How do you deal with blanks?

[Zerkalo]

Just fished the Severn and blanked. What do you do afterwards to pick yourself up?

What I've done is noted that section of the river and that peg in particular, paid attention to the fact it's deeper and shouldn't be fished again in most conditions. In other situations if I blanked on a peg I'd fished before and knew could be a good peg it would be a different story and I'd be looking at different tactics for potentially fishing that peg again in a different way.

I packed up my stuff quite early even though I know the river can turn on of an evening, I just knew I was on the wrong peg, so I packed up and came home. In other words, just trying not to kick myself too much.

Now to my sisters for dinner to talk about how I caught no fish today...

 

[Silverfisher]

Without sounding arrogant luckily blanks are very rare for me, maybe one or two a year and only in the winter. Thats purely a result of the styles of fishing I do though as I generally fish for all sorts/whatever is in front of me.

 

[Wise Owl]

If Blanking on a river is an issue mate ponds are the Answer, i never have to pick my sen up after a Blank, i sometimes think should i, or would it maybe, but im there, im out in the wild not waiting for a Hungry Pond pig to pull the tip round. The thing is Rivers and Barbel fishing in particular im happy with one fish.

 

[Total]

I don't do anything 'to pick myself up'......I fish it to the best of my ability and move on.....That's fishing, and pegs can change hourly on any venue. Enjoy it for what it his ,and get home and enjoy your dinner......You'll have 'your moment' again......

 

[IanG1]

Hot shower, big roast dinner and a cold pint and just forget about it. I haven't blanked in recent times but some of the old winter league matches on the Trent or canals and blanks were common place back then.

 

[Yuccaman]

Depends what you are fishing for. I've joined a new club this year with some big, difficult waters and I've blanked multiple times and also had two new PBs. Blanking is part of fishing. I don't expect to catch every time (OK, if I was fishing a massively stocked commercial and everyone was bagging up and I repeatedly blanked, I might ask myself some questions), but it's part of a learning curve. I don't pick myself up a much as add into the knowledge bank of the water.

 

[ukzero1]

I just look to the next session and change a few things such as swap a few baits round.

 

[Blanks]

There are so many variables on rivers that it is pointless beating yourself up over it, a blank is a challenge to return and fish it again. Match anglers know the area's where fish congregate and will attack that sort of peg in the right conditions, but draw a poor area in unfavourable conditions means scratching with fine gear for odd fish. Knowledge of a venue is vital when fishing natural waters.

 

[Gwillim]

All part of it, as others have said shower, dinner and replan for the next visit, which will be completely different as the likely hood that the water colour, flow etc will be exactly the same next time is highly unlikely

 

[pauln]

Part of fishing life , there is always next time.

 

[Northantslad]

Don't beat yourself up whatever you do. As some have said, it is the realities of Barbelling.
Don't see it as blank, take the load you had the other day and just divide that by 2 sessions. You will have still had more Barbel on average per session than I had in my first 5 years of working at it. The where to head and when (in what conditions) is knowledge that has to be gleaned and on a River that can just shut down in certain conditions. I think even then only those that grow up on the river and live on it ever get to understand it inside out. I never will, as I can't just open the back door, stick a finger into the air and think right, time to fish it.

For many, when to go is dictated largely by commitments and sorting a date well in advance, not necessarily by when conditions are right. One thing is for sure though out trying and learning is better than sitting and waiting for ideal conditions, when it is an hour or two away.

 

[johng19]

I just go home a bit sad.

 

[Tinca Steve]

Try to avoid a blank in the first place.
Learn as much as you can before you go.
Make notes on your fishery per peg . Use those notes to the best of your ability, dont try to remember as the brain is a fickle thing.
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
Makes notes whilst fishing, include all thoughts as these can help in the future.
Afterwards sit down and analyse over a cuppa or a cold one.
Return to do battle again with more knowledge.

 

[mickthechippy]

does it really matter, its a day out aint it

 

[Tinca Steve]

Feels a lot better when it all works out. ?

 

[Scribe]

I fished the River Trent for the first time on Friday with a fellow MD'r and blanked. Not bothered one little bit, great company and some very kind & patient help, had me using my Cadence 15 Ft rod trotting a float down the river, (a double first for me) just a joy to cast out and send the float on a glide downstream, checking the float with my finger and lifting over deeper holes in the river bed. Even when the weather turned and torrential, wind driven rain saw us both hunkered under a brolly, you just had to laugh at how hard it was coming down. Catching a fish or two would have been nice, but I wasn't going to let it spoil the day.

Big thank you to @Arch for helping a numpty enjoy his first (definitely not last) stick float session..

 

[smiffy]

All part of angling for me.
I’ll often blank in winter,walking past pegs I know I can catch in,hoping for a big fish or red letter day from something other than juvenile fish.

 

[Dave Spence]

On the drive home I just go through the session in my mind and think what I could have done in retrospect. By the time I get home I have turned that blank into a 'ton' and can't wait for the next time I draw the same peg.

 

[sly]

With plenty of cussing and swearing and blaming everything on the water,fish, quality of bait ect,ect but it's never my fault,obviously,?? thankfully I don't blank that often

 

[ukzero1]

On the drive home I just go through the session in my mind and think what I could have done in retrospect. By the time I get home I have turned that blank into a 'ton' and can't wait for the next time I draw the same peg.

I did the same with a fishery @sly took me to, Aston fishery at Sheffield. My first time there and bagged some nice fish, a return was on the cards. We did go again and got the same pegs and yes, I blanked...big style, couldn't buy a bite. I tried waggler, feeder and even set up a Carp rod...nothing, I suppose it was getting it's own back and they say revenge is sweet, but it left a bitter taste in my mouth. I feel the need to return and get my own revenge.