The Scottish Flyfisher - January 2021 Issue

Fishing the River Almond The River Almond is a river on the outskirts of Edinburgh. It is 28 miles (45 km) long, rising at Hirst Hill in Lanarkshire near Shotts and running through West Lothian, draining into the Firth of Forth at Cramond, Edinburgh. The name Almond/Amon is simply old Celtic for "river". The river has a good example of an ox-bow lake near Almondvale West at Livingston.

Running through what were, for much of the 20th century, areas dominated by heavy industry and shale and coal mining, the River Almond has been notorious for its high levels of pollution. With the demise of mining and heavy industry in Central Scotland the river is now relatively clean and is being actively repopulated by wildlife, including a healthy population of brown trout and improving runs of both Atlantic salmon and sea trout There is a good array of birds to be seen around the river banks, including dippers, kingfishers and grey herons, with increasing numbers of otters being reported. The river is still the primary means of transporting southern West Lothian's waste water to the sea. While the introduction of a number of water treatment plants have helped to mitigate the effects of pollution, the river still suffers from high levels of detergent pollution along with run-off from agricultural land. This has led to the river often having a distinct "chemical odour". This is most noticeable within Almondell and Calderwood Country Park, where there is a major outfall from the nearby East Calder treatment plant.

The river runs through the centre of Livingston before travelling through Almondell and Calderwood Country Park where it picks up the Calder and Murieston Waters. It then passes over a weir which supplies a feeder culvert which carries water into the Union Canal. Due to the height difference where the river passes under the canal, this feeder must run for many miles eastwards before reaching the canal. By following paths through the country park and along private land to the east it is possible to follow the river and feeder all the way to the Union Canal. The river then flows east under the Union Canal before turning northwards towards the Firth of Forth.

Fishing on the lower Almond is leased from the Crown Estate by Cramond Angling Club, with both Day and Season Tickets available.

The Cramond Angling Club offers 4 beats, 8 miles of (mostly) double bank fishing for Season Ticket and Day Tickets on the River Almond between just south of Newbridge and Cramond. There is good access to most parts of the river.

Main species are Brown Trout and Sea Trout. Salmon have also been caught although in a very small number.

Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar)- lives in fresh water for one to four years before the migration to the North Atlantic to grow for another few years. Atlantic Salmon will return to its native river to spawn. They will enter the Almond all year round but best times for fishing are around late August, September and October.

The most popular method of fishing for salmon is using the spinner. Although there have been a small number of fish caught using fly fishing method. The River Almond is blessed with all types of water features from fast flowing to a deep pool that will suit both fly fishing and spinning.

Recently SEPA have recorded Salmon Parr, while Electro-fishing within the mainstream of the River, which confirms that salmon are spawning within the River Almond.

The Cramond Angling Club has 4 great beats from Kirkliston to the river mouth at the Forth. For full map details see their club website http://www.fishalmond.co.uk/angling/maps/ Best flies to use on the Almond is: Brown Trout: Green Olive, Iron Blue, C.D.C.Olive; Grey Duster; Pearl Thorax Cruncher, G.R.H.E, P.T.N, Green Halo D/Bach Jersey Herd ,Pearly Invicta, Partridge and Orange, Silver March Brown Sea Trout: Teal Blue and Silver, Grey Squirrel, Silver Doctor, Medecine, Silver Stoats Tail The River Almond is now “Catch and Release” for all species.