Freestone · Mixed · Lothian / Edinburgh

Water of Leith

Water of Leith venue image
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The Water of Leith is Edinburgh's urban wild trout river — a small stream that rises in the Pentlands, runs through Balerno and Colinton and Dean Village and Stockbridge before emptying into the Firth of Forth at Leith, and somewhere along the way holds a population of genuine wild brown trout that have been in residence for longer than the city.

Species

A side-water session, not the main event

River steady at a fishable height. A patient day. Fish the cover and stay with it.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for brown trout
Cool — slow
7°C est.ideal 10–16°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for brown trout
  • Temperature4628% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure807% weight
  • Prey Activity3112% weight
Conditions
Level
0.49 m
Water temp
6.8°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
8°C
Wind
SW 16 km/h
Gentle breeze
Pressure
1002 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
4.2 mm
Light rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for brown trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Good conditions. Clarity is favourable (95), Prey activity is weakest (31).
Through the year
0–3 scale · May highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
GrannomHatch
2
2
Evening SedgeHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Large Dark OliveHatch
1
2
2
1
Iron BlueHatch
1
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Directions
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About this water

The Water of Leith is Edinburgh's urban wild trout river — a small stream that rises in the Pentlands, runs through Balerno and Colinton and Dean Village and Stockbridge before emptying into the Firth of Forth at Leith, and somewhere along the way holds a population of genuine wild brown trout that have been in residence for longer than the city. You can fish it in the middle of Edinburgh, within earshot of the traffic on the A90 and ten minutes' walk from the Gallery of Modern Art, which is either delightful or ridiculous depending on your mood. The river is managed by the Water of Leith Trust and permits are cheap and accessible. The fish are not large but they are genuinely wild and they rise well to small dry flies and spiders through the summer. A proper curiosity, and better fishing than it has any right to be.

  • Mixed
Other water nearby · 5