The River Ore, a tributary of the Leven, does not have a good reputation as a fishing venue. Leakages from old pit workings have a tendency to pollute from time to time, and seriously reduce any sporting potential. This being so, it is the general belief that river angling effort in the area would be best rewarded on the Leven.

Slipping out of Loch Leven and heading for the sea between Methil and Leven, the Leven is not a long river, but important from a Fife fisherman's perspective, as it is one of only two rivers in the Kingdom.

The Methilhaven and District A.C. control the water from Glenrothes (immediately downstream of Tullis Russell Papermakers) to the sea. The club offers day-tickets to fish its stretch, and there is some interesting and varied water available for the angler. As with all club water, the locals know the hot-spots so a bit of recce work would stand the visitor in good stead.

Although local preference is for spinning and worming, a settling spate should provide some very good fly water. Runs of fish are not huge, but sea trout can be expected in the pools from May onwards, and the salmon should start to put in an appearance from July. If however, your ambitions are not quite so exalted then there are lots of good brown trout in the Leven, and olive hatches have withstood the rigours of the bad-old-days of indiscriminate pollution and still put in regular appearances quickly followed by the trout.

It would not be fair to say that the Leven is a salmon river, and certainly not in the same class as some of its more majestic northern cousins but enough fish are caught each year to make the effort involved worthwhile. And the river is modest enough in size so that the angler fishing down the pool will cover the fish, and you can't say fairer than that!

Good access points are:

• Methilhill Steelworks
• Sawmill Bridge, off Methilhaven Road
• Cameron Bridge, off Standing Stane Road, Windygates
• Car Park, Leslie Road, Glenrothes
• The Pavilion, Riverside Park, near Fettykill Paper Mill