Power Supply at the Waterside

We bring so much equipment to the waterside these days! Not just fishing gear, but also lots of electronics like mobile phones, laptops, TV, bait boats, batteries for the electric motor, etc. At public waters and some paid fishing spots, there’s no power supply, so you need to find a solution to last for several days. In this article, I’ll explain how I did it.

By: Marcel Dolderman

Self-Sufficient at the Waterside

There are all kinds of options available on the market nowadays for charging your equipment. For phones, a power bank might suffice, but for batteries for the electric motor or bait boat, you need heavier equipment.

You could choose a generator, but personally, I don’t think that’s the right solution for being in nature. You’re there for peace and quiet, and that humming by the waterside isn’t very relaxing, not for you or your fellow anglers.

Connecting a Solar Panel to your Fishing Trolley

Since I have a fishing trolley, I thought about mounting a solar panel on it. I mounted it on the trolley’s lid under my roof rack, where I keep my inflatable boat. There’s 5cm of empty space between the roof rack and the trolley’s lid. This way, I can make optimal use of the available space.

The solar panel fits perfectly between the lid and the roof rack

The second reason for mounting the solar panel on the trolley’s lid is that the lid can open, allowing you to make optimal use of the sun to charge the battery. Because it’s at an angle rather than flat, it captures more sunlight. You can also move the trolley to follow the sun.

The products I used are:

A 180 amp battery. I mounted this in the trolley.
Connected to it: A 100-watt solar panel with a charge controller
And an inverter from 12 to 230 volts so you can connect devices like your laptop or coffee maker.

With this power supply, I can charge everything I bring and stay at the waterside for several days.

Good luck,

Greetings Marcel

Marcel Dolderman

I have been fishing all my life, but the carp bug started around when I was sixteen, in the western part of the country where I was born. I was less active in fishing for a few years, but the passion runs where it cannot be suppressed. Fishing truly brings me peace, being out in nature, and feeling the adrenaline rush when the bite alarm goes off. Besides carp fishing, I enjoy experimenting with everything related to carp fishing.