Fishing

There is plenty of good fishing around Cwellyn Arms in the lakes of Llyn Cwellyn, Llyn Nantlle and Llyn Dwyarchen, and the Afon (river) Gwyrfai.

Llyn Cwellyn:
Situated on the western side of Snowdon and, although skirted by the A4085 Caernarfon to Beddgelert road, this lake is situated in desolate but stunning countryside. Fishing here is truly outstanding, with the free-rising wild Brown Trout rivalling any to be had elsewhere within these islands. The Season here gets underway towards early May as the water is some 200ft higher than Llyn Padarn and takes longer to warm up. Char are also resident here, but are smaller than their Padarn brethren. Two early season favourites dressed on size 14 hooks, are Corff Main (a fly with a quill body and black hackle) and Petrisen Corff Gwin (or the Partridge and Claret). Partridge and Silver, and a Zulu are also suitable.

Llyn Nantlle:
From here at the upper end of the Nantlle valley and the gateway to Drws-Y-Coed, the most spectacular views of Snowdon can be experienced. One of only two lakes in Wales where Salmon and Seatrout are regularly caught. Fishing here is strictly controlled and by boat only. Advanced bookings are essential.

Afon Gwyrfai:
Flowing from the pewter bowl of Llyn Y Gadair and onwards through Llyn Cwellyn, the Gwyrfai meanders for some 10 miles into the Menai Straits, some two miles south of the Seiont estuary. A beautiful, wild and wooded banked river which provides unforgettable fishing from the open flats at Betws Garmon to Waunfawr where the character of the river changes: here it runs fast and deep, its many islands walled by trees, and at first glance this is worming water, but don’t be deceived - here the wet and dry fly can rule supreme with the many fine rising trout. This is a summer river, but seatrout and salmon can be caught up to the season’s end.

Llyn Dwyarchen:
‘The lake of the Turf Island’, so called because of its famous floating island refered to by Giraldus in 1188 AD, one of the trio of lakes which forms the birth of the river Gwyrfai, the others being Cwellyn and Y Gadair. This is the local fishing club’s stocked water, with two monthly introductions of Rainbow and Brown Trout up to 7 lbs in weight. Fishing is by fly only with a 3 fish limit.

See the local fishing club website for more information.