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Like @yonny I do not like using backleads, for the reasons he states. If you add a backlead, you add an extra angle, and angles reduce indication. I will only use them if there are boats on the water I'm fishing, where I need to get the line below the boat hulls or engine. When I do need to use them, it is the Gardner Tackle Captive Back lead for me. The majority of the time I can get the line running along the lakebed by sinking my rod tips below the surface. That is on reservoirs and lakes. Add in any distance above 40metres and the line runs along the lakebed anyway, unless there are features like gravel bars between your rod tips and the end tackle.

There are no hard/fast rules but generally you'd go heavier for longer distance work and lighter for close-in stuff. I personally am not a fan of back leads. They reduce sensitivity and if there's any weed or debris around they can cause big problems. I remember watching a lad having to land a fish in a boat a few years ago.... his back lead had snagged in the weed. Once released, the rig/fish was also weeded up. It was like a spiders web of line around his swim, looked like a nightmare. He lost the fish. If I had to use one, I'd use a flying back lead. The important thing is getting that last few feet pinned down.

Hey 👋🏼, good luck in starting out with the carping. Over here we use relatively light tackle compared to gar fishing or shark fishing ect. There's no need to use things like steel traces. They have really soft mouths so they have to be played a little more carefully. The teeth they do have (pharyngeal teeth) are back in they're throat and more like human molars for crushing food items so no need to worry about steel traces. The aim is to make your rig look as inconspicuous as possible under the water. Rods are generally around 2.5lb - 3.5lb test curve Size 4 - 12 hooks depending on size of carp we are targeting. Most lakes around the UK don't hold many large fish(fish over 30lbs) Wide gape & curve shank being 2 popular hook types. Usually barbless or micro barbed so the fish has as little damage / stress as possible and can be unhooked / put back swiftly and safely after a pic or 2 if it's a nice one lol Hook lengths are usually around 12lb - 25lb and usually braid or fluorocarbon. Might want to go heavier if your fishing for 40lb+ fish. Hope this helps. Would be cool to see a few mexican carp Tight lines & Wet nets