Rivers of South West Fife

THE RIVER ORE

The River Ore, a tributary of the Leven, at one time did not have a good reputation as a fishing venue. Leakages from old pit workings used to have a tendency to pollute the water, but recently the River has shaken off that tag, water purity has improved and the Ore now offers good sporting potential.

Although not in anyway as plentiful as the Leven or Eden, the Ore offers a challenge to any angler. The stretch just as it leaves Loch Ore is particularly good and offers rainbow, brown, pike, eels and perch. Fishing methods can be anything from fly fishing to bait fishing and spinning. There are also various other places down stream that offer some quality specimen fish. All in all, for a free fishing venue, it is very competitive and compares well with some of the other venues in Fife.

THE RIVER LEVEN

Slipping out of Loch Leven and heading for the sea between Methil and Leven, the Leven is not a long river, but important from a Fife fisherman's perspective, as it is one of only two rivers in the Kingdom.

The River Leven is now leased to the River Leven Angling Club, who have the water from Leven to Markinch and also from Cabbagehall Bridge in Leslie to Auchmuirbridge, Leslie. There is some interesting and varied water available for the angler, and, as with all club water, the locals know the hot-spots, so a bit of recce work would stand the visitor in good stead.

Although local preference is for spinning, a settling spate should provide some very good fly water. Runs of fish are not huge, but sea trout can be expected in the pools from May onwards, and the salmon should start to put in an appearance from July. If however, your ambitions are not quite so exalted then there are lots of good brown trout in the Leven, and olive hatches have withstood the rigours of the bad-old-days of indiscriminate pollution and still put in regular appearances quickly followed by the trout.

It would not be fair to say that the Leven is a salmon river, and certainly not in the same class as some of its more majestic northern cousins but enough fish are caught each year to make the effort involved worthwhile. And the river is modest enough in size so that the angler fishing down the pool will cover the fish, and you can't say fairer than that!

River Leven at Riverside Park Glenrothes

Good access points are:

• Methilhill Steelworks
   
• Sawmill Bridge, off Methilhaven Road
   
• Cameron Bridge, off Standing Stane Road, Windygates
   
• Car Park, Leslie Road, Glenrothes
   
• The Pavilion, Riverside Park, near Fettykill Paper Mill