10 tips for staying lightweight and mobile and catch more carp?

As tackle options become endless with gadgets and gizmo’s to do and use for every eventuality. The average carp angler finds themselves equipped with even more kit than ever before. When visiting a water you may not know that well, it is tempting to take everything and the kitchen sink as you do not know what you are going to be facing.

However staying mobile with the ability to quickly move around on to the fish is advantageous. Therefore I feel it is essential to keep your kit to the bear essentials allowing you to move easily around the water without a barrow and avoiding a possible broken back lugging everything you have on and off the water.

1. Just one bag

Aim to carry everything you need into one bag. I personally go for a single ruck sack that holds everything I need for at least 24 hours.

2. Light weight chair

Replace your bed chair with a day chair for short sessions or get a light weight bed chair.

3. Replace heavy items

Change any steel bank sticks or pods for carbon or aluminium options.

4. Only one sessions essentials

Reduce your terminal tackle to bear minimum. Just enough leads for the session and pre-tied rigs save you carrying the rig making kit with you.

5. Just enough cover

Your shelter of choice can make a big weight saving, look at the brolly wrap bivvies, or some of the new ultra light offerings from Trakker Products and Aqua Products. These could save kilos of weight and be a sound investment.

6. Stay organised

Only take out essential items you need from your bag, this way if a quick move is needed you are half packed already.

7. Your creature comforts

Remove some creature comforts like sleeping bags (in the summers months) and replace with sleeping in your clothes and covering with a bedchair cover.

8. Your Carp bait

Be careful how much bait you take, if you are baiting up make sure you are only carrying it there and not bring any back with you. Keep your hook bait choices short.

9. Great things come in small packages

Make every thing as small as possible, camping shops can be a good source of light weight gear often associated with mountain climbing over fishing. Stove, kettle and pans, water carrier all can be purchased in light weight versions.

10. Back up items

If you really can not decide on an item, why not take them and leave it in the car just in case.

Hopefully these few will save you some back pain and enable you to catch a few more.