IT’S been a bit of a mediocre week, with small tides and high pressure moving over us.

Winds have been light, which was great news for the boats, but the fish were not showing as they had during the previous week.

Charter and private boats alike reported smaller fish and dogfish were taking the bait before anything bigger could find it.

There were small thornback rays, bass and some codling to around the 5lb mark.

The smoothhound packs have diminished this week, though, with only a few reported and we’re now seeing the end of the season for these summer pack fish.

The beaches and piers have also had an up-and-down week.

Walton Pier has probably fished the best.

Chris Mills fished here at the beginning of the week, when that northerly wind was blowing.

He found the codling feeding and ended his session with a good catch of codling and whiting.

Lawrence Chisnall also reported a good bag of codling and whiting in the rougher seas.

Alan Brace fished here, too, and caught three autumn codling to 2lbs, plus dogfish and whiting.

Sudbury angler David Backler fished the top of the pier on a calm day and landed a 7lb thornback ray on a squid bait, plus codling to 3lbs.

I’ve also had reports of a 6lb bass from the stem of the pier.

Walton Pier Club fished their first match of the autumn season and saw a good turn-out of 18 anglers.

Conditions were good, with slightly overcast skies, but sizeable fish were hard to find.

At the end of the match, 38 fish were weighed in and most of the fish were caught on the ebbing tide.

Once again, codling and whiting were the order of the day and Barry Adair was the winner with 2lb 11.5oz.

Second place went to Peter Harris, with 1lb 15.5oz, and in a close third was John Spencer, with 1lb 12.5oz The Frinton beaches continue to fish reasonably well, although weed has been a problem, especially when the tide has been running.

However, sole, bass and rays have been caught after dark.

Clacton Angling Club fished their latest match here and found the fish feeding. Flounders, bass, whiting, codling, sole, pouting, eels and three thornback rays were caught.

First place went to Chris Snow, with 414 points.

In second spot was Jon Wilson, with 337, and in third was Rob Tuck, with 301.

The heaviest fish was caught by Jon, with 58cm codling.

The Clacton and Holland beaches have had a reasonable week, with some codling, whiting, rays and the odd bigger bass reported.

St Osyth beach has had a quiet week, but I think it has been due to lack of anglers.

If you have any reports you can contact me at popplewell1@btinternet.com or through my Facebook page.

The tides for the weekend are 12.14pm on Saturday and 12.48pm on Sunday.