FOR those anglers that have endured torrential rain, there are fish there to be caught.

The weather conditions this week have been atrocious and a lot of anglers have cancelled trips. Me included.

The boat anglers have seen a good number of bass to around the 6lb-mark, along with dogfish and still a few late smooth hounds.

The autumn run of thornback rays have started in force and rays to 10lbs have been landed.

The Brightlingsea-based charter boat Sophie Lea has had some good trips, with Roger Chase catching more than his fair share of thornback rays.

Neil Marples fished on his Walton-based boat Milore and has reported good sport with the autumn bass, smooth hounds, bigger whiting and dogfish.

Tim and Peter Bird found a small window in the weather and travelled out to the Kentish Knock in the hope of some big bass.

They didn’t have long but, in just an hour, they landed eight good-size bass.

The beaches and piers have seen the whiting shoals arrive in force, with night tides fishing very well.

These little fish are always a favourite with the match angler as they are quite obliging and a good bag of these can be caught in a short time.

Clacton Pier is always a good bet to catch a thornback ray and they are being caught frequently here on squid or bluey baits.

The Holland beaches are also seeing a few rays being caught, along with dogfish, school bass and whiting.

Walton Sea Angling Club headed for St Osyth beach for their latest evening match.

They fished over high water and with a good chop on the sea hopes were high for a few bass to show up.

The fishing started slowly but, as the ebb tide began, the whiting turned up and plenty were caught.

Top angler on the night was Rob Tuck, with 14 whiting and a dogfish for 5lb 4oz.

Second place went to Richard Burt, with 15 whiting for 4lb 14oz, and third to Lawrence Chisnall, with 12 whiting and a dogfish for 4lb 12oz.

The heaviest fish prize went to new member Phil Ringer, with a 40cm thornback ray.

Walton Pier is seeing plenty of whiting and dogfish after dark, along with a few thornback rays.

During the daytime, when the sea is fairly clear, we have seen the return of a few mackerel being caught on bait and lures.

The Walton Pier Club fished their latest match at the weekend.

They were greeted with clear seas, which really isn’t conducive to good fishing.

Seventeen anglers fished a midday ebb tide but fish were hard to find.

Species caught were mackerel, some dabs and the odd wrasse.

First place went to Joe Marvell, with 2lb.5oz, which included the heaviest fish - a 13.5oz mackerel.

Second spot went to Dan Winters, with 8oz, and third to Robert Pobjoy, with 7.5oz.

Colchester Sea Angling Club fished their weekend match on the Holland-on-Sea beaches.

Nineteen anglers turned out in bright and breezy conditions. Everyone expected thornback rays to be caught but with the water clear the fishing was tough.

Mark Oxley was top rod and new beach champion with 2lb 1oz, which included a 1lb 14oz bass.

Three anglers tied for second place and they were Brian Bethell, Peter Harris and George Deakin (junior) with 1lb 10oz.

The heaviest flatfish prize went to Terry Quartermaine, with a 15oz sole.

Good luck to Team Plumbase Industrial (Grant Tappenden, Nik, Steve, Olly, Vic, Adam and Craig) who have entered a team into this year's East Anglian League Teams of Five.

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