West Lothian Angling Association (WLAA)

The River Almond is a river haunted by industrial heritage and even still it has its difficulties reacting to how people treat it. Right now is the most exciting time to fish the Almond as it is far from the polluted river it used to be. Weirs and dams are being modified to allow Salmon and Sea Trout to return, this is especially important in the low water seasons, and the river is rewilding and quite spectacular in places amongst incredible architecture. The anglers are welcoming, and the big trout are often quite obliging. It really is Top Class. You get to know the river and discover where the better fish lie. The average size of Brown Trout in the Almond is between 10 and 14 inches, and there are bigger ones. I fish all over the country, but I choose to fish here the majority of the time. The river is open to anybody of all abilities. There are parts that you can access via a wheelchair to fish, and there are parts where you have to hike over tall grass and down rocky slopes. Also, the water quality now, and the Barriers Project taking place, it’s so heartwarming to see this once famously polluted river now clean and open to migratory fish the way it should be. Reading the river is technical and a pleasure.

The River Almond, Abhainn Amain, aka “Amon” meaning “River” in Celtic, rises in Shotts in Lanarkshire and flows North-East through Livingston and Almondell & Calderwood Country Park to eventually meet the Forth estuary at Cramond. West Lothian Angling Association offer permits for around 40 miles of the River Almond and its tributaries through West Lothian.

The upper reaches of the WLAA fishing for Trout is the upper reaches of the Almond near Shotts. The upper reaches for fishing for Salmon and Sea Trout is 50 meters below the weir at Kirkton Campus.the iron bridge below the Almondell Viaduct. The fishing is double bank all the way down to Almondell and Calderwood Country park. There is single right bank fishing only downstream of Almondell and Calderwood Country Park in the lower area and no fishing is permitted at the school so please refer to the map. There are properties which back on to the river along the entire WLAA beat, so please show respect and avoid fishing these areas and accessing private properties.

The Almond is primarily a Brown Trout fishery, however Sea Trout and Salmon are caught, moreso, now that the Almond Barriers Project is starting to modify the weirs and dams to allow free passage of fish and eels etc. The water is varied throughout, from slow willow lined bends settling into deeper pools, to rapids over limestone slabs and through giant deciduous woodlands, to urban concrete lined sections, to mossy boulders and stunning bridges, and lastly to steep banks in arable fields. What more can any angler ask, is to have too many options when it comes to their fishing. Park up for the day and take “your piece”, sandwiches, for a walk, or leap frog in the car up and down the river, whatever suits you. The angling pressure is very low and the value for money is second to none.

There are plenty of places to park depending on where you would like to fish. The association is part of the local community and all anglers MUST respect private property. Do NOT access the river through private gardens or other obviously private spaces and if asked to leave please do so immediately. There is plenty of river for all to enjoy. There are paths along most of the fishing and a cycle path too. There are plenty of cafe, bakery, shops for meals and snacks and petrol stations, supermarkets etc. The town of Livingston offers many accommodation options so it is worth staying the night to fish early to late in the Summer months. Edinburgh airport is 15 minutes drive from Almondell & Calderwood Country Park and, although further away, the Tennis Courts on the upper stretch are 15 minutes drive too. Almondell & Calderwood Country Park has a small cafe and toilets near the river.