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Why you are blanking and how to fix it!

Rob Hughes explains how to prevent the blank during the most difficult months to be a carp angler...

by James Furness |

Updated on15th December 2025 at 2.43pm

Just like Network Rail, we anglers have a long list of reasons (excuses) to try and justify our own mediocrity. I’ve got to admit that I’ve had to reach for that book a few times recently!

It’s been pretty tough for the last month or so. Fortunately, for my own confidence and head space, I’m not alone. And neither are you.

Blanking is as much a part of carp angling as catching is. The autumn feed-up (does it really exist any more?) rarely materialises anymore, but if you fish well, you can catch carp all year long...

Pressure/quiet corners

The weather’s been up and down, the lake is changing as it moves into winter, and the light and heat levels are dropping rapidly. They all make a slight difference, but the one constant all the way through the year is angler pressure – usually from the same swims, fishing with the same tactics.

The carp get used to this, so now is the time to do something slightly off the wall or to head to those places that are rarely fished. Quiet corners, and places that you wouldn’t usually head to, can very often produce a very rewarding bite or two.

FOLLOW THIS GUIDE TO HELP CATCH CARP ON PRESSURED VENUES...

A quiet corner is a great place to try

Dying weed

When we can see weed on the surface we know it’s there, and we can avoid it. Once it’s below the surface it’s trickier to isolate, and it pays to take a bit more time when leading around.

If the weed is low-level it can muffle the ‘donk’, but you can still get one. If it’s not as thick as it used to be, the lead can fall through it more easily. Either way…. it’s still there, and can hamper presentation.

Casting an old rig on to the spot to see if it picks anything up is a great test. If it comes back clean after a few casts then you know you’re safe.

THESE ARE THE BEST AREAS OF THE LAKE TO TARGET CARP...

Dying weed can hinder your presentation

Leaves

Surface leaves and twigs get blown around and caught in your lines, and that can upset your presentation. Leaves on the deck are even worse.

Everything looks good, your rig went down well and your confidence is high. Then you reel in the following day with a willow leaf or, worse, an alder cone on your hook. You convince yourself that it was picked up on the retrieve, and that everything was all right. But was it really?

As far as I am concerned, fishing over fresh leaf drop just isn’t productive. Under trees, at the windward end of the lake, on the leading edge of a gulley or bar, all are places that leaves will end up.

THE BEST CARP RODS WILL HELP YOU IDENTIFY EXACTLY WHAT YOUR ARE FISHING OVER...

Leaves can be the bain of everyones angling lives at this time

The boilie trap

Walk round most lakes and it’s likely that almost all the anglers will be using boilies in some way, shape or form. The carp will have seen a lot of boilies through the year, so using small beds of chopped bait, PVA sticks, nuts, or plastic corn over corn – can be real edges.

Tigers are highly underrated and, of course, it’s coming into ‘naturals’ season, so worms and maggots can be properly game-changing.

BIG CARP ACE DAVE LEVY EXPLAINS HOW TO CHANGE YOUR BAIT WITH THE SEASONS.

Boilies can be really productive!

Weather windows

Of course, you can only go when you can go, and if you’re a weekend warrior digging in with the crowds then you’re stuck. If, however, there’s any option to ‘weather spot’ it can often pay dividends.

In winter we get extreme weather systems at both ends of the scale. One minute it’s big westerly low-pressure storms rolling in from the Atlantic, the next it’s cold, calm spells of anticyclonic gloom.

It was noticeable that there were a lot of big fish caught for a brief window of about 48 hours straight after Storm Amy. Two days later the storms had gone, the air pressure was back up, and the catch reports slowed down.

FISH WITH ONE OF THE BEST BIVVIES TO STAY COMFORTABLE REGARDLESS OF THE CONDITIONS.

Weather windows, no matter how short, can be real edges!

They're off the bottom

Finally, I can’t write a tips and tactics piece without mentioning zigs. If you get to a lake and see that not a lot is happening and everyone is on the deck, don’t jump in the blanking queue and do the same.

You can be guaranteed that the people fishing on the deck won’t all be getting it wrong and fishing badly. It’s more likely the fish don’t want to feed down there. Get the zigs on and be different. Trust me, it genuinely pays off.

HERE ARE SOME GREAT VENUES TO CATCH A FEW CARP THIS WINTER.

Dont ignore the zigs

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