Bag-up-on a budget
10 Top Tackle Recommendations To Get You Out On The Bank Without Breaking The Bank…
Proven and dependable gear can mean the difference between a peaceful day by the water and banking your next PB. But kitting out for big carp demands a big investment - right?
Actually, no: because savvy anglers understand the difference between ‘cheap’ and ‘inexpensive’; basing their buying decisions not on marketing hype, but on real world experience; and on recommendations from trusted friends.
Which is where we come in.
At Fenland Tackle Exchange, we believe in providing anglers with effective tackle and bait that’s carp-tax-free - tackle you can rely on, from established manufacturers. Firms such as, for example, Gardner Tackle, Mistral Baits, Saber Tackle, Wychwood and NGT (there! I’ve said it!); all of whom offer rock-solid product ranges at sensible prices.
Give us some examples, you say? Don’t mind if I do…
Rods-Wise…
Hard as it is to believe, you really can buy a set of three rods for under £40 (yes, we sell them!); and they’ll get the job done too. But in the name of all that’s holy: unless your budget is tighter than the proverbial gnat’s chuff, I’d advise spending a little more moolah for a whole lot more performance (and a whole lot less weight).
Fancy a Scope-style extendable butt rod, for optimal transportability? Consider either the Saber Macro or Wychwood Riot Recalls - which are available in a range of test curves, with matching ‘utility’ (spod and marker) rods. For anywhere between £40 and £60. (Yes, really.)
Prefer old school 12- or 13-footers? Look no further than NGT’s Profiler rods, which have landed your humble scribbler fish to well in excess of 30lbs.
They’re lightweight, slim, powerful and quite simply a joy, in terms of both casting capability and fish-playing action.
And, the kicker: you can pick them up for just £30-£40 a piece.
Reel Value
Just a teensy weensy note of caution here, bargain hunters: where reels are concerned, tread a tad more carefully when seeking to save a bob or two.
Yes, we offer ‘runners’ (baitrunner style freespool reels) from under a tenner. And they might - might - see you through a season or two. Depending on how you treat them.
But if you’re anything like me - cack-handed, clumsy and generally quite tough on tackle - spend a little more; then you can be confident of a set of reels that will last you for many years to come.
Our vote, based on several seasons’ use: either the Wychwood Riot range or - once again! - NGT’s Profilers in 40 or 60 size, which do exactly what it says on the box, and really look the part too.
Expect to pay somewhere between £25 and £35 for either.
Rod Support: Single Sticks, Complete Pod… Or The Best Of Both?
Would Madam prefer single bank sticks, a rod pod... Or, in box no. 3: the uber versatile Saber Terrain pod, which offers all the advantages of a free standing pod, goalpost or single sticks set up - for around £60-£70.
Bit grown-up in the budget department? No problem; I refer the honorable lady, once again, to those splendid people at NGT - who offer all manner of versatile, durable, lightweight pods, from £40 and up.
Indeed, add a leading brand logo to a similar spec set-up, and you’d be looking at twice the price. And maybe more.
Get what you pay for? I think not.
Bite Alarms - From Budget Conscious to Bombproof
Unless you’re planning on fishing day sessions only, your attention laser-locked on your bobbins (Gardner Bugs - since you asked), you’ll need a set of alarms.
And if funds allow, there’s only one choice: ATTs from Gardner Tackle which, unchanged in over 15 years, are compact, simplicity itself to use and absolutely bombproof.
But if the £200+ price tag is a smidge on the jaw-dropping side of ‘Ouch!’, fear not.
+/- £60 will get you one of Saber’s three-alarm-and-receiver sets; which are perfectly dependable too. The principal difference between the two?
ATTs can be submerged in lake water for a month, run over with a Landrover, and dropped from a high bank… and just keep on going. [Cough.] Apparently.
Though a little less robust, Saber alarms essentially do the same job, however; and actually offer an additional benefit too: adjustable sensitivity. Should you feel that’s a ‘thing’. (Just… try not to kick the Sabers in the pond. Just saying.)
Terminal Tackle, And That All Important ‘Last Metre’...
No sense wasting time on this topic. Where hooks, leads, line and rig bits are concerned, it’s Gardner Tackle. No further discussion required.
All Gardner terminal tackle is well thought out, fairly priced and just… works. Oh, and their stock availability is second to none.
So, if something you need is not in stock today… chances are it can be tomorrow.
Bait: A Reality Check
For a majority of carp anglers, bait = boilies. But I’d add a third ‘b’: b@ll@cks.
Fact is, carp will eat pretty much anything when the mood takes; from maggots and worms, to beans, pulses, and even fish live and deadbaits.
That said, if you’re drawn to the ease of use, species-specificity and durability of a boilie (meaning your rigs can be left in situ for days on end - allowing you to get your teeth into the latest boxed set, undisturbed) here’s the news:
Generally, there are no bad baits out there.
Choose any leading brand, in shelf life or freezer variants, and you’ll get a nutritionally balanced and attractive bait which, given the right conditions and time of year, fish will eat.
Our choice? Well… here’s a form of words you may not always hear: I agree with Jim Shelley (this week, at least); favouring Mistral Baits’ CM1 and (the absolute classic) Rosehip Isotonic - both of which include matching hookbaits, soaks and groundbait/stick mixes.
In our experience at least, Mistral Baits catch carp all year round. And (quite possibly coincidentally): they seem to single out many of the venues’ big uns to boot.
Fish Care First
A well padded unhooking mat is of course de rigueur. But your choice of mat may be governed in part by the rules of your chosen venue.
Need a framed cradle? Think Leeda, Saber or (you guessed it) NGT, and expect to pay £40-70.
Flat mat: it’s the Gardner safety sling - available in sizes to suit.
Or if you need an XXL mat, for the real donkeys: go for either the cavernous Wychwood Walled Mat, or the Gardner Asylum.
Landing nets? Easy peasy - Saber do a great 42” net with a two piece handle at around the £30 mark (we’ll even throw in a net float, FOC).
You’re welcome.
Oh, and don’t forget to include a bottle of antiseptic in your kit which, contrary to the belief of many a newcomer, is actually for use on the carp - not the angler. (As you’d expect, Gardner, do a good one, for the price of an M&S meal deal.)
Brolly or Bivvy?
For longer sessions, having a comfortable and waterproof shelter is a must. And here again the hardy perennial of budget brands, NGT, have products to suit; from a complete brolly system for under a ton, to a monster dome with ample parking for up to three vehicles, at around £275.
Sleep Tight…
Planning a night or two on the bank? Unless Ray Mears style bushcraft’s your thing, you’ll want to be comfortable (especially in the colder months). And in our (far from humble) opinion, there’s only one option.
The Saber SLP-4 boasts a soft-touch, fleece mattress offering unrivalled lumbar support, crash zips (natch) and a four season showerproof, rip-stop external layer.
Chuck in fully adjustable legs and a tonne of wriggle space, and you might just be tempted to wind in till morning.
Oh, and the best bit? You’ll get change out of £175.
Don’t Forget Your Sunnies, Honey!
Watercraft, and in particular fish spotting, is the absolute cornerstone of a successful carp angling session. So a pair of glare resistant, durable and scratch proof polaroids are an absolute boon - optimising visibility underwater, allowing you to identify areas of weed and snags and the Holy Grail: those glowing clear spots that indicate a fish’s natural larder.
Our go-to: Fortis. Why? Because they are, above all, a manufacturer of sunglasses - not a tackle company that’s added a few pairs onto the range, to ramp their revenue streams.
Expect to pay £16 or up, for a set of sunnies that will do the job.
And there, save to throw-in a couple of bags and bits boxes (NGT; nuff said), you have it. And as (I hope) is now clear: for newcomers to the sport, investing in a perfectly serviceable carp fishing setup doesn’t have to mean sacrificing your savings.
Rather, if you buy smart - focussing your ‘hard-won’ on the kit that matters - you really can get on the bank and catching; with enough leftover cash for a beer and a bankside takeaway.
Bon appetit!
