THE weather has proved an issue for boat anglers again, with high winds causing choppy seas and making it difficult to take to the water.

Towards the weekend the winds eased and the fishing was much easier.

Seawatch Charters, out of Brightlingsea, reported a good end to the week, with decent catches of smooth-hounds, some into double figures.

Thornback rays are still there to be caught, along with some bigger bass.

Codling are being caught around wreck marks.

Dave Hollands launched his boat from the Gunfleet Boating Club ramp and fished around the Wallet area.

He landed a cracking smooth-hound of 15lb, while mate Rocky Rochelle caught a bass of 7lbs.

They also caught thornback rays, although not as many as in previous weeks.

The Walton boats are catching their fair share of fish, with hounds, bass and rays also feeding well in calmer weather.

Neil Marples fished from his own boat, Milore, and caught a 6lb 5oz bass on his first cast.

He also caught a smooth-hound, rays and a few early-season whiting.

The beaches have seen plenty of fish, with those thornback rays returning close enough for anglers to catch them.

Most are on the small side, weighing in at around the 4lb-mark, but they're still great fun to catch.

The Jaywick beaches have seen some of these rays this week, mostly on the evening tides. Soles and bass are also being caught here.

Clacton Pier has seen the thornback rays return and squid and bluey baits are catching most fish.

Ian Candy fished a daytime tide here and landed four thornback rays on one tide. Jake Smith had an evening session on the pier with fishing mate Wayne Constantine.

They fished an evening flood tide.

Jake said the fishing was slow, although they did catch sole and a bass.

School bass are feeding close to the pier and ragworm baits will get you on the fish.

The Clacton and Holland beaches are producing soles and bass after dark, plus a few bigger early-season whiting.

Walton Sea Angling Club fished the local pier for their midweek evening match on a windy but dry evening.

They fished an ebb tide on the lower part of the pier to see if there were soles and bass to be caught from the sandy beach area.

The fishing was fairly slow, although school bass and wrasse were caught during daylight hours.

First place went to Rob Tuck, with 4lb 9oz, which included the heaviest fish of the night, an 1lb 9oz bass.

Second spot went to Nik Highfield, with 1lb 11oz, and third to James Everett, with 1lb 5oz.

Colchester Sea Angling Club headed for Suffolk's Aldeburgh beaches for their August match.

They fished in warm, breezy conditions and soles, dogfish and bass were caught. Top place went to Mark Sessions, with 4lb 5oz, second to Mick Bradley, with 4lb, and third to Nik Highfield, with 3lb 4oz.

The heaviest round fish prize went to Gary Hambleton, with a 1lb 9oz dogfish.

Phil Buy and Steve Yallop tied for the heaviest flatfish prize.

They both caught a sole weighing 1lb 3oz.

The high tides for the weekend are 3.29pm on Saturday and 4.06pm on Sunday.