hi guys,

hopefully someone can help with this, i live literally 300yards from the banks of the leven, its run by the leven angling club, im not a member although id like to be at some point, the problem is polution, theres a few places where pipes have burst and run down over the banks and spew raw sewage right into the river, until thats sorted out and cleaned up i refuse to buy a yearly permit but what id like to know is can you fish any part of the leven free, like the tidal part around where it meets the forth? ive seen loads of guys spinning down under the bridges close to the inlet/outlet whatever it is, theres flatties, sea trout and allsorts being caught, was wondering if id be fine to fish it, dont want to go and end up done by the bailifs.

cheers for any help

I'm pretty sure that if you catch sea trout in the sea then you don't need a permit and the bailiffs can't touch you but anywhere within the river then the fishing club/riparian owner has the right to all migratory/non migratory game fish and while they can't stop you taking sea fish like flounders in the tidal reaches they can stipulate out of bounds/non fishing banks providing the fishing owner also owns the land.

I did at one time know the law backwards and forwards but there's been so many changes over the last few years that I'm not 100% certain. Ask the bailiff if in doubt mate (be sure to get his name in case you meet another with a different opinion though)

cheers mate, i think i will ask the local bailifs whats happening, maybe all the guys i see have permits, maybe not but i'll play it safe.