The Blank Saver Test: A Week of Unexpected Turns

This week didn’t turn out quite the way I expected. Things changed, and the fishing trip I had planned was completely altered by circumstances beyond my control. At one point, I seriously considered not going at all. But then, I thought that would be silly—a wasted opportunity.  Instead, I opted for my club lake, mainly for the peace and quiet it offers, and I figured it would be a good opportunity to test out a few things.

I arrived around 11:30 am to find the lake completely empty—just what I needed. But that presented a new challenge: choosing a swim. I’ve always been drawn to the dam end, mainly because of the thick lily pads that grow there, but I knew I needed to fish somewhere else. I’ve only fished seven of the twenty available swims, and it’s time to explore more if I want to truly understand the layout of the lake.

As I stood there, scanning the water, I was surprised by how clear it was. This would pose a problem, though—clear water often means the wildlife, especially the ducks and swans, would be more active. I also had to consider the depth of the water. Deeper spots would help keep the wildlife at bay, especially the swans, which are a constant annoyance. Still, I figured if I just kept putting out bait, the carp would find it, no matter what. There were only about ten ducks on the water, and after the weekend anglers, I was hopeful there would be a few boilies left for the carp.

I decided to go with small Castaway PVA mesh bags filled with Nutrabaits pellets soaked in hemp oil. I used a different Blank Saver bait on each of my three rods. The lake allows three rods, which is perfect for experimenting.

I finally chose my swim: right in the middle of the east bank. The wind would be blowing in from that direction, and it would get the most sunlight throughout the day. It also had the early growth of new lily pads, which could be a good sign. I’d been considering this swim for a while—it’s like a no-man’s-land, rarely fished by others. The dam wall area is always tempting, since the carp love it there, but I’m convinced the fish in the middle are left undisturbed. It was time to try something new.

I set up, settled in, and decided to take each night as it came. I knew I’d be on the lake for a while, so I was in no rush.

By 8pm, I rebaited all my rods for the night. I couldn’t shake the feeling that the dam swim might be the better option. I was starting to feel conflicted—if the conditions didn’t improve overnight, I might just pack up and head home. But as I mentally prepared for the night, I realized I’d left my scales in another bag tucked away with my other unhooking mat. The geese, as usual, were being their usual pests. I could hear the male goose charging past my rods every half hour, chasing off anything that came too close. It was like a constant disruption in my swim, but it wasn’t enough to ruin the mood.

The night passed, and by 7.50am the next morning, the middle rod went off. A few bleeps on the alarm, and the bobbin pulled up to the clip. At first, I thought it was a tench, but when I reeled it in, I was pleasantly surprised—it was a carp. A nice, mid-double common. It took a little longer than I expected, considering the conditions—clear skies, moon overhead, and a drop in temperature—but I was happy with the result. Now I had a new dilemma: I had planned to move to the dam wall this morning, but seeing some larger carp showing up down there made me reconsider. Do I stay or go?

At lunchtime I couldn’t resist the temptation. I watched the carp moving in the pads at the dam end, and I just had to make the move. By 1:30pm, I had everything set up again. The new swim was already proving its worth. It was quieter, and I had no distractions—exactly what I needed. The longer I spent in this spot, the more I realized I should’ve just started here in the first place. I think moving to a spot like this makes the most sense; it’s unlikely to be disturbed by other anglers, and I can face east, which means no one is in my line of sight. Perfect.

At 8pm, my first take came in the new swim. I was using a pink Blank Saver, and I reeled in a lovely mirror carp. It felt good—this was exactly what I needed. After a quick break for tea, I sent the bait boat back out with a medium-sized bag filled with chopped 18mm boilies, some pellets, and a bit of Himalayan pink salt. I’ve been adding salt to my bags for years now—it seems to work, especially at this time of year.

As the evening grew darker, I settled in, hopeful for another bite. But despite the fish activity I’d seen throughout the night, I didn’t get any more takes. The only explanation I could come up with was that the carp had moved into deeper, open water, and the water had started to cloud up a bit. When I arrived, the lake was clear, but now, it was almost impossible to see the bottom under my rod tips.

Got myself a nice new Mug

Around noon the next day, I was surprised when the left-hand rod took off. It hadn’t been a busy morning, but after seeing some carp poking their backs out for warmth near the lily pads, I was ready for the action. This one was another carp—a solid catch, number three for the trip. I’d used one Blank Saver on each rod by then, and so far, the results were promising.

I had a few more bites in the afternoon, including a nice take on the yellow Blank Saver. By 4:30pm, the middle rod was off again, and this time, it was a big one. A solid fighter, possibly the biggest of the trip. After a tough battle, I got it in the net, and of course, my scales were at home. Typical! Still, I was thrilled with the catch.

At 8:30pm, I was dealing with another take, and as the night went on, I had a few more opportunities. Some hook pulls here and there, but I couldn’t complain. The bait was working, and the carp were responding well.

The next morning, I made the decision to switch all my rods over to the yellow Blank Saver. It seemed to be the color they favoured most, so why not stick with it? I’ve always believed in switching things up to stay ahead of the game, and so far, the results have been speaking for themselves.

By the end of the trip, I had caught more fish than I expected and had learned a lot about how the different Blank Saver baits perform in the lake’s conditions. The scorecard for the trip looked like this:

• 3 x White

• 4 x Yellow

• 1 x Pink

All in all, it was a successful test of the new Nutrabaits Blank Saver range. The carp clearly had their preferences, and it’s clear to me that these baits work well in the right conditions.

Until next time, I’ll be back out there, testing, learning, and chasing the next big catch.

Richard

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