Game Fishing
Conwy takes it’s name from the River Conwy which rises on Mignient and battles its way down from Llyn Conwy through Pentrefoelas and Betws-y-Coed through boulder-strewn gorges of great beauty. The Conwy has a rich fishing tradition with Salmon, Sea Trout and Brown Trout fishing of note all through the river system. Wales is renound for it’s very large Sea Trout and the Conwy is no exception, with runs of this majestic fish from late April right through to December. You can expect fish of up to 20lb in the system although most wouls be between 2 and 4 lb. The Conwy Estuary also holds a rarity, Slob or Yellow belly trout, these are ttrout which have migrated to the estuary from the main river to take advantage of the rich feeding avaiable there. They can reach up to 5 lb in weight. Conwy Salmon fishing is also noted for it’s very large fish, althouth there has been a steady decline in Salmon stocks over recent decades, work done by the Environment Agency Wales and other organisations in the catchment has started to reverse the decline and we all hope to see the Salmon once again reign supreme on the Conwy. The river has always been home to a good head of wild Brown Trout, fish up to 3 lb can be caught on many ofc the beats of the river but mainly the upper reaches. Angling on the Conwy is largely controlled by angilng clubs who offer Day, Weekly and Season Tickets. Some of the water is privately owned or controlled by syndicate.

Betws y Coed Angling Club 01690 710 143
St Asaph Angling Association 01745 583 926
Llanrwst Anglers – 01492 641 477
Bodelwyddan Game Anglers – 01745 334 935
Gwydyr Hotel – 01690 710777

Although the Conwy is the main river in the area there are plenty of other rivers such as the River Aled, Alwen, Cledwen, Elwy, Lledr, Llugwy and Machno which also offer plenty of variety for the angler.

The Game fishing offering does not end there, to say that this small county has a wealth of angling would be an understatement. Llyn Brenig is renound on the international Fly fishing scene as one of the top stillwaters in the UK. International competitions are held regularily here as anglers pit their wits against the Rainbow and Brown Trout that inhabit the reservoir. There are other simmilar waters to whet the appetite also such as Llyn Aled and Dolwen Reservoir.

The County also has several small stillwaters such as Graiglwyd Springs and Tan y mynydd which offer high quality fishing with easy access and convenient facilities.

The best kept secret of the county’s fishermen is the numerous small mountain lakes that are secreted in the mountains of Snowdonia. Travel light with a good map and search out those hidden gems of Wales. You will not catch large fish but the strength, speed and spirit of the trout you will encounter will blow you away, oh and yes the scenery is as good as it gets.

Sea Fishing

Wales is renound for the quality of it’s sea fishing, Conwy is no different to the rest of the Country. If you fish from the shore you will find a whole host of marks along the North Wales coast, estuaries for Flonder, Plaice and Bass, wide open beaches for Whiting, Pouting and Bass and rocky headland which offer Bass, Wrasse, Pollack, Dogfish and many other species. If it’s fishing afloat that takes your fancy, Conwy on the North Wales Coast offers you a super base to fish with one of the Charter boats that make up an enviable flottilla along the coast from Rhyl in the East to Trefor in the West. Species hunters often visit North Wales to fish the rich grounds which wash our shores, with boats registering up to 25 species a day on some days. The fishing for Rays, Tope and Huss is superb as well as the main quarry for most anglers, the European Sea Bass.

Coarse Fishing

Whoever said that Wales had no Coarse fishing was either a liar or just keeping it all to himself. From wild natural fisheries such as Llyn Aled isaf and Uchaf (upper and lower) which hold Pike, Perch and Roach to stocked fisheries such as the Conwy Water Gardens Coarse Fishery which has species as diverse as Crucian carp and Chub, Conwy has plenty to offer. Basing yourself in Conwy to fish North Wales would mean you are withing driving distance to the Dee with it’s super river coarse fishing and Bala Lake which is a monster Pike venue.

Tackle Shops

Conwy have plenty of places for you to call in for advice and stock up on those necessary and sometimes not so necessary bits of tackle. As well as supplying tackle and bait Foxons Tackle shop in St Asaph have an in house casting instructor in Derek Turner who’ll show you how to put what you’ve bought to best use.

Usefull Links

www.fishing.visitwales.com
All the information you need on fishing anywhere in Wales

Where to fish in Wales www.where-to-fish.com/content/6a.html
As the name suggests more ideas on where to catch fish.

Angling Wales - www.anglingwales.co.uk
A super site with lots of information on Fishing in North Wales

Environment Agency Wales - Rod License www.ea-transactions.gov.uk
A quick and easy way to purchase your Rod licence online

Bass Anglers Sport fishing Society - www.ukbass.com
The Bass Anglers' Sportfishing Society, formed in 1973, has members from the United Kingdom, Ireland and Europe

Federation of Fly Fishers Europe - www.fff-europe.org/english
FFF-Europe represents the voluntary European Flycasting Instructor Certification Program for FFF organizations in Europe which was founded in 1995 by a group of well known European flycasting experts.

Simple Flies for Simple Fishermen www.simple-flies-for-simple.fishermen.co.uk
As the web site address suggests - useful. Tie rather than buy using patterns from this site.

World of Sea Fishing http://www.worldseafishing.com
This site has been running for five years in one form or another and now serve around 100,000 anglers a month from around the world.

Celtic Fly Craft http://www.celticflycraft.co.uk/
Flies, fly-tying materials, equipment and tackle. Will advise you on what flies are needed to fish in Wales.

Coch y Bonddu Bookshttp://www.anglebooks.com/
Fishing and sporting, new and second hand books from Machynlleth.

National Federation of Anglers http://www.nfadirect.com/home.php
The governing body for freshwater anglers in the UK.

Welsh Federation of Sea anglers - http://www.wfsa.org.uk/
The Governing Body for Sea Angling in Wales.

Float Tubing Association –Representing the interests of Float tube enthusiasts in the UK http://www.bfta.co.uk/index.htm

North Wales Fly Fishing School - http://www.nwalesflyfishingschool.com/
With 50 years total fishing, tuition, guiding, and tournament casting under our belts we hope to pass on the benefits derived from both our backgrounds and hard work and disciplines we have achieved over this period of time.

Anglers Conservation Association - http://www.a-c-a.org
As the name suggests, representing the conservation side of angling.

Welsh carp conservation group - http://www.wccg.co.uk
A society preserving Carp in Wales.

C-Rigs – http://www.c-rigs.co.uk/
High Quality terminal Tackle made in Wales

Royal National Lifeboat Institution http://www.rnli.org.uk
An essential site for those venturing out to sea.

Royal Yachting Association http://www.rya.org.uk/
The RYA run courses on boat handling and other seamanship skills

The Conger Club http://www.congerclub.org/
The site of the famous Conger Club

Sea Angler magazine http://www.seaangler.8m.com/index.html
One of the UK’s leading sea fishing magazines.

North Wales Sea Fishing http://www.nwsa.ukf.net/
A super site about sea fishing in North Wales.

North Wales Fishing Charter - http://www.northwalesfishingcharter.com
Super website for Hafaled a Charter Boat operating out of Pwllheli, fishing for a variety of species in Cardigan Bay.

Anglesey Sea Fishing - www.angleseyfishing.com
A website of a chartering business in Anglesey North Wales.

Emily C Charter Boat - http://olympia.fortunecity.com/senna/590/
The site of Emily C which operates out of Amlwch, Anglesey North Wales.

Stingray Angling Charter - http://www.seafishingtrips.co.uk/
The site of Stingray, skippered by David Williams, Cemaes Bay, Anglesey.

Osprey Fishing Charter - http://www.geeonegee.force9.co.uk/ Osprey’s site, operates out of Rhyl.

Go Angling Charters- http://www.goangling.co.uk/
Website of Go Angling, Charter Boat and fishing Holiday business operating out of Holyhead, Anglesey skippered by Gethyn Owen.