Oakview Lake Reviews

All of these 5 stars are for real - you'll find the exact same hand-written versions on the bookshelf in the lodge.

Superb as Usual
By Dave, Jeanette and Jessie Callow on 9 August 2019

Superb as usual. This was our 4th time here and disappointed we couldn't get booked on for another return in 2020. Fully booked due to quality and popularity of venue - speaks for itself and hopefully be back in 2021. Martin and Shirley have produced a peach of a venue, which they must be proud of. Thank you for looking after us so well - we had another lovely chilled out family holiday, Thinking of you both. All the best - Callow family.

Fishing Tactics: Tight baiting to known spots, using Cell over particle.

26 carp: 1 x 40, 9 x 30s, 11 x 20s and 5 under 20 (including a grass carp). As well as catching carp in the main lake, Jessie also had great fun catching carp, roach and tench in the stock pond.
3rd Visit
By Carsten Madsen on 2 August 2019

This is our third visit to Oakview. It's a very beautiful lake and the house is perfect. martin and Shirley are very nice people and very helpful. It has been a very good week with our family and we hope to come again. Carsten & Joan, Martin & Diana and Mikkel & Ida - Denmark

Fishing Tactics: mainline baits. The fish are going round the island.

1 x 39lb 8oz PB, 1 x 38lb and 2 x 20s.
Very Nice Lake
By Gaz & Co on 26 July 2019

Very nice lake with good facilities and it was a pleasure to be here. We had over 20 fish throughout the week, which we are really pleased with. Would definitely recommend Oakview to others.

Fishing Tactics: Sticky Bait Krill caught all of the fish. Spots were mid water on both sides of the island and just off the island willow.

1 x 40 (PB), 4 x 30s, 10 x 20s, 3 grass carp (16 - 18lb) and a 4lb pike.
3rd Visit
By Adam Smith on 19 July 2019

This is the 3rd time for me at Oakview. Martin and Shirley have always been fantastic hosts and the lodge and facilities are always clean and tidy. The fishing proved to be difficult due to the ongoing hot weather, but we still managed some nice carp.

Oakview Lake, Martin and Shirley will always hold a place in my heart. Fantastic people and an absolute pleasure to know them. Thank you both for all you have done for us. Love you both X.

Fishing Tactics: Bottom baits and snowman. Fish came from evening to early morning (fish not interested during the heat of the afternoon).

Catch: 2 x 40s, 1 x 30, 3 x 20s and 1 x 17lb grassy. Catch included a 40lb PB for Ian.
Great Week
By Gary Butler on 12 July 2019

Great week: We fished here for the first time and also had not fished for carp for a while, so we were a bit rusty. The lake is very nice - perfect for us to fish, with lots of features to fish to and the home swim was perfect for a social. The accommodation is first class and really makes a difference for non anglers and also very comfortable for those fishing. Martin and Shirley are excellent hosts and nothing was too much trouble.

Tactics and Fishing: The fish had spawned the previous week and had not really come on the feed as expected. The fishing therefore remained hard and the bites picky. However, we did miss a few and lost 2 or 3, but the fishing picked up towards the end of the week.

All in all a fantastic week and we hope to be able to come here again.

11 carp: 1 x 35 (PB), 4 x 20s, including a 22lb 8oz lake record grass carp, 3 teens (2 grass) and 3 smaller carp. Catch included 3 new PBs and the biggest grass carp caught at the lake so far.
Fantastic Venue
By Pete Gibson & Steve Busby on 5 July 2019

This is our first visit to Oakview. Fantastic venue, superb lodge accommodation. Martin and Shirley are great hosts.

Unfortunately the lake fished hard this week. A combination of late season spawning together with extreme hot weather proved too much.

Despite this, we still managed to winkle out 4 fish with a PB 44lb common. Good news for those anglers turning up after us, seems like the spawning has finally ceased.

We are already booked in for next year. Good luck!
Fishing Tactics: Scent From Hell pop up and two 12mm Stinky Krill white pop ups caught the fish before they started spawning.
1 x 44lb, 2 x 30s and 1 x 14lb.
Record Temperatures
By Bob Carey & Ray Green on 28 June 2019

We've had another very enjoyable time, with a variety of weather; wet, cold & then extremely hot - 42 degrees! Thanks Martin & Shirley for making this a great place to visit.

Fishing Conditions & Tactics: The fish were spawning (again!) at the beginning of the week and then they didn't seem too hungry (after the heatwave struck). White pop ups and Cell wafters worked best.

2 x 30s, 2 x 20s (1 grass), 1 x 11lb (grass) and 1 x 6lb pike.
A Gem!!
By Barnes/Selvey/Micallef on 23 June 2019

A massive thank you to Martin and Shirley for a fantastic holiday. Accommodation is first class. Lake fished hard this week, which seemed to be a common theme across the area. we still managed 10 fish between the 4 anglers, with 5 fish coming out in the last 24 hours. Congratulations on all your hard work. You own a gem!!!

Fishing Tactics: Mix of baits and tactics caught the carp

10 carp and 2 PBs: 1 x 30, 7 x 20s and 2 under 20lb.
5 Star As Usual
By Paul Shaw and Jenny Meider on 15 June 2019

The ever changing weather conditions had an effect on the fish feeding, but as usual the accommodation and lake still rates 5 stars.

Fishing Tactics: Mix of baits caught fish - Vortex Squid Liver, Classic corn pop up and VSL.

Caught 5 fish up to 36lb 3oz. See you next year.
Another Fantastic Week
By Jason Rainbow on 8 June 2019

Another fantastic week at Oakview! Whilst the weather and some spawning presented challenges, we still managed 11 fish, including 4 forties and two PBs of 47lb 8oz and 43lb 8oz. When the fish weren't biting the amazing lodge and generous hospitality of Martin and Shirley provided the relaxing holiday we came for! Already looking forward to next year!!

Fishing Tactics: Banana boilies over beds of particle worked best.

Catch: 4 x 40s, 3 x 30s, 3 x 20s, 1 small carp and 1 grass carp (14lb 10oz).
Amazing Oakview Never Lets Me Down
By Bob Osborne-Carey & Ray Green on 1 June 2019

Amazing Oakview, you never let me down. Still able to break my PB after all these years fishing here - this time with a 48lb 6oz common.
Like Home from Home
By James, Phil & Derek on 26 May 2019

First of all I'd like to thank Martin and Shirley we couldn't ask for a better place to come and relax We could sit there all day and not even worry about catching fish but we did!

It's just like home from home now can't wait to come back next year and the year after and the year after that.

Fishing Tactics: One fished from home swim, one on left bank and one on far bank.

21 Carp: 1 x 40, 10 x 30s, 6 x 20s, 3 under 20 and 1 x 16lb grass carp.
Another Great Week
By Phil and Janet Calladine on 18 May 2019

Another great week at Oakview. Martin and Shirley as always are excellent hosts, but we now call them close friends. The accommodation is first class with all the amenities you could wish for. Fishing was great and we're back later in the year and 2020 and 2021!!

Fishing Tactics: 2 x nutcrunch boilies. Caught from the home swim, then moved to the far side to be closer to showing fish.

11 Carp: 3 x 40s, 4 x 30s, 2 x 20s, 1 x 15lb and 1 x grass carp (16lb).
Really Nice Lake With Lovely Fish
By Carpenter Family on 11 May 2019

Really nice lake with lovely fish. The lodge is nice sand clean, Shirley and Martin are polite and very helpful. I would definitely recommend friends and family to come here for a relaxing holiday. Thank you for another lovely week - Stuart, Michelle, Liam and Jasmine.

Fishing Tactics: Two 10mm Scent From Hell (white) pop ups with boilie freebies worked best.

Total: 19 Carp -1 x 50, 5 x 40s, 6 x 30s, 5 x 20s and 2 under 20lb.
Beautiful Lake
By Sheppard & Banford Family on 26 April 2019

The lake is beautiful and the facilities are excellent! Maybe find some instructions of how to use the oven because it's very confusing to use. Apart from that, everything is wonderful!!! A very relaxing week and children enjoyed naming each fish caught. Shirley and Martin made sure we were okay with everything in the lodge and nothing was too much trouble - very good hosts.

Note from Shirley: Oops, thanks for that - the instruction manual for the new cooker has now been placed in the lodge.

Fishing Tactics: Boilie over pellet in different spots around the lake.

22 fish in total: 2 x 40s, 9 x 30s, 5 x 20s and 4 under 20lb (including a 17lb grass carp and carp from the stock pond. Also caught a 6lb pike and a tench from the stock pond.
First Class Facilities
By James Legate and Ash Hayes on 3 November 2018

The facilities are first class: clean, tidy and everything you need. Martin and Shirley are great people, who make you feel very relaxed and welcome. Unfortunately we had a difficult week on the lake - the weather was against us with big changes every day. Apart from that, a great week and would love to come back.

Watch out for the laughing duck, which loves it when you catch nothing haha.

Fishing Conditions: Cold north winds switched to chilly easterlies, then weather changed to to high pressure with freezing cold nights and finally changed again to cool westerly breezes. A big well done to the guys for a dogged and determined effort in very poor fishing conditions.
Recommend This Fishery
By Daniel Ryder on 26 October 2018

Will not hesitate to recommend this fishery. The quality of the fish was amazing and we plan to come back. In all an excellent break away from home.

Fishing Conditions & Tactics: Weather very changeable. Lost some fish at first before changing tactics and searching out the hard spots, which resulted in 2 mid 30s.
Excellent
By Duncan de Gruchy and Tony Senior on 19 October 2018

Excellent, relaxing holiday. Martin and Shirley were fantastic hosts and made our stay very enjoyable. Weather was not great for catching, but nice for a holiday. Our 7th visit and will be back again for more of the same!

Fishing and tactics: Holiday was cut short because outbound ferry got cancelled. Just started catching when it was time to go home: 41lb common, 37lb 12oz mirror, 31lb 12oz mirror and a pike.
Congenial Atmosphere
By Travelling Minnows on 14 October 2018

Unfortunately on our visit the water level was down considerably which made the fishing difficult. However, some beautiful fish were caught including some stunning commons.

We all found the facilities to be first class. So all in all a very relaxing and congenial atmosphere.

Catches: 18 in total - 2 x 40's, 8 x 30's, 8 x 20's, 1 x 4lb 8oz
Top Location & Accommodation With Great Fishing
By Minne and Wendy de Swart on 5 October 2018

We did not visit the lake in 2017 due to other holidays. 2018 and how great it is to be back and I can honestly say that everything was how we remembered it. Top location and accommodation with great fishing.

On the weather front we have worn everything from fleeces & coats to needing suntan lotion. Great to see Martin & Shirley and to catch up over a glass of wine and a beer. We are booked 2019 and 2020 - no more missing a year.

Fishing and Tactics: Fished Sunday to Friday, days only with the exception of Thursday night (warm night forecast and made the most of it). All fish came on Tiger Nut Red Amo and Complex T boilies. Bottom baits tipped with plastic corn worked best.

12 carp: 2 x 40s, 5 x 30s, 4 x 20s and 1 x 13lb carp.