Anglers browsing any of the online fishing tackle shops often find it difficult not to become overwhelmed and confused by the sheer range of product available.
This is particularly true for relative newcomers to carp fishing for whom the tendency is to purchase rather a lot very quickly before working out exactly what suits their style of fishing.
Carp Tackle
To help the beginner, here is a brief overview of five items which have found a permanent place in most anglers' carp tackle collections.
Bite alarm
This ingenious item of carp fishing equipment doubles as a rod rest and an alarm to alert the angler to a fish picking up the bait and moving off. Once placed in the bite alarm the line is weighted down by things called monkey climbers which are electronically tuned to the bite alarm system. These ensure the line passes into the range of an LED which sends out a bleep whenever the line is moved forwards or backwards. This means the angler can even be asleep when the bite comes and still be alerted in time to pick up the rod and play the fish. The more expensive systems can be set up so that a different alarm sounds on each rod and also indicate whether the line is moving forwards or backwards. Expect to pay anything between $30 and $150 depending on quality. You can fish without them of course, relying just on the reel to give line when a fish takes but for most anglers nowadays prefer a bleep!
Bivvy
Where would today's carp angler be without this prime piece of kit? An abbreviation of bivouac, the bivvy has become essential for those two- to three-day sessions when the angler simply abandons his normal life and sets up camp at the water's edge. Many are happy to live in these shelters for much longer, weeks or even months at time. As this is essentially a piece of survival gear rather than pure carp fishing tackle, you may choose to do without one until the desire to stay on the water overnight becomes too much. When you do take the plunge, however, it makes sense to spend a little extra on a decent model as reliability and durability are the key factors. Expect to pay upwards of $100 for something which offers comfort, protection and a water tight environment.
Bed chairs
As the name suggests, this is the item of carp fishing gear on which the angler will spend the majority of his or her time. Whilst fishing during the day the chair provides ample comfort and the correct posture support during long hours waiting for a bite to develop. At night the bed chair can be taken into the bivvy and converted into a collapsible bed on which to grab some vital hours of reasonably restful sleep. It's a crucial item of carp fishing tackle and needs to be as robust and advanced as individual budgets will allow. Expect to find $100 the starting point although the best, with sleeping bags built in, will be in the region of $350.
The spod
It's a strange sounding name but once again it's an item of tackle that even the beginner will soon start to find indispensable in putting together a reasonable collection of carp fishing gear. Basically it's a rocket-shaped bait carrier which can be fixed to a second rod and cast to the chosen fishing area. The spod hits the water and immediately upturns, depositing its full load of bait exactly where the angler wants it. Experienced anglers usually employ their first rod with a marker float so that the spod rod can be aimed at it for increased accuracy and efficiency. A spodding session usually involves repeated casting and can easily take a couple of hours to introduce the required amount of bait. The spod is not an expensive item of carp fishing tackle although the rod on which it is cast needs to be of reasonable quality.
The hair rig
If you have done any carp fishing at all without employing the hair rig on your hooks then you are missing the biggest trick of the last 25 years. A hair is an extension of line which comes off the shank of the hook (straight part) and ends in a loop. This can then be threaded through the chosen bait, say a kernel of sweetcorn, a piece of luncheon meat or a pellet and then held in place by a bait stop passed through the loop and tightened down onto the bait. Don't worry if this sounds complicated. Go to any online fishing tackle shop and you will find dozens of ready-made hair rigging systems which come with instructions for use straight from the packet. These systems result in far fewer missed bites and will also actually encourage more takes as the fish does not perceive the bait to be attached to the hook at all.
Investing in these carp fishing tackle items as a mainstay will get you off to the right start in your pursuit of not just the carp, but other freshwater fish which require sturdy equipment and long hours spent out in the open.
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Keith Higginbottom is a former editor of Angling Times, the world's biggest selling fishing newspaper
Keith Higginbottom - Keith Higginbottom is an award-winning journalist and publisher based in the UK. During a 30-year career spanning newspapers, consumer ...
