IT looks like our early spring was shortlived and it's back to cooler and windier weather.

Storm Freya is hitting our coast as I write.

Luckily, we've had a few settled days when the boats were able to put to sea.

The main catch is still thornback rays, although dogfish are now putting in more of an appearance, too.

There's still no sign of codling and it’s beginning to look like we can write them off for this year.

The Mersea charter boat Eastern Promise has been back on the thornback rays again this week and Paul Elvin landed the biggest, weighing in at 15.5lbs.

They also caught dogfish, whiting and pouting.

Sandie Davis and Alan Tipple fished from their own boat around the windfarm area.

The fishing was slow but Sandie managed to out-fish Alan and landed the heaviest thornback ray!

The kayak anglers have also been in on the act and Frinton angler John Moakes fished a few hundred yards off the seafront and landed three thornback rays plus a few dogfish.

The beaches and piers have had a quieter week and smaller tides have seen the fish more elusive to catch.

My trip this week was to St Osyth and I fished in between the rocky breakwaters.

Five hours of fishing brought no bites at all but I was using big squid baits for rays.

Unfortunately, they seemed to have vacated the vicinity.

Clacton Pier has seen the odd ray his week.

After dark the dogfish are feeding and there seems to be plenty to be caught here.

The newly-formed Clacton Sea Anglers Evening League fished their first match on the Holland-on-Sea beaches and 12 anglers fished an ebb tide in drizzly conditions.

Most competitors opted to target thornback rays at distance with bigger baits.

However, rays were hard to find.

Dogfish, whiting, pouting and a few flounders were the main catch and all anglers weighed in.

First place went to the in-form Nik Highfield, with 4lb 4oz.

In a very close second was Lawrence Chisnall (4lb 2oz) and joint-third were Alan Humm and Mick Frost, weighing in 3lb 8oz each.

If you fancy fishing any of their evening matches you can contact them on their Facebook page - Clacton Sea Anglers Evening League.

Walton Pier has also had a quieter week.

Dogfish are showing in numbers after dark, along with the odd thornback ray.

Colchester Sea Angling Club headed for Suffolk and the Aldeburgh beaches for their beach match.

They were greeted with a fine sunny day and just a gentle breeze.

Twenty-two anglers fished and bites were instant with everyone catching fish, although most were on the small side.

Nik Highfield came first with 2lb 11oz.

In second was Steve Yallop (2lb 4oz) and third Vic Pearce (2lb 1oz).

The heaviest flatfish prize went to Tony Quarton, with a 10oz plaice, and the heaviest round fish prize was won by Vic Pearce, with an 8oz whiting.

The high tides for the weekend are 1.28pm on Saturday and 1.59pm on Sunday.