Places to go game fishing in Wales
Use the interactive map below to find places to go game fishing in Wales.
Game Fishing in Wales
For thousands of years, game fish have flourished in Wales, thanks to the sheer abundance and variety of our rivers and lakes, which offer the perfect cold water habitat for salmonid fish.
Our migratory game fish species offer the ultimate sporting challenge – Sea trout – or Sewin – as we call them run our rivers in good numbers every year, providing excellent fishing for fly, lure and bait anglers.
With salmon to over 30lb recorded each season and sea trout caught in excess of 20lb, there is always the chance of landing the fish of a lifetime in Wales – often on a fly rod.
We have literally thousands of miles of river and stream where native wild brown trout swim in profusion, making Wales one of the best places to go fly fishing in the whole of the UK.
From tranquil woodland streams, to mighty boulder strewn torrents and sedate meadow brooks, brown trout are the most widespread freshwater fish species in Wales and can be often found in astonishing numbers.
They range from hand sized ‘half pounders’ all the way to 6 or 7lb monsters that inhabit our fertile post-industrial rivers. Whatever their size, you are always sure to find incredible beauty in every wild fish you will catch in Wales.
Our rolling green uplands, deep valleys and rugged mountain ranges are dotted with cold, clear reservoirs and glacial lakes – or llynnoedd as we call them.
With over 500 to choose from, almost all of them offer superb trout fishing in wild surrounds – primarily fly fishing for wild fish or sometimes stocked rainbow trout.
All of them offer a true challenge in the most spectacular scenery you can imagine. We also have many smaller, more intimate stillwater fisheries for fly fishing, where trophy stocked trout and luxurious on-site facilities can be found.
Grayling are common in many rivers in Wales, allowing you to extend your fishing throughout the winter months, when the trout season is closed. Welsh rivers can produce huge catches of grayling, mostly to fly fishing techniques. Specimen fish are frequently found, some of which exceed 3lb in weight (50cm) and the sheer numbers of grayling found in some of our rivers is to be marvelled at.
Rod Licence Reminder: To go freshwater fishing in Wales you will need to purchase a Natural Resources Wales (NRW) or Environment Agency (EA) fishing rod licence, in addition to a day ticket or season membership for the venue. You can easily purchase your freshwater licence HERE.
FURTHER GAME FISHING READING
Get Fishing - How to get into game fishing
Game fishing is the most widespread type of freshwater angling in Wales. In this kind of fishing you try to catch fish in freshwater, rather than the sea and sometimes the fish can be taken for food if the venue or fishery owner allows.
River Fly Fishing for Beginners: 10 Top Tips
Ever fancied fishing your local river for trout? Whether your usual diet is stillwater angling, or you’re a coarse fisher looking to try something new, you’re in for a treat with these river fly fishing tips.
Fly fishing Blog articles and videos
River fishing in Wales for wild trout – a fly fishers paradise
Louis Noble is an advanced fishing instructor and contributor for Trout & Salmon Magazine. In this feature he takes a…
Read MoreLlyn fishing in Wales with Hywel Morgan
With over 500 wild lakes and reservoirs, Wales is a paradise for the stillwater angler – with stocked and wild…
Read MoreFly fishing for trout in natural lakes and reservoirs - Part 1
Angling writer and expert fly tier George Barron looks at Fly Fishing for trout in the natural lakes and reservoirs of Wales, the…
Read More