Rhue Lighthouse, Ullapool

Rhue Lighthouse is located on beautiful Loch Broom just along the coast from Ullapool, home to the Western Isles Ferry. Ullapool offers anglers a good base camp for exploring the angling potential of the numerous lochs in the area.

HOW TO GET THERE
Take the A835 north out of Ullapool towards Ardmair a few miles up the road will be a brown tourist sign indicating the turning to take. Follow the road to the end and you’ll see the open parking area. You’ll see the wooden turn style gate that gives you access to the path for the Lighthouse.

VENUE AND TACTICS
Pollock and Wrasse are the predominant species around Rhue, with action at times frantic. A quick glance over the area at low water explains exactly why these fish live here with deep kelp filled gullies and rocky outcrops a plenty. Float fishing will pick up both wrasse and Pollock depending on which bait you are using, sand eels for the Pollock and mussel or crabs for the wrasse, rag worm will pick up both species. By far the most exciting method for Pollock is spinning using sand eels and jelly worms, fished on running ledgers wound back over kelp is very exciting. Feeling the pluck…pluck…..followed by a slam over take and screaming reel….I love it!

To target the Thornback rays and Dogfish that inhabit the area cast out beyond the kelp to the cleaner ground using running ledgers or pulley rigs. The usual mackerel, squid and bluey baits will pick up fish. Using smaller flapper rigs can attract flounder and dabs.

The best time to fish is three hours either side of high water. A word of caution though, the wake from the passing ferry can run right up the rocks, so take care to be well back when the ferry passes you. The wake arrives a few minutes after the ferry passes.

I visit the area primarily over high for a few hours on my way to other areas, just for the frantic smash of Pollock hammering my jelly worms!