River Lealt

The River Lealt is almost certainly the shortest salmon river in Scotland, running as a spate river to a single fishable pool at the foot of the Lealt Gorge, where a large waterfall drops into the holding water below. Being a spate river, it depends entirely on rainfall to bring fresh fish up from the sea, and that one pool, hemmed in by high cliffs at its head, is the sum of the fishable water.

Salmon and sea trout are both caught here, and the confined nature of the gorge makes fly fishing very difficult, so spinning with small Toby-type lures, spoons, or Devon minnows tends to work best, as does worm fishing. Access is from a parking place on the A855, from which a track leads down to the shore and along the river to the pool. The approach is steep and the paths turn slippery in wet weather, so a reasonable degree of fitness and agility is needed to fish here safely.