IT'S good to see a few soles starting to show for beach anglers, along with some school bass.

There's still not much sign of thornback rays, though, but they will appear on certain tides.

Clacton Pier has seen school bass and the odd thornback being caught this week, along with a few small whiting.

St Osyth beach is still seeing the dreaded weed on ebb tides, but there have been a few school bass caught.

The Holland beaches are now seeing some soles caught after dark, along with small eels and bass.

The Frinton beaches have also seen soles turning up this week.

Once again, the night tides are fishing best, while school bass and the odd flounder have also been caught.

Walton Pier is also seeing school bass, along with wrasse.

Soles are showing up on the lower part of the pier and ragworm will be the top bait.

Colchester Sea Angling Club fished round four of their Colchester Bait and Tackle Evening League matches on the Walton beaches in front of the Coastguards.

Twenty anglers fished over the top of the tide until midnight.

Conditions were good, with just a light warm breeze.

The fishing was slightly slow, with just a few soles, flounders, bass and eels caught.

Top rod on the night was new member Mark Oxley, with 3lb 6oz.

His catch included a sole of 1lb, winning the heaviest flatfish prize, and a bass taking the second heaviest round fish prize.

Second place went to Lawrence Chisnall, with 2lb 8oz, while third spot went to Steve Yallop, with 2lb 7oz.

The heaviest round fish prize went to Paul Marron, with a 1lb 6oz bass.

The boats are still seeing smooth hounds, although they are on the smaller side this week.

A few thornback rays have also been reported.

Father-and-son team Peter and Tim Bird, from Point Clear, fished from their own boat in the Crouch estuary.

They had a great day, catching smooth hounds, bass and three thornback rays.

Local coarse angler Nathan Mills qualified for the Junior Fish O’ Mania final, televised by Sky Sports at the famous Hayfield Lakes in Doncaster.

Nathan, 17, had to beat some top junior anglers from all over the country to qualify.

He finished the match in a very credible second place, weighing in 23lbs of carp and was only pipped to first spot by one pound!

The tides for the weekend are 2.45pm on Saturday and 3.18pm on Sunday.