A PLEASANT week of fairly calm weather has seen plenty of boats fishing from our coastline.

Rays, bass, dogfish and whiting have been caught, although it is a problem to get through the massive shoals of autumnal whiting that have appeared in the last couple of weeks.

Some very reasonable catches of bass to around the 6lb-mark have been caught off the sandbank marks, with ragworm being the best bait to use.

Cod are still very slow to arrive but we live in hope.

The charter Sophie Lea’s monthly report has shown a pretty good few weeks, with the ever-reliable whiting turning up, with hopefully codling showing soon.

Thornback rays are still being caught in good numbers on most offshore and inshore marks.

Dabs will also shoal up in the estuary but you will have to scale down tackle to target them.

Dogfish have also returned in numbers and sometimes it can be difficult to bypass them.

There are still a few smooth-hounds coming to the net but they are now moving to warmer waters until next year.

If the cod don’t arrive there are always the heavyweight rays to catch right through the year.

Dave Hollands fished from his boat Essex Boys from the Gunfleet Boat Club and also reported that whiting were quick to devour baits before bigger fish could get to them.

Dave and Rocky did catch some thornbacks and plenty of dogfish.

Clacton Pier is still producing rays on most tides.

Whiting and dogfish after dark are in profusion with still a few bass being caught.

The Holland beaches have had an up and down week, with a few bass showing. Rob Hudson landed the biggest, weighing in at an estimated 5lbs.

Rob also told us that the problematic weed in this area seems to have disappeared.

A few school bass are on the Frinton and Walton beaches, along with whiting and the odd thornback ray.

Walton Pier has seen a few codling being caught this week, most around the 1lb mark.

Hopefully if we get rougher weather they will increase in size.

Thornback rays have been caught from the top of the pier and even down as low as the club hut area.

If you have any fishing reports you can contact me at popplewell1@btinternet.com

The high tides for the weekend are 7.27am on Saturday and 8.50am on Sunday.