Cramond Angling Club, who control an eight-mile stretch of The Almond from the foreshore at Cramond to upstream of Kirkliston, remind anglers they can buy a season ticket before February 1 at 2018 prices.

The new price is £45 – £10 more – and there are concessions for seniors, juniors and students.

They are hosting a breakfast BBQ at Fair-a-Far weir from 9am on Saturday, February 2, to welcome the new salmon season. Members and non-members are welcome.

Elsewhere, East Lothian Angling Association host a fly tying event on Tuesday, January 29, from 7pm to 9pm at Poldrate Granary, Haddington.

Many Lothians anglers fish The Clyde and The United Clyde Angling Protective Association (UCAPA), one of the organisations who issue permits for that river, have cut their juvenile freshwater fishing permit to only £1 to encourage more youngsters into the sport.

Tom McGregor, the association secretary, revealed that they have also set up a youth development group with schools, teaching the pupils how to tie flies, how to cast flies and how to catch fish using these flies. So far, more than 50 pupils have benefitted.

Finally, Scottish international Paul Buchanan believes this is an ideal time to assess your tackle needs and the Livingston-based angler also suggests providing some TLC (tender loving care) to the equipment you already have.

That includes cleaning fly lines, bags and clothing.
Checking rod rings and wading boots, particularly studs, is important and you should, he said, consider if your lines are still performing well or are worn or cracked.

Paul, who is a regular fisherman on The Almond, said: “Massive improvements can be made to your fly fishing effectiveness by ensuring your tackle and end rigs are well-balanced.

“If your fly reel is too heavy or big it can affect how you fish, especially in long sessions.

“If you are fishing a fairly light nylon, it is a must that your reel is sensitive enough to allow a fish to run without breaking the leader.

“Therefore, a reel suited to larger stillwater fly lines may not be able to react quickly and be suitable for fishing dry flies on a river.

“The same goes for the rod. If you attempt to fish a fly line on a rod that is not matched to that fly line your casting and fly presentation will always struggle.

“For dry fly fishing on a river, for example, some anglers use a line rated one size heavier than the rod so they get instant rod loading at short distances.”

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