Will Millard's guide to the best places for fishing holidays in Wales

As a child, I was extremely fortunate that my family travelled all around Wales for our holidays. For that little boy, the mighty castles, rolling mountains, and pristine beaches all had their rightful place, but it was the Welsh fishing which truly stole his heart.

I can still see the golden-scaled carp I caught from a farm pond on Ynys Mon, and the netful of cod my Dad and I landed near Little Haven (and later made into a huge fish pie!). I was captivated by the tiny hill-stream brown trout in Eryri too (whose colours, I recall thinking, would not have been out of place on a tropical coral reef) and my sister and I would spend endless hours scooping minnows, loaches, and bullheads into our nets.

The bountiful waterways of Wales helped instil my lifelong passion for fish and fishing; but now, as my own family grow here in South Wales too, fishing continues to be a firm favourite on all our holidays.

A fishing holiday in Wales is the perfect gateway to quality-time spent with friends, family, or as a couple. Whatever your angling ability, accessibility needs, species preference, or fishing style, you’ll find plenty to go at during a fishing break in Wales.

Below, I’ve condensed hundreds of brilliant fishing options into a handful of my top ‘holiday’ choices per area; reflecting both the range of fishing options in our nation, and a selection of venues where fishing could be the main event for a week, or just an activity for a few relaxing hours of your holiday time.

For a more comprehensive nationwide list, visit the superb database on the Fishing in Wales website.

Blessed with several fantastic rivers, prolific sea fishing grounds in the Severn Estuary, and many excellent lake choices for carp and pleasure angling; a fishing holiday in South Wales could see you catch over a dozen fish species, from fresh to saltwater, in a single day!

Based between Newport and Cardiff, Cefn Mably Lakes has eight very well-stocked lakes with a high chance of catching carp to mid-20lbs and fish up to 40lbs in their main specimen lake. For little ones, the excellent Cefn Mably Farm Park is practically next door.

It does pay to pack a rod during a city break to our capital too. The urban fishing in the River Taff, which flows through Cardiff’s centre, is among the UK’s best - with grayling, barbel, chub, and brown trout all catchable, right down to Cardiff Bay. Day tickets are available via Garry Evans Tackle Shop.

An under-visited escapist jewel in the heart of Wales, holiday fishing options include wild rivers and remote streams; as well as some cracking mountain lakes that you are highly likely to have all to yourself.

Last winter, I was blessed to visit the stunning 30-acre natural lake, Llyn Ebyr, with Fishing in Wales and was blown away by the angling potential and sheer beauty of the place. Now under new management, there are several fishing platforms and boats to fish for the prolific head of perch and pike, and plenty of accommodation options in and around Llanidloes too.

The River Wye is widely heralded as Britain’s most-popular river. I travelled from source-to-sea as part of my BBC series and have caught many species here, from huge river pike to the famous barbel, brown trout, and the chub - but the Mid Wales sections see very little angling pressure and are simply stunning. With options to take in the epic Elan Valley reservoirs nearby, try The Rectory beat, recently available on a coarse day ticket via the Fishing Passport, or fly-fish one of many wild brown trout streams within the Wye catchment, such as the idyllic Edw.

From the fish-filled Pembrokeshire coastline round to the sandy beaches of Gower, to the game and trout fishing on the iconic West Walian rivers the Teifi and Tywi, beautiful West Wales is an angler’s nirvana.

White Springs near Swansea is a superb choice for fishing families and friends. Day tickets are sold on-site and it has a well-stocked tackle shop. The mixed-fishing pleasure lakes frequently see fish caught on every cast and there’s options to target carp to 45lbs in their specimen lake. For something a little bit different, these lakes are also home to perch to Welsh record proportions!

I could hardly leave Little Haven off my list having spent so much time here on holiday as a child. Little Haven is just as beautiful as I remember it and ‘Little Haven Point,’ on the south side of the bay, offers the chance of mackerel and bass to lures, plus flat fish and larger species to ledgered baits. Nearby, Milford Haven has boat charter options, including the chance to fish for blue sharks in the Celtic Deeps.

Ian Heaps Fishing Resort was established by Welsh match angling legend, Ian Heaps. This accessible fishery has three lakes stocked with carp, tench, and mixed species, as well as a private one-mile section of the Eastern Cleddau river which has yielded sea trout (locally, ‘sewin’) to double-figure weights.

With many accommodation options from campsites to cottages, near Llangennith / Rhossili Bay this stunning stretch of Gower coastline offers summer spinning for bass and the opportunity to catch a range of sea species with nothing more than a light ledger outfit and a hook baited with harbour rag. Better still, the immense sandy bay will keep your non-fishing holiday goers occupied with anything from coastal walks, to surfing, to sandcastles!

As part of my ‘Go Fish!’ BBC Wales series, I was lucky enough to hop on-board a charter boat with a highly-experienced local skipper based in Holyhead. There are several superb charter boats operating around North Wales and trips can usually be shaped to meet your abilities and needs.

Just outside Glyngarth on Anglesey, lies Llyn Y Gors, one of the best coarse fisheries in the whole of North Wales. Comprised of five lakes, the beginner’s lake is filled with small fish to keep youngsters entertained, but for something that really pulls back, head to their specimen carp and catfish lake.

Eryri National Park has much more than mountains – its tiny lakes and streams offer some of the most adventurous trout fishing in Wales and the massive Llyn Trawsfynydd has a decommissioned nuclear power station at one end, presiding over a huge sheet of water which contains specimen trout and some simply enormous pike.

So, enjoy your holiday and enjoy your fishing in Wales. Stay safe, familiarise yourself with all the local rules and fishing seasons, and, remember, you will need a rod license to fish in freshwater if you are over 16. It is free on registration for children between 13 and 16, and not required for under 13s.