THE Bank Holiday weekend arrived and so did the glorious weather, with calm seas and plenty of sunshine.

Boat anglers took full advantage.

Thornback rays are still there in abundance, with some still going into double figures.

Smooth hound packs seem to be slightly earlier this year, considering the awful early spring we endured.

There is plenty of sport to be had from these hard-fighting mini sharks.

Spurdogs are also being caught for those boats that venture further afield, although their season is short and soon they will have moved on.

Dogfish seem to be everywhere now and not every angler is keen on catching them as they can be a problem when targeting other species.

Those bass shoals are also feeding well and hopefully will carry on during the summer.

Please remember that all bass caught must be returned as quickly as possible.

Fifteen-year-old Charlie Wheeler fished from his dad’s boat off the Jaywick coast and landed the biggest bass reported this year, weighing in at 12lbs 2oz.

The beaches are also now turning into summer mode, although after dark will increase your chances of catching.

The bright sunshine makes for difficult fishing as most of the fish will stay offshore.

Rays are still showing from St Osyth beach, along with bass and dogfish.

The dreaded may-weed that clings to anglers’ line making fishing difficult has started.

It is started by sunlight causing algae bloom to grow rapidly.

It will only last a short while and we just put up with it.

Clacton Pier is still reporting thornback rays, with the biggest this week falling to local angler John Rickwood, weighing in at just over 10lbs.

There are still plenty of dogfish to be caught from this venue, along with bass and a few small smooth hounds.

The Holland beaches have been quiet during daylight hours but rays, dogfish and bass are being caught after dark.

The Walton Pier Club fished their latest match on the stem of the pier.

Fifteen anglers turned out and were greeted with a sunny and very warm day.

A wide variety of fish were caught, although most were on the small side.

Bass, eels, pouting, whiting and small smooth hounds were the main catch.

Dan Winters weighed in 3lb 3.5oz for first place.

Robert Pobjoy was second with 1lb 8.5oz and Peter Harris third with 12oz.

Dan won the heaviest fish prize with a bass weighing 2lb 3.5oz

The top of the pier has been fishing well this week, with dogfish being the main catch and the odd thornback ray, although to increase your chances of catching here, after dark is the way to go.

Those hard fighting garfish have arrived around the pier and are great sport on light rods and tackle.

Colchester Sea Angling Club headed to Felixstowe for their league match.

Eighteen anglers turned out on a breezy day.

The fishing was good, with nearly all anglers weighing in.

The winner on the day with a mixed bag of fish for 8lb 15oz was Mark Sessions.

Second place went to Olly Yallop, with 6lb 12oz, and third to Vic Pearce, with 6lb 4oz.

Olly won the heaviest fish prize with a 2lb 2oz thornback ray.

The high tides for the weekend are 10.18am on Saturday and 11.03am on Sunday.