,

-where they can eat and rest!

-I hope there's a chance of a bite.

-The flies that Gordon

-has recommended we use...

-..are tungsten tubes.

-They are flies

-tied to a small tube.

-They have a very heavy

-tungsten point...

-..which takes the line down.

-Usually, when you're fly fishing

-for trout and so on...

-..you cast over your head.

-The fly weighs very little.

-But these tungsten tube flies...

-..are very heavy

-and can be quite dangerous.

-I'm trying to roll cast...

-..to give it some slack upstream.

-That slows the fly down...

-..so that it crosses

-the current more slowly.

-Hopefully,

-it will tempt the salmon to bite.

-As it continued to rain heavily...

-..the level of the river

-kept rising.

-According to Gordon, these aren't

-ideal salmon fishing conditions.

-Fly fishing requires skill.

-It's a craft I've not yet

-fully mastered, to be honest.

-Julian is being taught

-the hard way behind me.

-But fair play, he's persevering...

-..in spite of the weather

-and the unfavourable conditions.

-Although Gordon has given me

-some excellent advice...

-..I haven't had a bite yet.

-I'm fishing for giant skate

-from the pier in Tarbert later.

-It's time for me to pack up.

-After fishing for another hour...

-..Rhys was exhausted

-and also ready to give up.

-My shoulders are aching now.

-I've been fly fishing all day.

-Right, this is my final cast.

-We may have had a difficult time

-fishing on the river...

-..but there was great excitement...

-..as we prepare to fish

-for a giant Scottish skate.

-We've made our way

-to the pier in Tarbert...

-..to try and catch a giant skate

-from the shore.

-It will be quite a challenge.

-We're just waiting

-for it to get dark.

-It doesn't make a lot of sense,

-really, Jules.

-You drag me into these situations.

-My shoulder is still hurting

-from that shark we caught last time.

-Oh, diddums!

-Once we've prepared the bait,

-we're ready to go.

-Catching a giant skate

-from the shore is no easy task.

-Fortunately, Gordon Mackenzie

-is on hand to help.

-He holds the official record,

-with a 167 pound giant skate.

-Why has this become

-such a prolific venue for skate?

-Basically, because we're fishing it.

-It's so easy

-to land the fish here...

-..aside from the fact

-they're here in the first place.

-How did you discover they were here?

-How did you discover they were here?

-

-That was quite interesting.

-A friend had a net out

-in the sea loch for herring.

-He put it out one night and maybe

-put it too close to the shore.

-He came back in the morning

-to discover two skate in it.

-That got me thinking,

-having caught them in the past.

-At the earliest opportunity,

-we came down and tried for them.

-I was lucky that my first-ever cast

-off the pier 90 minutes later...

-..I got a bite

-that turned into a 173 pound skate.

-That one was bigger

-than the record at the time.

-And four over 200 pounds

-have been caught here?

-Yes, with the best at 225 pounds,

-which is close to the boat record.

-That's a monster.

-We know there are bigger skate

-there to be caught.

-Touch wood, we'll get one tonight.

-Touch wood, we'll get one tonight.

-

-We can but try.

-After casting the bait

-into the darkness...

-..all we could do

-was wait patiently for a bite.

-We were tired, but the prospect

-of catching a skate...

-..weighing more than 200 pounds

-kept us awake.

-I wonder if my fishing rod

-will bend tonight.

-We've been fishing

-for two and a half hours.

-Gordon said that an hour

-either side of low tide...

-..is the magical time.

-You obviously need to be patient...

-..but we're still waiting.

-As the hours went by...

-..it was unlikely

-that we would catch a skate.

-We would have to return

-another night and allow more time.

-Well, Rhys, we've given it a crack.

-As usual, we had three hours

-rather than three days.

-What should we do?

-If we were given marks for effort,

-we'd score very highly.

-But the weather is against us.

-But the weather is against us.

-

-And the wind is picking up.

-We're exposed here, aren't we?

-We're exposed here, aren't we?

-

-Yes.

-We should head back to Stornoway.

-Yes, for a warm bath.

-Yes, for a warm bath.

-

-And a cuppa.

-Let's go.

-After a good night's sleep, it was

-time to get back out on the river.

-We made our way

-to the Callanish standing stones...

-..to fish on the River Blackwater

-with Donnie Whiteford.

-Alright, Donnie?

-Morning.

-Morning.

-

-I'm Rhys.

-I'm Julian.

-It's looking good.

-We'll get loaded up and go.

-I like the machine!

-A vehicle like this is vital

-to get across this marshland.

-It's superb. People would pay

-a fortune for a ride like this!

-It's like a small tank.

-After an uncomfortable ride

-in the tank...

-..we were glad to get out

-and walk down to the river.

-I'm trying to create a ripple

-on the water's surface with my fly.

-I'm using a muddler.

-I'm hoping it will provoke the fish.

-They will either go for that fly...

-..or the other fly below it.

-I think I'm starting to get the hang

-of this form of fishing.

-It's relatively new to me.

-But I'm fishing against the wind.

-You can hear the wind howling.

-It's difficult to cast

-in a straight line...

-..because the wind

-is blowing the line this way.

-But I'm not complaining.

-I'll just persevere.

-Oh, I can't believe that.

-A fish went for my fly once,

-so I cast again to the same spot.

-It came around and took a bite,

-but it came off.

-The boys are doing pretty well.

-It's not a wide river,

-but it's a very difficult wind.

-They're doing well.

-One of them has hooked and lost

-a fish, which is disappointing.

-They're doing it right and using

-the right flies and right lines.

-So here's hoping.

-I've caught a fish here.

-It's not the biggest,

-but it's a salmon.

-I have to be careful not to lose it.

-I've already lost one.

-Well done.

-I'm happy to see that in the net!

-Well done.

-Well done.

-

-Oh, I'm so glad.

-We've tried hard for this fish.

-Well done, Rhys. A Scottish salmon

-to go with your Irish salmon.

-This is going back in.

-They're strong, aren't they?

-I'm going to hold it

-in the water for a second.

-They're very precious.

-As you can see, it's regaining

-its strength in the water.

-I'm helping it to support its weight

-in the water for a moment...

-..until it's ready to go.

-It swam away quietly.

-Off it went.

-Excellent. It's made

-all the effort worthwhile, Jules.

-We've come a long way

-to catch that fish.

-You're a real picture

-in the river there.

-I'm sure I am. The more of my body

-that's hidden, the better.

-I didn't say that! Well done.

-Excellent.

-Out I come.

-Out I come.

-

-You worked hard to get that.

-Well done. Very good.

-You saved the day once again,

-Rhys, with a Scottish salmon.

-It wasn't big,

-but it was big enough.

-It was too big to fit in a tin!

-Join us next week when we fish

-in the Shetland Islands.

-Bye for now.

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

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