Shell Island, Gwynedd

A very popular holiday camp site for anglers, but also has day time access to the public with a day parking fee. Open March 1st to November 30th annually.

The beach is mostly rocky made up of lose boulders, but with sand patches on the southern side giving on to clean sand. On the north side is the estuary mouth and main channel of the River Artro.

Fishes best from low to high water, but bass can be caught on the ebb as they leave the estuary. Good early in the year between April and June, but also fishes well in September.

SPECIES
Bass, flounders, eels, dabs, dogfish, mackerel, whiting, gurnard, garfish, mullet, turbot and occasional ray and plaice.

BEST BAITS
Fish crab for bass, eels and flounder. Long range lug or ragworm baits take good dabs and plaice. Small fish baits are good for dogfish, whiting and gurnards, with large mackerel strips taking the rays. Try sandeel in the surf for both turbot and bass.

You can also use spinners, plugs and flies for the bass, and smaller flies take the garfish and mullet.

TACKLE
A bass rod casting 2 to 4ozs and 20lb tackles the snaggy ground fishing crab baits, but go for a standard 5-6oz beachcaster for long range out on to open sand. There is some lateral left to right tide run, but 5oz grip leads easily hold even during the big spring tides.

For fishing the spinners and plugs go for a 1-2oz spinning rod and 10lb line. Most bass on the fly are small, so a 7-weight is just about okay for these, but a 9-weight is better as bigger fish are often hooked here.

GETTING THERE
From the south come off the main A470 at Llanelltyd on to the A496 for Barmouth. Carry on through Barmouth, until you come to Llanbedr. Just as you enter Llanbedr there is a sharp semi concealed left turn by the bridge signposted for Shell Island.

From the north come off the A470 on to the A496 for Maentwrog. At Maentwrog take the A496 signposted for Harlech. Pass through Harlech and then Llanfair for Llanbedr. Come through the village and as you reach the bridge immediately turn right for Shell Island, which is signposted.

The access road is tarmac but crosses the saltmarsh and floods during high water on the big spring tides, so please read the signs as you approach the camp site.