RAITH LAKE - Location: OS 59/263914

Raith Lake sits alongside one of Fife's busiest roads, within Kirkcaldy town-limits. When you drive into the car park you arrive in a different world - a haven of peace, tranquility and rural splendour. Although part of Raith Estates, the fishery is a commercial, family-run business, and is extremely user-friendly - purpose built boat docks give easy and excellent access to the boats, and the lodge offers shelter from the elements and a grand view down over the lake.

In May 2003, organising of fishing on the Lake was transferred to Andrew Smith, Jim Smith and Frank Younger. You can contact them by email: raithlake@hotmail.com or by telephone: 01592 646466

The water is extremely well sheltered, surrounded on all sides by wooded hills, and this may in some part account for its excellent winter fishing, a time of year in which most of the monsters, which lie low in the summer months get 'nailed'.

The locals like the extreme western end around the burn mouth, but Northside Bay and the Road Shore can have their moments. The favoured lines are intermediates and sinkers, but summer evenings can see prolific midge hatches, and then the floater and dry fly can make serious impact.

The policy of daily stocking means that there is always a broad range of fish available, from the naive to the sophisticated, not to mention a few serious monsters which will test the ability of even the most experienced angler.

This is a friendly, charming little fishery, with geese, ducks and potted plants all round the lodge, and a hot cup of something waiting for the angler at the end of the day. Well worth a visit.

An icy fishing channel on Raith Lake, Kirkcaldy