Family Fishing Trips on Anglesey
A family fishing trip is something that kids and parents alike will file in the memory banks. It’s an adventure, a return to our hunter-gatherer origins, and any child who won’t put their gaming screen down to fish is probably beyond hope! Anglesey , surrounded by the sea and dotted with lakes and streams, is packed with child friendly places to fish, though if dad (and/or mum) wants to slope off for more testing sport they won’t be short of options either.
For the very youngest, and still fascinating for younger teens, Beaumaris Pier has a claim to be the site of the world’s best crab fishing. Admittedly you’ll put them back in the end as too small for the table, but it’s non-stop action using the bait and line sold at the pier shop. With views over the Menai Strait to Snowdonia , the comings and goings of dinghies and bigger craft to watch, and ice creams close to hand, there is enough to occupy the older members of the party too. And don’t forget the fantastic fish and chips five minutes stroll away in Castle Street for when the sea air gives you an appetite.
Beaumaris has some great hotels within a stroll of the pier: the imposing old Bulkeley has views over the shore, and just the other side of the road also on Castle Street stands Ye Olde Bulls Head Inn , a fabulous mix of ancient coaching inn and modern hotel, the brasserie overlooking the old inner courtyard serving great food with a contemporary touch. Also on Castle Street you’ll find the Bishopsgate House Hotel in a fine Georgian building, just one of the architectural gems in the town, the grandest of which is the magnificent castle itself – the moat by the way is stuffed with big eels, though the Welsh National Trust doubtless frown on anyone dropping a line in it!
Sheltered from the worst of the weather the Menai Strait provides some great boat fishing, Starida Boats operating from the pier with trips often bookable on the spot, rods and bait available, though it’s best to check in advance as sometimes charters take precedence. From May through to late summer the mackerel arrive in their millions, and while no boat skipper will ever guarantee a catch, it would be remarkable were no fish to be landed – and fresh mackerel is delicious taken back to the campsite and cooked in the open if you choose to make the trip even more of an adventure – there’s a big site at Rhosneigr on the west coast for caravans and tents, with a carp lake just a stroll away too plus a coarse fishing lake nearby. The Menai as well as those mackerel holds dogfish, tope, bull huss and pollack, and at the right time lends itself to brilliant bass fishing – there is nothing better.
Shore fishing is not easy for kids – or adults! – and there are some tough treks even to get to the shoreline in places, so parents may think better of that option. Those with trusted teenagers, though, can enjoy good fishing from the seemingly endless breakwater at Holyhead , winter and summer, with mullet, mackerel, whiting and flatties among many species to be caught – it’s not the place for younger kids though. As might be expected from the name the Boathouse Hotel in Holyhead is near the action, and a short drive away the Trearddur Bay Hotel offers excellent comfort and views over the big blue sea.
For experienced fly fishermen there are streams all over the island where fishing can be had with the permission of local farmers, though after the early months of the season pickings are thin. For less advanced practitioners including children Anglesey has a surprising number of lakes wherever you go on the island. Llandegfan just along the coast south of Beaumaris has a mini-complex of man-made pools including a designated one for youngsters; it also boasts a decent sized coarse fishery including a children’s lake.
In the centre of the island Llangefni offers a very good sized reservoir for fly-fishing, with the attractions of the Bull Hotel in the town centre where you can discuss the catch – or the one that got away – in the evening. Anglesey too has an excellent selection of cottages to rent, offering somewhere to cook those tasty mackerel or trout and sleep the sleep of the just thanks to the fresh air you’ll get pursuing them.
If the kids get fed up with fishing there are great beaches at Trearddur Bay on the west coast and Benllech on the east, both of them awarded the Blue Flag for their cleanliness and quality; the castle at Beaumaris needs a couple of hours to do it justice; and the hills will call to anyone who likes to don walking boots, just in case the kids are not tired enough already. Two little reminders: don’t forget your licences if fishing inland; and always keep an eye on the kids near water.
Places to stay nearby:
Trearddur Bay Hotel, Holyhead
Bishopsgate House Hotel, Beaumaris
Ye Olde Bulls Head Inn, Beaumaris
TreYsgawen Hall, Pentraeth
National Trust Cottages, Cemaes
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