Testimonials

Sandra, Daniel & Collin

Hi Ray,

Just wanted to thank you for an amazing and inspiring day on the 2nd
Sept! Colin, myself and Daniel (9) had a wonderful day that we didn't
want to end! We started out very bright and early on the lake at 8am,
The lake is a very beautiful setting in which you can lose yourself in
the beautiful surroundings. The tranquility and your enthusiasm made
for an all round wonderful day in which we learned lots. From learning
about bait mixing and to whip and pole fishing (my 1st ever fish)
watching Daniel have the time of his life.... whipping fish out on the
pole and practising his casting. I can thoroughly recommend a visit to
Ray to anyone...... young, old, girls or boys. Ray's patience and love
for fishing is contagious, we cannot wait to have some time to visit
again. Thanks once again,

Sandra, Daniel and Colin.

Paul

This is an exceptional venue and Ray is an exceptional bloke. Other than being a great laugh and really friendly, his advice and tips are invaluable in helping you catch and more importantly enjoy your fishing. He is extremely generous in sharing his vast knowledge of the lake itself, feeding behaviour of the fish and best rigs and techniques. I would recommend him as an angling coach to anyone, whether they are looking to learn the basics or hone advanced specimen hunting skills. What a top bloke!

The lake itself is gorgeous, an outstanding natural beauty spot well stocked with a variety of big fish. Recently, during a 36 hour session as the sun was rising and early morning mist was rolling off the water, I had two bite indicator rods out, one tight to the far bank and the other a few metres to the left of an island. While a visible head of big carp wallowed in the water above my boilies and I waited for my reels to scream off. I fished another rod set up with a waggler tight into some marginal lily pads and caught three tench to 6.15lb (a personal best tench, the smallest was about 4lb) within a 2 hour window as well as a 2lb roach. In between catches on the float rod my bite alarms would scream off and I'd be hauling in stocky carp and a couple of other decent size tench. It was brilliant fun and hopefully I'll be back soon. Cheers Ray!!


Thanks
Paul

Joseph Langston catches personal

Hi Ray,

What a beautiful fish!!!!!!

First of all id like to thank Ray for such a fantastic day, was a great help throughout the whole session, his coaching, tips and tecniques were very useful and also puts on a mean BBQ!

Before starting off with our fishing, Ray gave us a walk around the one of the most beautiful secluded lakes ive ever seen in my life. With so many features to choose from, giving us a rough idea of the depths and swims that had been fished previously Ray helped me target fish instantly and saw a handful of decent sized carp basking in the 'shallow end' of the lake.

Half way round the i had seen enough, I was literally gagging to go back unload the car and get fishing, we completed the guided tour, as we were only there for the day myself and my brother decided to just go stalking instead of setting up and sitting at 1 swim all day, there was quite a bit of water to be covered so we chose a side each and baited a few swims then went for walk abouts.

I found myself sitting in the shallow end of the lake watching a group of which had to of been 20lb + carp basking and cruising around the weed coming right close in under my feet, so i took a few steps back and baited a swim that Ray had suggested to me earlier. just a handful of corn and a few pellet about 6inches away from the bank under a small tree, i left and came back about 30mins later around 10.30am. Set up with a small waggler, 6lb line and a size 12 hook with double sweetcorn, i was fishing reletively light considering the amount of weed and pads i seemed to be surrounded by.

It was a matter of minutes before i saw my float slide away, i made contact with which felt like a lump and headed straight for the weed and lily pads with its head down, remembering the 'light' tackle i couldnt really do much about it but she was a very powerful fish. I called out to my brother who was on the other side of the lake, he was beside me almost instantaniously, then Ray appeared from nowhere with my uncle phil and the scales !! unfortunely the fish was well and truely stuck in the weed by the island but as the water in the shallow end was 3 foot max. Ray didnt hesitate for a second before jumping in and rescuing what turned out to be the most magnificent common carp i had seen. 22lb 8oz a personal best :) !!!!! An absolutely imaculate beautiful fish.

Thank you very much Ray. Had a great time mate.

Will definetly see you soon for more good times.

Cheers for the pictures.

Joe.

Simon Johnson

“The Best of two” Tuesday

After a search for local lakes on the internet I found carpitright.co.uk. After a brief phone call with lake manager Ray I knew the “Carpitright” Lake was the place to go and boy was I right!
Problems with my eyes meant that certain lakes were not feasible for myself to fish but Ray assured me that I would have no problem at his lake.

The day began at around 9am where on arrival my son and I were greeted and introduced to the lake by Ray. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw the lake and its surroundings. A picturesque setting in the heart of Dorset, near Wimborne Minster and away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The sun was high in a clear blue sky and the wildlife was out in abundance and it was still only the beginning of spring. It really is a small piece of heaven.

After a walk around the Lake I identified a swim close to the car park where there was an edge of an island with an overhanging tree. It looked the perfect distance for me to bait up and fish from my pole at 11 metres and a depth of 6 ft. It wasn’t long before I was getting bites and within the hour I had my first fish on the landing mat. An immaculate looking mirror carp of 6lb 4oz had embraced my landing net after quite a tussle! The fish still had the curtain on its lip suggesting that it was highly likely it had never been caught. This was the case shortly after when ,again after a vigorous tussle, I had what looked like a possible PB common carp on the landing mat. Ray was on hand to help me weigh the fish and I watched in anticipation as the scales went round to 15lb 12oz - a new PB. What a great start!

A great tip if you are ever fishing this lake and like photos of your fish is to ask Ray to take them on his camera. Not only is he knowledgeable when it comes to fishing and wildlife but he is a great photographer too. A look through the many pictures on the website will confirm this. A quick kiss and it was time to put the beautiful unmarked fish back into the water. After a congratulation and shake of the hand from Ray and my line was soon back in the water.I began to wonder to myself - was there anything that could top off the day that I was already having, then suddenly Ray was behind me with a cuppa tea! That’s right he can provide refreshments too!

By mid afternoon my swim had gone quiet and the temperature had dropped quite considerably. The change in light meant that I would only have about an hour left to fish until it got too stressful for my eyes. My son had earlier packed up his tackle and had sat next to me, enjoying the beautiful surroundings and keeping me company when my float went under. A different type of bite suggested this was a different fish, possibly a Tench. As it came into the net I could see it was a rather large Tench, so large that when put on the scales it recorded my second PB of the day at 6lb 12oz. What a fantastic end to the day - two PB’s and every fish I caught was unmarked and completely flawless.

I cannot recall in all the years I have been fishing a Lake so beautiful and peaceful and stocked with such perfect fish. I will certainly be fishing at this lake again and if it’s half as good as the day I had then I’m sure it will be memorable.


View all of Simons catches in the photo Gallery

Kevin & Tori 4hr taster session

My 8 year old daughter Tori had been on my case for months asking me to take her fishing but I didn't have the first idea where to begin. I live in Reading but my family moved to Barton on Sea several years ago. They'd heard about Ray and Carpitright and gave me the details. I booked Tori in for a 4 hour beginners course and on my next family visit, went along to the lake. My first impression was wow, what a place. The lake was idyllic and Ray was very friendly and welcoming. Ray took us round the lake and explained basic things like keeping the noise and vibrations to a minimum. He sat Tori down and went through the equipment with her and before too long Tori was casting out and reeling in her very first fish. The fish kept coming in different sizes and excuse the pun but Tori was hooked. Ray's attention to detail and patience was fantastic, and you can tell that he has such a passion not just for fishing himself, but for wanting to share his experiences with others. We'll no doubt be seeing you again in 2011 and maybe I'll participate this time although I was happy enough just absorbing the atmosphere and enjoying the peace and quiet.

Thanks Ray.

Tori says:

I really enjoyed going to the lake and I enjoyed learning how to fish. Ray taught me how to put the maggot on the hook, how to make up ground bait into balls and throw it into the water, how to cast the line and when the right time was to pull the rod up. He showed me several types of fish called Rudd, Golden Rudd, Perch and the big Carp although I didn't catch one of those. At the end he helped me to catch a really big fish called a Tench which he took a picture of. I have asked my dad to take me again next year as I really enjoyed myself.

Thank you Ray

Mr. T Baird

Mr. T Baird: 1 week carp fishing course

I have been looking for a new hobby for some time. I decided to take up angling again as I use to fish for Salmon in my younger days before I came south of the boarder but have no course fishing experience at all. I spent 1 week on an intensive beginners course. From start to finish Ray's coaching was clear and concise. He quickly established the best coaching techniques for me to learn and understand. I learnt so much and by the end of the week I was landing fish in the night by myself. I am now able to go to my local lake full of confidence. I still have a lot to learn and experience to gain through putting in the hours on the bank, but I also needed a good foundation to build on and that's what Ray has given me.

Many Thanks for all your help and advice during my session and since.

Tom

Adam Squires & son Ben (11): Taster session

Adam Squires & son Ben (11): 4hour introduction session

A brilliant day on a beautiful lake, we booked a four hour session but ended up staying all day. Both Ben and myself caught lots of fish and I learnt enough for me to be able to take Ben to our local pond and catch fish using our newly acquired tackle. Ben is now fishing mad and wants to be out fishing at every opportunity. I have already booked in a couple of one day sessions later in the year.

Great job Ray, thanks for all your help since our session, I'm sure Ben will be on the phone again soon!!!! Sorry

Kade

4 year old Kade with his first fish



We took Kade down to see Ray in august last year. Me not knowing much about fishing myself we thought it would be better for him coming from someone with a bit of knowledge. Had a look about and we found carpitright. So we booked Kade in for a taster session with Ray and went down in August. Kade had a fantastic time, and learnt so much at the same time. Ray had set up a fish tank so that when Kade had caught the fish he could watch them swim around. He learnt about the different types of fish, and by the end of the session he could even tell them apart (something I still struggle with). Kade had a great time, and we will defiantly do it again. Great outdoor experience for Kade, and I would recommend Carpitright to any parent wanting to take their child to learn to fish for the 1st time. We have since had to buy Kade a fish tank because he enjoyed fishing so much, obviously Rays passion for fishing is contagious.

See you next year Ray.

Peter Easterman: 4 hour bait making session

Peter Easterman: 4 hour bait making session

I have been a carp fisherman for a number of years but have always used ready made boilies, either shelf life or frozen. It was getting more and more difficult to afford enough bait to sit behind my rods and feel confident that I could hold feeding fish in my area. I decided to swallow my pride and seek help. Ray was recommended by a friend so I booked a session. Ray was able to take me right through the process of bait making. Starting with base mix formulation, various liquid and powdered additives ending up with a final product. I have formulated and am now rolling my own HNV boilies for under £3.50 a kilo and creating my own dips for pennies and don't think I'm producing an inferior quality bait, in fact quite the reverse! When I look at the ingredients in my base mix compared to shop brought products containing the equivalent ingredients, 'wow', there's no way I could afford it. There are so many different products on the market, its easy to get confused and even easier to waste money. I now have a bait that is totally unique, in which I have 110% confidence and at a price I can afford. If you want to formulate your own bait this is the session for you, not only that, you can phone Ray any time for advice. I really couldn't recommend it more.

Cheer's Ray

ps will call to arrange floater fishing session next week

Mark: 72 hour carp fishing session

Mark: 72 hour carp fishing session

If you want to spend some quality time on a beautiful private lake and learn so much your head hurts, this is for you. I have done quite a lot of fishing, mainly from a boat on the coast or in the harbour fishing for bass, bream and mullet. I have seen carp in the harbour and the river but was not sure how to go about catching them. I booked a session with Ray and certainly got my money's worth. I was able to turn up simply with a few personal items, a sleeping bag and spare clothes. The tackle provided was top quality (I know this because I have since been purchasing my own). From the very start Ray's approach was very relaxed, clear and methodical. The P.V.A demonstration using the fish tank was superb as was the tuition on how to cast accurately day or night to hit the baited areas. In fact, everything that I was taught during my session became simple once I knew how. That is a testament to Ray's ability as a coach, his enthusiasm and love of fishing is infectious. The only criticism I do have is the food!!! I put about half a stone on that week the food was fantastic, if you're on a diet you had better take your own because it's too good to leave, as was the lake, arrived Monday didn't leave till Friday.

Thank you mate, I had a great time

Steve Bailey: 4 hour stalking session

Steve Bailey: 4 hour stalking session

Firstly Ray, thank you for a great evening, not only the fishing which was excellent but also the invitation to dinner afterwards. The hours I spent talking in the awning of your caravan with a cold beer and a delicious BBQ was invaluable, you really are a mine of information. What can I say, I arrived at 3.30 in the afternoon and didn't leave till gone midnight. During that time I didn't stop learning. I was keen to try floater fishing as I had read so much about it in the monthlies. The problem was trying to do it on local club waters. When I did locate the fish, 9 times out of 10 I couldn't get near them because all the swims were occupied, either that or as soon as you start putting out free offerings you attract every duck, swan and seagull from a 5 mile radius. Just the tip on how to put the entire lake's wildlife to sleep while you get on with fishing was worth the cost of the session alone, absolutely brilliant and very funny. But the main jewel in the crown is to be able to wander the banks of such a stunning lake and have it all to yourself, well, I cant think of any words to do it justice, 'Heaven' is as close as I can get. Having the time to observe the fish, apply bait in different areas and not worry about disturbing other anglers or them poaching your fish was so relaxing. It taught me how easy it was to catch fish on the surface once you know 'how', 'when' and 'how much bait' to apply, giving them the time to feed confidently, to become competitive and drop their guard. So simple really. Value for money, 10 out of 10. Do it again? Already booked, next time me and my mate are staying the week. The whole lake to ourselves, tuition, great food and an ice cold beer or two. Be mad not to. Can't wait.

Cheers Ray

Mr. K Parr, Edward, Jonathan & Christopher: 1 day Course

Mr. K Parr, Edward, Jonathan & Christopher: 1 day Course

Hi Ray,

Without a doubt the highlight of the summer for us all was the day we spent with you. Thank you very much for all the help you provided with utmost patience. Your coaching was excellent. Your approach from first considerations of health and safety to keen observation of fish in the swim was methodical. The explanations that you gave and the chance for us to experience at first hand was invaluable - for example how a marker rod is used and how to spod. The graphic demonstrations of how PVA applied baits can be used was superb. How to set up rigs was a day on its own but you managed to show us how to tie them and we have since used them to effect. Proof of the pudding - see the attached photo taken at Longleat on the Friday following our day with you. It was caught using a tutti frutti boilie on a standard hair rig. All the lads are so keen - you have really fired their enthusiasm. Edward's got himself a bite alarm as he lost a big one on the same day Jonathan caught his. I am sure we'll meet up again to go over all the skills we've learnt from you and garner even more info. All the best and thanks for a fantastic day - worth every penny.

Cheers Kevin ps evaluation forms completed and will be sent off in tomorrow's post

Tom Baird

I have now had several sessions with Ray starting with an introduction to carp fishing. After watching other anglers reeling their carp rods in and setting up float rods when the fishing was slow. I decided that I would book a day with Ray and learn the basics. I had a fantastic days fishing with tench to 6lb and several large roach the biggest weighing 2lb 4oz. More than that is the fact that I now have the basic knowledge to build on.
Beuitfull lake-fantastic fishing-superb coaching
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