As fishing during darkness is becoming more and more popular in all branches of angling, it is essential you get the best headtorch you can to make the whole process as easy and as efficient as it can be. Headtorches really are essential items of kit and without them, fishing in the dark is virtually impossible.
Headtorches have come on a long way in recent times, dramatically improving the way we angle after the light has faded. Budget fishing headtorches used to just be used for baiting or sorting out a fish after capture but now many anglers use the beam functions for searching for fish like carp and barbel during the night, or for illuminating their spots or far margin markers for precise casting.
The best headtorches shortlist:
• Best in Class Fishing Headtorch: Led Lenser H19R Core - View offer on Total Fishing Tackle
• Best Budget Fishing Headtorch: Dekton Head Torch ProLight XA160 Searcher - View offer on B&Q
• Best Value Fishing Headtorch: RidgeMonkey VRH300X - View offer on Total Fishing Tackle
• Best Mid-Range Fishing Headtorch: Fox Halo AL350C Headtorch - View offer on Total Fishing Tackle
Headtorches, whilst all providing the same basic function do vary on features and their brightness. Some offer a beam mode to focus the light into a specific area at range, whilst others have red and green light functions to allow you to stay up tying rigs without shedding loads of light onto the water, into other angler's swims, or attracting too many biting insects into the bivvy. Here is a guide to some of the best available on the market...
Best headtorch for illumination
www.total-fishing-tackle.com
The Nash Powerbanx Moonshine Mega Lite is the headtorch for those anglers who require a superior product to illuminate the night. With three LED brightness settings, the headtorch can emit anywhere from 28 lumens upto a blinding 760 lumens, which is perfect for lamping carp in the dark or lighting up your spots when recasting in the dark - it almost looks as though you’re fishing in the daylight, they are that bright. It has been tested in clear conditions to have a reach of 220 metres - incredible!
A fully rechargeable 3000mAh lithium battery produces upto 81 hours of run time, depending on the settings used, and comes with a AA battery adaptor should it run out, so you are never without light. Despite its appearance, the headtorch is very light and comfortable to wear thanks to the elasticated straps and the ergonomic battery pack, which prevents it digging into your head.
Pros
- Superior Brightness.
- Water Resistant IPX-4.
Cons
- Can run out of charge quickly (4-6 hours) if using the main beam constantly.
Best mid-range fishing headtorch
www.total-fishing-tackle.com
The Fox Halo AL350C Headtorch is designed with the angler in mind, the adjustable camo headband being a dead giveaway. At 190g (including the battery), it is very lightweight and comes with a USB-c rechargeable Li-ion battery.
The brightness can be adjusted via the 'on' button and can be boosted from 350 lumens up to 500 lumens should you require that extra illumination, it also has a one-touch red light function if you wish to be more subtle. There is also a charging feature on the headtorch, red indicates charging and green indicates fully charged, so you’re no longer having to guess how much battery life you have.
Pros
- Very Bright.
- Looks Great.
Cons
- Can be quite dazzling.
Best budget headtorch
www.diy.com
Whilst not strictly a fishing headtorch, the Dekton Prollight XA160 Searcher is an incredibly powerful headtorch at a fantastic price. It’s very light and comfortable to wear, with the high intensity COB LED producing 160 lumens (although we think it looks a lot brighter than this) and the beam is adjustable by turning the spotlight itself.
When turned to its maximum beam, the Dekton can illuminate up to 200m and it does so with ease, and is fantastic for helping to cast in the dark, light up far margins or for sea angling. It has 3 light settings and is powered by 3AAA batteries which are easy to change. It will run for 10 hours on its lowest setting and 5 hours on its highest.
Pros
- Very affordable, enough for spares!
- Really powerful.
Cons
- Doesn't have the best run time on full power, rechargeable batteries would be useful.
Best compact fishing headtorch
www.total-fishing-tackle.com
The Trakker Nitlife 580 is a super-bright, compact headlight with a powerful focused beam.
The LED can deliver up to 580 lumens, with the focus controlled by a simple twist. There are five lighting modes and an additional red LED.
It can run on either the 3.7 800Mah Li-polymer rechargeable battery supplied, or on 3 x AAA batteries – meaning if your powerbank runs out, it’s not game over for your light.
Pros
- USB rechargeable with back up battery supply.
- Great light intensity.
Cons
- Strap can fall out of the front clip.
Best in class headtorch
www.total-fishing-tackle.com
If you really want the best available headtorch, then The LED Lenser H19R is an absolute beast and will excel in any fishing situation you wish to use it in. It is a very high-performance bit of kit and as you would expect is the most expensive in our list.
It has four brightness modes, with low producing 200 lumens and the boost function emitting an astronomical 3500 lumens, quite extraordinary from such a small unit. Fully recharged in 5 hours, it will last 4 hours on full power and 20 hours on the lowest setting. The headtorch comes with an IP68 rating, meaning it is completely waterproof (1 metre submersible), making it even more ideal for angling. The beam distance can be altered to give a maximum range of 300 metres, there is no headtorch that really touches this in terms of performance. There is even a 7 year warranty for added piece of mind.
Pros
- Outstanding specifications, 3500 lumens.
- Fully waterproof.
Cons
- It comes at a big price tag for an item anglers usually budget on.
Best hands-free headtorch
www.total-fishing-tackle.com
For the angler who wants a compact, hassle free headtorch, the Wolf Powercube 200 Powerbeam is a great option. A very small unit weighing in at 52g, it is fully rechargeable and has three different brightness modes to cater to your requirements, with the most powerful option producing 200 lumens.
The headtorch works on a hands-free basis, which makes it much easier to operate in the dark. Simply slide your hand over the sensor and the light will come on, it can be switched off moving your hand the opposite way. The wide optical lens enhances the light that leaves the headtorch, so it does appear brighter than the stated 200 lumens, and Wolf have added an anti-dazzle feature to stop it reflecting back and blinding you in the dark.
Pros
- Hands free operation.
- Very compact.
Cons
- Not as bright as others available.
Best beginner headtorch
www.millets.co.uk
The Petzl Tactikka Headtorch is a powerful little headtorch with plenty of nice features included. With a 300 lumen maximum output, the light is crisp and bright, and can illuminate up to 250m on a clear night, when used in its focused beam mode.
The headtorch comes with three lighting modes, proximity, movement and distance vision, which essentially mean its dimmest at proximity and brightest at distance. A red light function is also included for discretion on the bank. The unit is run on 3x AAA batteries which are included and the run time is around 8-10 hours, we do recommend taking extras as they can be swapped out in seconds.
The headtorch is also water resistant and weighs a mere 85g, it also comes with a camo head strap.
Pros
- Easy to use.
- Comfortable to wear.
Cons
- Run time isn't great on full power.
Best Value fishing headtorch
www.total-fishing-tackle.com
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.
Cons
- Unit is a bit chunkier than some others.
What to look for in a fishing headtorch
When it comes to choosing a headtorch for fishing, the main purpose is to illuminate the area around you so you can see what you're doing. All headtorches will do this regardless of price but in some fishing situations you may need your headtorch to be more advanced.
Whether you're recasting and you need to be very accurate, or you want to tie rigs during darkness, you may want to consider a unit that has a beam mode light function to further assist you. The higher the Lumen output, the brighter and more intense the light emitted will be, so if you need something very bright, aim for one with the highest lumen output you can afford.
The different coloured modes some models have can be really beneficial during the night, especially when you have just woken up, want to remain stealthy or are trying rigs and don't want to be dazzled by a bright white light. This is where the red and green light modes are really beneficial to an angler, they provide plenty of light to be able to see what you're doing but wont spook fish, annoy other angler or cause you to be temporarily blinded when looking out into the darkness as your eyes can adjust much more easily.
Glossary
Illumination: The action of supplying or brightening with light.
Lumens: A measure of the total amount of visible light in some defined beam or emitted from a source. The higher the lumens, the brighter the light.
Headtorch: A headlamp, headlight, or headtorch (UK) is a light source affixed to the head, typically for outdoor activities at night or in dark conditions such as fishing.
Submersible: Designed to operate underwater.
IP64 Rating: IP64 protected from total dust ingress. Protected from water spray from any direction.
mAh: Refers to the capacity of the battery to hold a certain amount of energy. Specifically, the "mAh" stands for milliampere-hour, which is the measurement unit for the energy capacity of batteries, the higher the mAh, the more powerful the battery.
Lamping: Shining light directly into the water during the night in the hope of spotting fish.
Frequently asked questions
How may lumens do I need in my headtorch?
When it comes to lumens, it is entirely down to angler's preference and what the headtorch will be used for. For general fishing, a headtorch capable of producing between 50 and 300 lumens will make a great all-round unit, but if you require something more powerful for sea angling or lamping fish like barbel, then aim for the most powerful you can afford as it will make a difference.
Do I need a beam function?
A beam function, whilst unnecessary for normal headlight use, is particularly useful for recasting at night. The beam function focuses the light into a bright channel that will help illuminate the area you're fishing, allowing you to be far more accurate when recasting at night. It also helps getting the rods out if you don't arrive at the lake until after dark.
Will a green or red light be beneficial to me fishing at night?
The benefits of a red light at night are that it attracts less flying insects, it helps reduce the dazzle from white light and it stops antisocial lighting across the lake, potentially spooking fish and annoying other anglers. Green light helps you see more clearly in the dark, whilst completely eliminating the dazzle and momentary blindness you can get when turning a white light on or off, making it easier to see what you're doing.
Author Aidan Bordiuk is an enthusiastic angler who enjoys all fishing disciplines from match fishing to beach casting. He is currently occupying the position of Commercial Content Writer at Angling Times.