Carp night fishing

Carp fishing at night can be a cold and miserable time if you don't make the necessary precautions, but night carp fishing can also be a rewarding time with some thumping fish available for the dedicated angler.

There are two ways to fish at night for carp:

1. Stay awake and use audible and visual bite indication.

• Visual bite indication can be as simple as a glow stick attached to the tip of your rod or you can purchase specially made illuminated floats.

2. Sleep and rely on audible bite detection to wake you up.

• For this method you need bite alarms. These come in a variety of form with increasing prices, but they all do a similar job - alerting you to a hookup!

Staying warm
This is the biggest problem with night fishing anywhere (I was cold when I went night fishing the first time and that was in the tropics!). You need a good shelter (read tent), and something to sleep in like a heavy duty sleeping bag. It is probably also a good idea to use a camping bed (stretcher bed) to raise yourself off the ground to be a little more comfortable and warm.

Tackle for night carp fishing
This remains basically the same as day time fishing with the addition of light in the form of glow sticks, and illuminated floats. Attach a glow stick to the tip of your rod and you have a cheap bit detection system - you can even buy specially made ones for this job. Always take a torch and lantern to see what you are doing!

Methods for fishing at nightYou know I could tell you some fancy secret, but it would be a lie. Catching carp at night is really not that much different from catching carp in the day time. However, they feel safer at night and will come much closer to the margins to feed. Some experts recommend throwing a bait in only 3 feet from the bank!

Bait for night carp fishingThere is one rule here - make it as smelly as possible so the carp can find it. Oily fish is great for this!

One last night carp fishing tipLike the scouts motto always be prepared. Rig your lines up before it gets dark and always have a spare rod or two rigged and ready to go just in case something goes wrong.