Carp Fishing Lakes In Dorset: The Best Day Ticket Venues

As well as being home to parts of the Jurassic Coast, Dorset also boasts some incredible carp fishing opportunities.

With countless farms and estates housing some of the finest carp fisheries that the south-west region has to offer, you will never be far away from an opportunity for a day session or an overnighter.

In alphabetical order, let’s take a look at some of the best day ticket carp lakes in Dorset.

Clump Hill Farm Fishery (Wimborne)

Clump Hill Farm Fishery is located in Mannington, approximately 7 miles from Wimborne.

Although this 1 acre lake in East Dorset does attract many anglers targeting silvers, don’t let that put you off visiting to try and tempt one of the bigger residents of the lake.

The lake record carp is in excess of 30lb and is backed up by a host of other fish in the mid/upper double-figure bracket. There are a lot of smaller fish, but a change of tactics can ensure that they don’t become too much of a nuisance.

Night fishing is possible, but only by prior arrangement with the owners. A day ticket runs from 7:00am-7:30pm and costs £7 for 2 rods.

Clump Hill Farm Fishery At A Glance:

Coking Farm Fishery (Gillingham)

Coking Farm Fishery is located in West Stour, around 7 miles from Gillingham.

Coking Farm Fishery is one of the most well-known venues in North Dorset and is home to some of the biggest carp that the south-west has to offer.

2 of the lakes on the complex hold carp to over 40lb and 6 out of the 7 lakes have residents that have tipped the scales in excess of 30lb. There are catfish in 3 of the lakes.

If you would like to learn even more about the complex, our review of Clover Lake at Coking Farm should answer any questions that you may have.

All of the lakes at Coking Farm are around 4 acres in size and have an abundance of features. The stock levels vary in each lake.

There is a toilet and shower block on the complex which has access to fresh water to top up your bottles. There is also a tackle shop which sells bait, clothing and a range of accessories and snacks. The on-site food van serves breakfast and evening meals and there is a butcher shop which sells fresh, home-made burgers and sausages for anglers who prefer to cook for themselves.

Coking Farm is a well-run fishery with a strict set of rules that must be adhered to. The bailiffs are available at all times to ensure the smooth running of the venue.

Day ticket prices start from £15 while a 24 hour ticket costs £25.

Coking Farm Fishery At A Glance:

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Crooked Willows Farm Fishery (Wimborne)

Crooked Willows Farm Fishery is located in Holt Heath, approximately 8 miles from Wimborne.

The lake is roughly 1.5 acres in size and boasts an island, lily pads and reeds among its features.

With 20 swims on the lake, it has the potential to become crowded, however, the lake is rarely at full occupancy.

While there aren’t any enormous fish in this lake, there are common, mirror and ghost carp that all exceed the 20lb barrier, which not many people would refuse.

Day tickets are priced at £5 and 24 hour sessions can be arranged in advance and are priced at £15, making this one of the most reasonably priced fisheries in East Dorset.

Crooked Willows Farm Fishery At A Glance:

Dairy House Farm Fishery (Blandford Forum)

Dairy House Farm Fishery is located in Woolland, around 10 miles from Blandford Forum.

There are 3 lakes in total on the complex. Alder Lake is mainly stocked with silvers, Park Lake is a runs water with carp to upper double-figures and Oak Lake is the specimen lake that we are most interested in.

Approximately 1.5 acres in size, Oak Lake has a small island and mature margins among its main features, the latter of which should not be ignored on this lake as they can be very productive.

The current lake record tipped the scales at over 30lb and there are some previously uncaught fish in this North Dorset water that could be even bigger.

For anglers wishing to turn this into a mini-break, there is self-catering accommodation available on-site and there is also a well-stocked bait shop.

Day tickets are priced at £12 and 24 hour tickets are available for £25.

Dairy House Farm Fishery At A Glance:

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Lyons Gate Fishery (Dorchester)

Lyons Gate Fishery is located in Middlemarsh, approximately 12 miles from Dorchester.

Primarily a campsite, there are 4 lakes situated in the centre of the complex. Kingfisher Lake is the one that we will focus on, as that is the one that accommodates the largest carp.

At just over 1 acre in size, Kingfisher Lake is the biggest on the complex and has 3 islands that separate the water between the opposing banks. The lake record carp is in excess of 30lb and it also holds specimen tench to over 10lb.

Day tickets for this West Dorset venue are priced at £6 for two rods and night fishing is possible if arranged/booked in advance.

Lyons Gate Fishery At A Glance:

Rosewall Fishing Lakes (Weymouth)

Rosewall Fishing Lakes is located in Osmington, around 6 miles from Weymouth.

Rosewall is a campsite that also offers horse riding as well as fishing from its 2 lakes.

Meadow Lake is the largest at 2.75 acres. It has 2 islands and the lake record carp is over 25lb. Wally’s Lake is smaller at around 1.5 acres but holds the biggest fish on the complex at over 29lb.

Day ticket prices start at £10 for 12 hours or £20 for 24 hours. Discounted tickets are available for children and evening tickets are available during the summer months at this beautiful South Dorset fishery.

Rosewall Fishing Lakes At A Glance:

Todber Manor Fisheries (Sturminster Newton)

Todber Manor Fishery is located on Manor Farm in Todber, approximately 5 miles from Sturminster Newton.

Arguably the premier carp fishing complex in Dorset, Todber Manor Fisheries boasts 5 lakes that will appeal to most carp anglers.

Wadmill Lake is the runs water of the complex and is just over 4 acres in size. There are 31 pegs on this lake and anglers need to remain disciplined to their fishing areas as it can become crowded, especially at weekends. There is a good head of carp present and the lake record is in excess of 30lb. To learn more, why not read our in-depth review of Wadmill Lake?

Willow Bank is the newest lake on the complex, having only been opened in 2016. It boasts 10 pegs on one side of the lake and there is no fishing from the other side. It is roughly 3 acres in size and the resident carp are growing fast, with the lake record already over the magical 30lb barrier. To learn more, why not read our in-depth review of Willow Bank Lake?

Little Hayes is 6 acres in size and is stocked with roughly 700 carp, giving it quite a high carp-per-acre ratio. In addition to carp, it is also home to a number of catfish, with both species exceeding 30lb in weight.

Big Hayes is the larger sibling of Little Hayes and boasts a similar carp-per-acre ratio (8 acres in size and holding 800 carp). The lake record is a big ghost carp known as “The White Lady” who has graced the bank on more than one occasion at a weight in excess of 40lb. Big Hayes is also home to catfish in excess of 40lb and pike that reach the mid-20lb bracket.

Paddock Lake is probably the most popular lake on the complex, with bookings being made months in advance. It is around 2 acres in size, has 7 pegs and holds carp that are close to the 40lb barrier and catfish in excess of 80lb.

Paddock Lake is situated on the main site where there is a well-stocked tackle shop, permanent toilet block and shower facilities. The other lakes are on the opposite side of the road and are serviced by portaloos.

With the exception of Wadmill Lake, fishing on all the other lakes at this North Dorset venue must be paid for in full at the time of booking. Day tickets start from £12, 24 hour tickets are available from £24 and weekly tickets range from £125-£150.

Todber Manor Fisheries At A Glance:

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Washingpool Farm Fishery (Bridport)

Washingpool Farm Fishery is located in Allington, around 1 mile from Bridport.

The complex has 3 lakes in total. The top lake and middle lake are aimed more at pleasure anglers and the main lake targets carp anglers.

There are 4 pegs on this 1 acre lake, 3 of which are single pegs along with 1 double peg. The single pegs are called The Point, The Shallows and The Boat and the double peg is called The Dam/Pipes. Feature-wise, there is a small island, a raised bar between The Point and The Boat pegs and several sets of lily pads which the carp like to take cover in.

The depth of the lake varies between 3ft at the shallow end to 12ft at the deep end. The average depth at the shallow end tends to be around 5ft and the average depth at the deep end is in excess of 9ft, giving the stock of 50 carp plenty of water to roam around in.

The lake record is a common known as “Cut Tail” which tipped the scales at just over 21lb. However, the average size in the lake is around mid-double figures and growing quickly.

If you fancy treating yourself, most of the takeaways in Bridport will deliver to the main gate

Day tickets start at £8 for 12 hours or £16 for 24 hours. Night fishing must be booked in advance.

Washingpool Farm Fishery At A Glance:

Whitemoor Lakes (Wimborne)

Whitemoor Lakes is located in Holt, approximately 7 miles from Wimborne.

There are 4 lakes on the Whitemoor complex and the main lake is where the specimen action happens.

At around 2 acres in size with 40 pegs, the main lake has the potential to become crowded, but I have only ever known a handful of anglers to be fishing at any time.

The main lake is tree-lined and the islands and lily pads are the hotspots for tempting the carp. The lake record is in excess of 30lb.

Day tickets at this East Dorset fishery start from £8. Night fishing is allowed and costs £15, though it must be booked in advance.

Whitemoor Lakes At A Glance:

Conclusion

Dorset has an abundance of countryside and with most of the lakes listed in this article being situated on farmland, you are always on nature’s doorstep.

From the list above, you will find some quiet, rarely fished lakes as well as some of the premier fishing complexes in Dorset.

Have you fished any of the lakes above? If so, which ones are your favourites? Let me know in the comments how you got on.