The River Almond (Lothian) is a declining Atlantic salmon system where declining Atlantic salmon populations are Category 3 under Scottish Government classification; every fish returned matters. Mandatory catch-and-release applies. It is one of two Almonds in Scotland (the other is a Perthshire Tay tributary, which has its own entry), and the Lothian version is a genuine urban success story — badly polluted in the industrial era, now recovered enough to hold wild brown trout throughout, with sea trout and the occasional salmon pushing up from Cramond through the summer. The upper river above Livingston fishes in the classic Scottish freestone style: pockets, short runs, a team of spiders upstream on a 4-weight. The lower river through Cramond is tidal and holds sea trout that come on the evening flood. Fishing is controlled by local clubs (Cramond Angling Club and Almond Angling Association) and day tickets are accessible and affordable. A quietly rewarding river for any Edinburgh-based angler.

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