These days, I’m always looking at ways to reduce the amount of kit I carry without compromising my fishing. This is basically my compact tackle box, containing all the key end-tackle items I need for a session, without carrying loads of unnecessary extras.
This is the other half of my tackle box, covering everything from hook-shaping equipment and baiting-up essentials to a mixture of useful extras.
I always try to carry at least two or three of the same items because, for some reason, I’m forever losing things! Put a pair of scissors down on the bank and they seem to disappear into thin air 😂. No problem though—I just reach for the spare pair.
It might sound excessive, but having duplicates of the little things makes life so much easier and, most importantly, a lot less stressful when you’re fishing.
I carry a small bag containing my compact tackle box, hooklink materials and a few other essentials I might need while fishing.
My rule is simple: if it doesn’t fit in the bag, it doesn’t come fishing!
It’s all about keeping things compact and carrying only what I actually need, without compromising my ability to deal with whatever the session throws at me.
I would like to give a brief snap shot of my life and introduce myself;
My name is Richard Handel and was born in 1965 in Suffolk. I have worked as a UK Operation & Intermodule Manager for a shipping company. I live in Hampshire now and am married with 2 young children, both girls so I am a bit outnumbered even the cat is a girl!
I have been fishing since I was about 7 years old. I started on small local rivers in Suffolk, then moved onto gravel pits and then carp fishing. My personal best is a 39.08 mirror, over recent years I have started river fishing again, on the Hampshire Avon, this is a nice break from the carp lakes.
My life has turned a big corner this year, the company I was working for relocated their Operation centre to Estonia. I was offered a job at the head office in London. This would have meant a 5 day commute and working in Stratford. As a family, we did not fancy this, as I would hardly spend any time with the children (and the Mrs). So after 22.5 years, I was given a nice redundancy package and with my wife is working full time. I became the house husband.
This has meant a complete turn around in my fishing, as I can pick and choose when I go. I have found a splendid new syndicate to fish this year, which includes 5 lakes and some 8 miles of river with only 150 members. It's an amazing change to the way I am able to fish.
I am now trying to start my own tackle business and make a bit of a name for myself in the world of fishing, as I have retired from real work.
Richard
