If you are looking for better ways to land decent carp and are not having the success you would like to during the day, you may have better luck at night.
How effective your night fishing experience is though, will depend on how well you prepare for it in advance. To help you out, we are going to look at some night fishing hints and tips in this post that will not only ensure you have the best chance of landing some great carp but will also ensure you are safe and have as comfortable and enjoyable time as possible.
Always Tell Someone When and Where You Are Going Night Fishing
Although this is self-explanatory, it is worth highlighting that you should always tell someone, a friend, colleague or relative that you are going night fishing. Let them know where about you will be fishing and how long you expect to be away. That way, in the event of anything happening to you, there will be people who can alert the authorities.
Invest in a Good Quality Bivvy
A Bivouac tent or bivvy is an essential bit of kit if you intend on making night fishing a regular thing. Not only are the best and quickest way to get cover from the rain and cold, if you get a particularly portable one, it won’t take up too much baggage. This is one of these things, even if you would like to save money, it pays to spend out for a good one. Cheaper bivvies tend to be poorly made and not really fit for the purpose. Check out our reflex compact bivvy review.
Don’t Skip on Bite Alarms
Although you might not be planning to get much sleep, there will be times when you need to put your head down for some shut eye. If you are a light sleeper, bite alarms are not something you will have to worry about. However, if you are a heavier sleeper and need a fog horn to wake you up on normal occasions, you need to buy good quality bite alarms. You can even get bite alarms that have receivers that attach easily to your bivvy. The last thing you want to do is set up your rods, in the best places with great bait, only to miss the chance to land some great carp because you were busy snoring your head off.
A High-Quality Sleeping Bed
Following on from the last couple related to sleep, as a lot of night fishing is setup and waiting around, if you want to get shut-eye, rather than trying to sleep on the harsh ground, it makes more sense to invest in a good quality bed. These are more affordable than you might think and are ideal for ensuring you are comfortable and don’t end up straining yourself while you are sleeping in those parts of the night where nothing is really happening.
Most are foldable and very portable, so you don’t need to worry too much about how much space they will take up.
Be Prepared
One of the keys to fishing in carp pools at night is being organised. This means getting to the venue ahead of darkness falling so you can setup and organise everything before visibility is poor. Having everything laid out, including your landing kit will ensure you have the most successful time and are not having to fumble around in the dark.
Consider your unhooking station, with a nice sized mat, antiseptic, scales, sling, forceps, lake water for dousing the fish and mat in and you are all set.
Night Light
This should be one of the first things you invest in. As organised as you can be, you will need to be able to see what you are doing in the dark. You don’t want to end up with a misplaced hook in your foot or arm, do you? A good quality night light may cost a little more than a cheap one but is a better investment all round.
Food and Drink
If you are intending on staying the duration out under the stars, you need to invest in some grub and drink for your night fishing experience. Think snacky things, that will provide you with high energy and remember to stay hydrated. For a real night fishing experience, invest in a small gas cooker to make yourself some tea or coffee.
If you want some more carp fishing tips check out CarpNbait.co.uk