To get the most out of specimen fishing, whether you’re fishing for carp or other species such as tench and bream, you ideally need to fish for them at night.
Many fish, especially those in heavily-pressured venues, will often feed with more confidence under the cover of darkness or at first light, so your catch rate is likely to increase if you can fish overnight sessions.
If it is something you have never done before, there are a number of factors to consider to ensure your session runs smoothly.
The key to effectively spending your first night on the bank is efficiency. The old saying ‘if you fail to plan, you plan to fail’ perfectly sums up night fishing. Particularly if you are new to it.
In this article we are going to take a look at some of the main points that will help you enjoy a successful night fishing session.
Essential kit
As well as your standard fishing kit, there are a number of extra items that are required to make sure your overnight stay is a comfortable one.
Firstly, a good quality bivvy or shelter is a must. If you’re likely to just be fishing for one night at a time a brolly style shelter will suffice, but if you intend to spend several days at a time on the bank you may want to consider a larger bivvy which will have enough space to house the extra kit required.
Likewise, if long walks with your gear on a barrow is required to get to the pegs at your venue, look for lightweight shelters which are easier to transport. If, on the other hand, you can park close to your peg, weight is less important.
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Sonik have designed the Sonik Xtractor bivvy for anglers doing shorter sessions and overnighters by incorporating some interesting features. The bivvy sets up quickly, meaning you'll be fishing in no time.
The Xtractor's aluminium centre block streamlines the erection process completely. With all poles exiting the block, once the anti-twist ribs have been connected, the bivvy simply fans out and is locked in place under the peak at the front of the bivvy. This creates a very sturdy, freestanding structure that can be erected in as little as two minutes, perfect for those new to setting up a bivvy. The flat back, steep-sided design also helps maximise space, allowing the bedchair to be placed as far back as possible.
All the poles are made from strong aluminium, which helps to reduce the weight. Whilst the fabric incorporates a 5000mm hydrostatic polyester to ensure you stay dry. The bivvy also includes a Vapour cap to reduce condensation in the colder months, a big plus from us!
Pros
- Block system allows for easy and quick setup
- Flat back design gives plenty of internal space
Cons
- 5000mm fabric isn't as waterproof as others
Next, is a comfortable bedchair. Again, it’s important to consider the weight and size of the bed in terms of both the type of venue you’re fishing and the shelter you’ll be putting it in. Some of the larger beds on the market, although incredibly comfortable, would be a tight squeeze under a compact shelter and are more suited to use in a two-man bivvy.
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Not everyone has an unlimited budget to spend on a bedchair, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a reliable and comfortable bed, enter the Prologic Avenger.
It has been designed to cater to all anglers, and we have to say, for the price, it is very impressive. The bed comes complete with sleeping bag to create a full sleep system so you don't need to buy anything else...perfect!
Available in a six or eight leg version, they also feature a completely flat profile as well as a sculpted, padded mattress designed to offer exceptional comfort and support whilst on the bank. The padded sides are constructed in a 600D waterproof camo fabric that gives the bedchair a very premium finish to it. The fully adjustable legs come with sturdy mudfeet to ensure you can create a level and stable structure regardless of the terrain.
The double-hinged fold-flat frame is something we usually see on more expensive models, but Prologic have included it on the Avenger to allow you to fold the bedchair up super compact with your bag on it if you wish to do so.
Pros
- Very light bedchair, great for mobile angling.
- Looks great.
- Full sleep system
Cons
- Not the longest bedchair, especially if you are tall.
| Dimensions: | 190cm (L) x 70cm (W) x 42cm (H) |
| Weight: | 7kg |
| Max load: | 105kg |
A good warm sleeping bag is also required, even in the warm summer months. A sleeping bag with a three-season rating will do the job for most of the year, but if you plan to fish right the way through winter, a five-season bag will provide extra warmth. Read these essential tips before going fishing to safely keep your bivvy warm!
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Trakker Big Snooze+ Sleeping Bag is an ultra-lightweight bag, designed to provide exceptional insulation and breathability, making it ideal for fishing trips in various seasons.
The bag features a warm fleece lining for added comfort and a highly-breathable ripstop material for optimal airflow. The quick-release zips on both sides with webbing prevents snagging, ensuring easy entry and exit, preventing you getting stuck should you get a run in the night, which happens to even the best anglers in haste to get to the rod!
This bag is exceptionally comfortable and will keep you lovely and warm during your session.
Pros
- Available in three sizes to find the perfect fit
- Ultra lightweight less than 3Kg
Cons
- Zips are not full length of the sleeping bag
When it comes to bite registration, it simply isn’t practical to sit up all night watching a float or quiver tip. So you’ll need to use bite alarms to alert you when you get a take. Many anglers prefer to use a set of alarms with a receiver. This is a device which syncs to your bite alarm heads and can be kept in your bivvy next to your bed allowing you to turn the volume down low or mute completely on the actual bite alarm.
www.total-fishing-tackle.com
A superb version of what has become an iconic carp fishing bite alarm, the Delkim TXI-D, features Delkim's highly developed vibration-sensing technology, which is nearly unrivalled in terms of sensitivity. These premium alarms also include an advanced security system that alerts the angler if the device is tampered with at night—an option we hope is never needed.
The TXI-D's LEDs can be adjusted for brightness, offering both stealth mode and instant day-to-night settings. Volume, tone, and sensitivity are fully customizable to suit the angler's preferences, with the Delkim’s classic and unique sound now being almost legendary in modern carp fishing.
Battery life on these alarms is impressive, with low battery warnings and an auto power-down feature that alerts the user when it's time to recharge. One of Delkim's biggest selling points, however, is their durability. Despite their advanced technology, these alarms can withstand anything, from torrential rain to heavy frosts and are reliable if you fish one day or 300 days a year.
The RX-D receiver, which can be purchased as part of a set or separately, is of superb quality. With a maximum range of 750 meters, it easily covers the distance to your bivvy. The new "do not disturb" function ensures that the alarm only sounds after four seconds of line movement, eliminating false alarms from wind or other minor disturbances. For those who struggle to hear their alarms, the receiver includes a vibrating function, and a very bright run light illuminates the bivvy when you get a run. There aren’t many better receivers on the market.
Pros
- Unrivalled sensitivity
- Incredibly durable in all weather conditions
Cons
- LED colours are not adjustable, with popular colours often hard to get hold of
Night vision
Carrying out tasks such astying fresh rigs, attaching hookbaits and even landing fish is obviously much harder in the dark than during the day. As such you’ll need to ensure you have some additional lighting.
When choosing a headtorch, look for ones with a red light setting as well as white light as this won’t ruin your night vision. It is also better for ‘banked’ fish as a red light doesn’t stress them as much as shining a bright white light into their eyes. If there are anglers on the opposite bank, it is much more polite to use the red light setting rather than shining a bright white light across the lake.
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The RidgeMonkey VRH300X is a very high-spec fishing headtorch. Encased in a rubberised shell to prevent damage from impacts, the case also makes the unit dust and water resistant too, making for a very durable tackle item. It also floats, which is really beneficial for angling.
The VRH300X has an adjustable twin colour brightness with a maximum output of 200 lumens, however, when using the spotlight it feels far brighter than stated and creates a fantastic illumination of the chosen area. Fully rechargeable in 5 hours, it has a very impressive battery life with up to 90 hours usage (dependent on mode). The green light mode is also adjustable, preventing the blurred vision a red light can cause and also prevents the momentary blindness when turning the headtorch off that white light can create.
This headtorch also benefits from a clever night location feature which is unique to RidgeMonkey. This feature allows you to keep the headtorch on a dim setting with a green light, so you can locate your headtorch in the darkness, this only uses 1% power and is a very useful feature.
Pros
- Night Location mode.
- Fantastic battery life.
- Incredibly bright.
Cons
- Unit is a bit chunkier than some others.
Bivvy lights are another option which can be attached to inside of your shelter via a magnetic strip. Many of these also have a USB output and can be used for charging phones and other devices.
Safety tips
Fishing in the dark brings with it a number of potential hazards that you need to be aware of.
Before you turn in for the night check that your peg is tidy and there are no obstructions or items between your shelter and your rods that you could trip over if you receive a screaming take in the middle of the night.
Make sure items such as your headtorch, bite alarm receiver and phone are close to hand and easy to locate if you need them during the night.
Always tell a friend or family member about where you are fishing and when you expect you’ll be back. We recommend installing the What3words app on your phone so that you can accurately share your location in the case of an emergency, especially when fishing more remote venues. It is also important to carry a portable charging device so that you don't have to worry about your phone running out of battery.
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To keep connected to the outside world by keeping all of your devices charged, a powerbank has become an essential in the night anglers kit. This Fox one has a wireless charging facility compatible with most modern phones as well as two USB and a USB-C port for charging tablets, head torches and other accessories.
Pros
- LCD display shows charging and power level
- Fold-out legs to hold your phone while charging
Cons
- Solar panels for bankside charging of the pack would have been a handy addition
Fish effectively
During the day it is easy to cast accurately to your baited spots. But this becomes much more difficult in the dark. To ensure that you are fishing as effectively as possible through the night, use a pair of distance sticks to wrap your mainline around and count how many ‘wraps’ are required to hit the spot. The other important thing is to choose a far bank marker with a silhouette that will be visible at night.
Playing fish in the dark is also a different experience than during the day. Rather than relying on your sight to see which direction the fish is going you will have to rely more on other senses and pay more attention to ‘feeling’ where the fish is heading. Before the sun has set it is worth making a mental note of any snags or other potential hazards in your swim that a hooked fish could potentially head towards so that you are aware of them during the night.
With the items listed above in this article, you have the basic kit (once combined with end tackle and bait) to go out and catch carp from a venue near you. We would recommend starting night fishing by visiting one of these great fisheries, these venues offer consistent sport all-year round due to the numbers of fish present. The fish will likely be smaller than some of the whackers you might see printed in the magazine or on the TV, but learning how to catch these consistently will give you a great starting point to progress on to bigger and tougher waters from.
Author James Furness is the editor for the Angling Times and has been carp fishing for over 20 years, he enjoys catching all species of fish and all aspects of the sport.