Blanking.

cg74 · Jan 7, 2014

They're an inevitable part of angling, no matter who you are and where you fish (within reason).

But how do you take them:
-Not bothered; there's more to fishing than catching.
-Accept it as one of those unfortunate things, besides there will be other opportunities.
-Mull it over and vow to try harder next time.
-Scrutinise everything you done in attempt to formulate a plan to rectify a wrong, get out at first opportunity in a bid to right that wrong.

I'm 100% the last option.

tiinker · Jan 7, 2014

I would say the last option is one of the most important angling lessons to learn. Once you have it in your head that this is the way to go you are on your way to being a angler not someone who just goes fishing.

sagalout · Jan 7, 2014

cg74 said:
plan to rectify a wrong

Is a blank always because of a wrong? Surely as the temperatures drop, water levels rise and fall the fish ain't always feeding or in an accessible place.

tiinker · Jan 7, 2014

sagalout said:
Is a blank always because of a wrong? Surely as the temperatures drop, water levels rise and fall the fish ain't always feeding or in an accessible place.

It is more a question of asking yourself did you cover all the options even the silly ones where you look at a swim and think no there will be nothing in there some times you get the surprise of your life leave no stone unturned.

andreagrispi · Jan 7, 2014

I hate blanking, but I tend to fish difficult waters, targeting big fish. Sometimes you have to accept that blanks will occur.

On most blanks, I know I have fished very well - it's rare that my inadequacies have resulted in the blank.

nicepix · Jan 7, 2014

I think that it depends on where and why you fish. I don't normally fish waters that are what could be described as 'easy' and I don't spend several days at the water in the same peg. If I'm fishing for carp, barbel or catfish I never expect to catch every time, or even most of the time so for me blanking is part of the experience. If I wanted to catch virtually every time I could just by changing the target species or fishing heavily stocked waters. But that isn't what I like to do.

theartist · Jan 7, 2014

I can't handle blanking therefore stick to rivers i know well especially in winter, for me thats not a cop out as i can choose the right venue when most rivers are over their banks (like they are now) and have a good/great days fishing.

If i blank when taking a punt on somewhere new i put it down to not knowing the venue rather than looking at what i'm doing. Local knowledge is everything.

S-Kippy · Jan 7, 2014

sagalout said:
Is a blank always because of a wrong? Surely as the temperatures drop, water levels rise and fall the fish ain't always feeding or in an accessible place.

No its not. You can't catch a fish that's not there or that hasn't a mind to feed no matter what you do. Nor can you be everywhere. Blanks are part of the deal & I dont accept the suggestion that there is always something that you could have done.

Nobody likes blanking but I'd never beat myself up over it. No fish will ever keep me awake at night.

pidgergj · Jan 7, 2014

The club i am a member of has a number of lakes, one of which is much "easier" than the others. I have a favourite, which happens to be the most difficult, or so it seems. When i returned to fishing this year, with VERY limited knowledge and experience, i inevitably blanked on the "hard" water, legering with method feeder and groundbait feeder for the first time ever. My only knoledge of these methods was from reading/watching videos. I started to doubt wether i was getting ot right so i went the next week to the "easy" lake, used the same methods and caught bucket loads of mid single figure carp, confirming to me that i wasnt doing anything drastically wrong.

I only fish the easier water now if i feel im getting a new technique/method wrong, removing any element of doubt i may have when i blank on the harder venue.

Blanking on this particular venue doesnt bother me so much when i know im getting my presentation right, and its probably due to something i cant really influence ie water conditions, temperature, feeding habits ect.

tiinker · Jan 7, 2014

S-Kippy said:
No its not. You can't catch a fish that's not there or that hasn't a mind to feed no matter what you do. Nor can you be everywhere. Blanks are part of the deal & I dont accept the suggestion that there is always something that you could have done.

Nobody likes blanking but I'd never beat myself up over it. No fish will ever keep me awake at night.

Trying to hard is a sure way to notch up a blank.

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Jan 7, 2014

To me it will be thinking over what I did, where I fished and when I fished.

A blank on a commercial in summer then I must be doing something wrong, a blank on a river in winter then maybe I'm just fishing the wrong swim or in the wrong condiations

sam vimes · Jan 7, 2014

I always view a blank as having got something wrong, even if it's only in the choice of venue, target species or simply not staying at home. However, provided I learn something, even if it's to avoid the venue concerned for ever more

, blanking is not the end of the world.

bennygesserit · Jan 7, 2014

cg74 said:
They're an inevitable part of angling, no matter who you are and where you fish (within reason).

But how do you take them:
-Not bothered; there's more to fishing than catching.
-Accept it as one of those unfortunate things, besides there will be other opportunities.
-Mull it over and vow to try harder next time.
-Scrutinise everything you done in attempt to formulate a plan to rectify a wrong, get out at first opportunity in a bid to right that wrong.

I'm 100% the last option.

I detest blanking to such an extent that I began judging the success of the day solely in terms of the weight of fish I was catching and if I didn't catch I would get really ~~P*****D-OFF~~ rather tense.

Last year I forced myself a couple of times to fish slightly more difficult waters rather than the normal carp pool and gradually learned to just relax and enjoy being outside which , as a casual "dabbler" or "happy splodger" , is what its all about.

hang on let me find the strikethrough font

barbelboi · Jan 7, 2014

I had my first ever blank (for roach) on a certain 17 acre gravel pit before Christmas. This is a pit I have fished since the early 60’s, know well and have previously always caught (roach when fishing for them) in any weather conditions thrown at me to a greater or lesser number. On this day, in five hours, I could not buy a bite (let alone a fish) neither could a friend ( who has also fished the pit since the 60’s) fishing with me – we were the only two on the water. We tried everything we knew (plus a few things we didn’t know) to no avail which left me more bemused than anything. I don’t think I can count this one as a learning experience – rather just one of those days where a mixture of changeable weather conditions (or whatever – the weather was mild with a light SW’erly on the day but had been up and down like a yo yo over the previous few days) even put the roach completely off for at least the period of time that we were there..................

Prior to that visit I have always believed that if I could not get a bite on a river or pit it needed more chopping and changing on my part (which I always do if I don’t feel I’m catching as well as I should) – that the/a fish would eventually bite if I got it right on the day...............

PS I'd go for the last one too......................

dorsetandchub · Jan 7, 2014

I often fish a tidal section of the River Frome where the rewards can be massive but are never guaranteed.

A blank is a very realistic possibility esp if one fishes it in daylight.

It's like a game of battleships. If the fish are there, you can catch them. If not, then no.

I don't like blanking, don't get me wrong but it DOES help keep one's feet on the ground and can help drive one to better efforts. As someone else said, I could glut my keepnet at the local commie but I value those river fish very much. My PB roach came off the Frome and is an example of what CAN be achieved but is never guaranteed.

Although I agree with the OP on box 4, I tend to dip into box 3 and take out the vow to do better.

S-Kippy · Jan 7, 2014

Nobody likes blanking Phil but a sense of proportion in all things [not just fishing] is,to my mind,essential. I never have been a "driven" angler or felt any need to engage in a fight to the death with the fish,conditions,PB's or other anglers. I have [ in the past] fallen foul of the "catch at all and any cost" demon and found it destructive, unsatisfying and not terribly enjoyable.

I fish as hard and as well as I can when I'm there but not if I start getting uptight about it. Its only fishing.

Was there a "Does it really matter that much" option ? That's me...and it doesn't make me any less commited or worse an angler.Fishing doesn't [and never has] dominated my life.It has to take its place in the queue with all the other demands on my time.

If I feel I'm going for the sake of it I dont go. Similarly the second it becomes a chore I will give it up. I've been out once since 1 Dec and though I would not say I'm happy about that such is life.The sun will still rise in the morning....you probably wont see it but it will rise.

tiinker · Jan 7, 2014

S-Kippy said:
Nobody likes blanking Phil but a sense of proportion in all things [not just fishing] is,to my mind,essential. I never have been a "driven" angler or felt any need to engage in a fight to the death with the fish,conditions,PB's or other anglers. I have [ in the past] fallen foul of the "catch at all and any cost" demon and found it destructive, unsatisfying and not terribly enjoyable.

I fish as hard and as well as I can when I'm there but not if I start getting uptight about it. Its only fishing.

Was there a "Does it really matter that much" option ? That's me...and it doesn't make me any less commited or worse an angler.Fishing doesn't [and never has] dominated my life.It has to take its place in the queue with all the other demands on my time.

If I feel I'm going for the sake of it I dont go. Similarly the second it becomes a chore I will give it up. I've been out once since 1 Dec and though I would not say I'm happy about that such is life.The sun will still rise in the morning....you probably wont see it but it will rise.

That is just how I feel about decorating and all the other job the misses wants me to do it will still be there tomorrow . I give her, her due though she is persistent she has been try to get me to see things her way for 46 years in march. Now I am retired I am retired period as far as chores are concerned.

Bob Hornegold · Jan 7, 2014

Blanking ?

I really don't mind blanking at all, it goes with the type of fishing I do ?

What I hate is loosing hooked fish; fish I may have spent months targeting.

If the tackle is right, the rigs are right and the bait is right, then it has to be about the way I played the fish and I hate it if the fish comes off ?

Big Pits and long rivers with a small head of fish and blanking is inevitable, if it's catching you want, go to easy waters where there are plenty off fish.

Bob

chub_on_the_block · Jan 7, 2014

On a hard water i fish for Tench i have a realistic expectation that i may blank most of the time. The problems start when i get a summer like last year where i managed three Tench from about 15 sessions. At that point i start to think i may not renew my membership next year and need to look for somewhere else. If the blanks are spread between successes thats fine, even if i am fishing other places between times and doing OK, but relying on a water where it apparently harder each year - then its time to move on i think.

laguna · Jan 7, 2014

I think most of us will agree that blanking is inevitable, nobody will get it right every single time and if the fish aren't there or feeding then even the greatest angler in the world can still blank.

To me its an essential part of learning, in fact I've had some of my best ideas sat there thinking about what to do next, its very inspirational. Same goes for business failures, every successful business man has eventually learned to get it right (much of the time). Trust your gut and your instincts but stay focused and be prepared to adapt to your situation would be my best advice.

But above all else enjoy it, whatever the outcome!

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