Fishing: Cramond Angling Club celebrates official opening of season

A group of the hardy anglers who celebrated the start of the season at Cramond. Picture: Nigel Duncan

However, duty called. Opening the front door, the icy, cutting wind pushed the air temperature towards zero.

The wipers worked at full-strength as the drenching rain teemed down near the River Almond, swollen by the heavy downpours overnight, and which was running a chocolate brown.

The water poured over the weir at Fair-a-Far near Cramond but, despite that, a dozen hardy men - and one well-wrapped-up woman - congregated in the lee of the ruined iron works mill.

Adam Cross making the traditional first cast near Fair-a-Far weir. Scot Muir secretary of West Lothian Angling Association is on the left. Picture: Nigel Duncan

They had to raise their voices to be heard over the roar of the water cascading downstream towards the estuary and the occasional jogger and cyclist, who also braved the conditions, stared at the group, obviously wondering why they were there.

For the record, this was the annual event to celebrate the official opening of the fishing season on the Cramond Angling Club (CAC) section of the river which stretches from the estuary at Cramond Village to just north of Kirkliston.

CAC chairman Adam Cross made the first cast, permits were handed out and there was much banter about catches, or non catches of some, from last season and the prospects for this.

Favoured patterns and possible techniques were discussed, with some taking a real interest in the French nymphing style which proved so successful for a number of permit holders last season.

Members and several visitors looked ahead to casting a line to tempt salmon, sea trout and brown trout in better weather.

Also there was Scot Muir, secretary of West Lothian Angling Association (WLAA) who have an agreement with CAC offering members a permit to their 38 miles of water stretching from north of Newbridge to bear Breich for £5. The price for a ticket if you are not a CAC member is £15.

However, chairman Cross, the boss of a well-known Lothians-based landscape gardening firm, is a devotee of the Almond having fished it for a number of years before being on the committee and then becoming CAC chairman five years ago.

He revealed that quality brown trout were caught on the upper reaches of their eight-miles-plus stretch last season, even in the early season, and suggested that a gold head pheasant tail nymph could prove a good bet for newcomers to the river.

The club, he said, has enjoyed a roller-coaster ride in recent years, but COVID-19 has seen anglers renewing in numbers and there has been a pleasing uptake in angling from youngsters who fish free with an adult under the club's current rules.

Cross said: "The adult permit is £38 and that is a no-brainer in my book. You can pay that for a day fishing a stillwater. Also, we are accessible by a Lothian bus from anywhere in the city which makes it easy to get here.

"Permits are also available online at the Fish Around the Forth website for the first time this year. There is a small service charge.

"Our price has gone up from £35 to £38 to include that service change and also because of inflation but the permit price has not been increased for a number of years. It remains good value.

"We are looking to have a good season with members reporting catches of brown trout, sea trout and salmon."

For the record, season permits are available from Treasurer, Cramond Angling Club and the application form is available at www.fishalmond.co.uk.

It should be sent with the payment (adults £38, senior citizens £28 and full-time student £15) plus self-addressed envelope to 22 Parkgrove Loan, Edinburgh, EH4 7QX.

Day permits are on sale at Barnton Post Office, 199 Whitehouse Road, Edinburgh EH4 6BU and Edinburgh Angling Centre, Unit E, Granton Retail Park, 65 West Harbour Road, Edinburgh EH5 1PW.

Meanwhile, Billy Buckley from Glasgow won Mike and Chris's heaviest cod league with a fish of 6lb 14oz and second was Jimmy Milne (Dundee) only 13oz behind.

The final leg saw Kevin Lewis (Broughty Ferry) win with a bag of 13lb 9oz with Simon Pattinson (Buckhaven) second on 6lb 10oz and Chris Horn of Kirkcaldy third with just over 5lb 11oz.

The heaviest fish prize was shared between Pete Bauld (Kirkcaldy) and Chris Horn (Kirkcaldy) on 3lb 10oz.Fife-based Mike Horn, one of the organisers, said: "A huge thanks to all those who attended and supported the league. It's been a poor season with some hard fishing for all. Hopefully, the next one will be better."

Elsewhere, Mike Horn from Kirkcaldy and his son Chris made the trip to the Aberdeen Open and it was dad Mike who won the event with eight fish. Chris was second with six fish and Mike said: "It was worth making the trip."

Aquamarine Charters of Eyemouth are planning sea fishing trips on Saturday and Sunday weather permitting.

Finally, Angling Scotland are hosting a seminar called A combined future for Angling on Saturday, February 12 (9am to 10.30) featuring a panel from the three angling sport governing bodies, the Scottish Anglers National Association (SANA), Scottish Federation for Coarse Angling (SFCA) and the Scottish Federation of Sea Anglers (SFSA).

They will deliver presentations and take questions and selected representatives, including clubs, individual members, partner organisations and other stakeholder bodies, have been invited to join virtually.

Fife-based Gus Brindle, chairman of SFCA said: "The aim of the day is to provide an update on progress with Angling Scotland, ensure that everyone has a good understanding of where we are, where we intend to get to and why, and to develop proposals to put to the individual agm meetings.

"The event will be available to view the following week on YouTube in order to reach as many anglers as possible. The presentations will also be shared via websites and social media channels and there will be follow up questionnaires/surveys.”