Best Carp Fishing Tackle of 2020?

We asked KARPZ consultant Kerim what carp fishing tackle he bought in 2020, that changed his angling. Here’s what he had to say.

2020 was all about canal carp fishing for me. I was tempted by some big fish day ticket lakes, and some large club waters, but in the end, hunting up and down the canal for some true characters was the route I took, and here are the top five pieces of carp fishing tackle that I couldn’t have done without.

Shimano Ultegra XTD5500 Reels

While these reels are probably too beefy for the canal, I need reels that are just as effective on vast reservoirs and pits, then they are on the canal. I opted for some new Shimano reels this year due to their reputation of reliability and a great aftercare customer service. I’ll be the first to admit they’re a little heavy for roving with, but with the spool caps on, I can greatly reduce the amount of line on the reels and remove the caps when it’s time to focus on big waters for a while. The control they give me over fish is so useful for keeping fiery fish away from weed and underwater snags, and believe me, these canal carp know how to find them!

Sabre Litesaber Bivvy Light

With 2020 being such a crazy year, planning becomes a little impossible, so when the chance arose for me to grab my rods and get out for a session, I’d be out the door in a flash. Unfortunately, that meant a lot of sessions I spent setting up in the dark and tying rigs on the bank. Especially when the days started getting shorter, the Sabre Litesaber made tying up my rigs in the dark easy, the different power settings are useful, and while the flashing red light didn’t come in handy, the feature of using the bivvy light as a power bank certainly did. For less than £20, this is a top buy and if you’re still using a headtorch for tying late-night multi rigs, treat yourself to a bivvy light!

FOX R Series Brolly

Carp fishing on a canal isn’t always the social session you may enjoy, but it’s exhilarating hunting up and down the canal to find feeding fish and tempt one out to save a blank. However, being on the move sounds easier than it often is, but the Fox R Series Brolly certainly helped. The brolly is lightweight, it handles all weathers, and I’ve had the pleasure of being out in the torrential rain, heavy snow and the scorching summer. A pleasantly surprising feature is the lack of condensation it generates despite being single skinned, and also the good head height which saves my back. All in all, the Fox R Series is the perfect canal brolly.

Korda Large Compac

Tackle boxes seem to be getting bigger and heavier, which is the last thing you need when you’re lugging it around swims all day. I also think it’s unnecessary to take all the tackle you own out every time. I know what tactics I’m going to use at different points of the year, which is usually a multi-rig, so it’s a no brainer to leave all the needless tackle at home and be as light as possible. The Large Korda Compac enabled me to put in my PVA, terminal tackle, bits and even my stove, meaning I could leave the box and rucksack at home. Being mobile on the canal is crucial, and you can’t afford to be bogged down by gear you won’t use!

Bank Tackle Metal Bait Screws

I only started including bait screws into my rigs this year when I found Bank Tackle’s metal bait screws. I’m a huge fan of Bank Tackle’s terminal tackle, and the metal bait screws are incredible. They’re pretty heavy, which makes counterbalancing wafters and pop-ups a lot easier, and they’re also pretty thin and discreet. If the Crayfish or ducks are playing havoc with my rigs, they’re brilliant for screwing on hard hookbaits, so considering how cheap and simple they are, they’ve been a great addition this year. I’m not really a fan of the plastic bait screws, I find them bulky and too weak, but maybe that’s down to how much I favour the metal versions!

You can follow Kerim on Instagram to see how his canal exploits are panning out during the cold start to 2021 by following him @kerim_kara. 

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