EDP report 24/04/13

The milder weather brought more anglers to the regions beaches and a fair few of them found some sport in one form or another. There have been  a few school bass and flounders on the shingle, and in east Norfolk the beaches have produced plenty of dogfish with the occasional codling. Further south and its school bass, dogfish and undersized codling in the reports. East Norfolk produced lots of dogfish as the sea flattened off, catches of 6 or 8 were not uncommon at Bacton and Walcott, the fish seemed to go as soon as the wind swung round northerly again though I’m sure they’ll be about for a few more tides when the sea is flat. It’s around this time of the year that we often see small smoothounds too. Trimingham has continued to produce occasional codling including a cracking 6lber to William Amies. Yarmouth through to Lowestoft and it’s a similar story, occasional codling at the marks with structures like the wreck and the old sea wall, whiting flats and a few dogfish elsewhere.

Peter White, from Dereham, enjoyed his weekly visit to Southwold pier last Thursday - he had a bass of nearly 4lbs and a couple at 3lbs each and released several school bass. Peter also had two flounders, five or six dabs, two or three whiting and nine undersized codling, a good mixed bag by any measure! Some local rods went even further southwards and fished the Clacton dogfish open, a few dogfish were caught along with some nice thornbacks, Mark Sharman with the biggest ray a little over 4lb. Richard Burt won the match with 10lb 5oz, Mark Pinder was second with a level 10lb and Rob Tuck third with 8lb 13oz.  The weather continues to show a warming, and the wind although easterly and northerly towards the weekend isn’t very strong, with the building tides I think we may see the first of some better bass this weekend coming.

EDP report 17/04/13

The weather warming at the weekend seemed to have a positive effect along the coast with a few codling reported along with some dogs and other bits and pieces. It seems the further south you go the more undersized fish there seem to be. Orford has produced a few sizeable codling but its mostly been dogfish and codlets in with the whiting and flats. An open match at Dunwich over the weekend saw a lot of nearly sizeable fish caught. Simon Roberts had 3 school bass unfortunately they were all an inch or two under the size limit, the winner managing a better one at 41cm along with some flats and whiting.

Lowestoft north is still producing occasional codling amongst the debris of the old sea wall and there are chances too up to Hopton and Gorleston. Above Yarmouth and there have been a few bits and pieces around Walcott, Bacton and Mundesley with Trimi8ngham probably best of the bunch. Keith Hall managed a nice codling and Matt Lawes had a couple too, though it’s fair to say its patchy at best. Going up towards the shingle and there have been a few dogfish amongst the dabs, but I haven’t seen any codling reported from the rough ground here for a while. Bass are likely to figure in catches increasingly over the next few weeks, and with some stiff southerlies I think the south of the region could be the place to go for a bass session, though keep an eye out for a northerly blow towards the weekend which could see Trimingham producing some nice mixed bags.

EDP report 10/04/13

The wind swung out of the northeast quarter over the weekend and a few fish responded almost on cue. Matt Lawes and Rob Allen fished down at Trimingham on Sunday on a very pleasant morning. Matt was first away with a nice codling approaching 3lb followed by another 2lber later in the session. Unusually Rob only managed a dab and a whiting for his efforts, but enjoyed the session anyway, it’s always nice to see some decent fish on the beach. I haven’t seen a report for the shingle although I imagine that would have given chances too. The weather seemed to help southwards too with one or two coming out at Yarmouth, Gorleston and Hopton. Kayaks off Hopton had some nice variety too with codling and whiting.

Lowestoft produced some codling along the Corton to Ness point stretch with some beauties 4lb+, it goes to show what a lift a little bit of warmth and the high pressure easing can do. There have been a few further south too though a lot of undersized codling have been reported also, great for the future hopefully but not so clever when you’re hoping for a nice springer! If the forecast holds for this weekend, the east flow will give way to a southerly which will make it feel positively mediteranean over the weekend. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a few school bass with a sprinkling of spring codling too.

Despite Rob's excellent camera work, proof silk purses are not made from sows ears. The good doctor with a lovely Trimingham codling.

EDP report 03/04/13

It feels like there’s the beginnings of a thaw in the weather, it was certainly a little warmer on the beaches over the Easter break, though sea temperatures are still way down on seasonal average. The wind eased enough too which allowed some anglers to get out over their Easter break. The easing wind and seas made for what looked all the world great fishing conditions, though the conditions do not seem to have converted into fish on the beach. The shingle of north Norfolk produced as many blanks as it did catches, with only a few rockling and flats in the reports. The codling that often hang around the rough ground under the cliffs seem to have headed off. East Norfolk was a little bit better with a few small codling at Trimingham, another place where they often hang around a bit. Trimingham down to Yarmouth hasn’t been great though to be fair, those beaches above Yarmouth haven’t seen much angling pressure either.

Below Yarmouth and there have been odd fish from Gorleston wreck. I haven’t heard from any at Hopton and recent images show a worrying amount of sand off the beach there and it’s difficult to see where you could fish at high water. Corton had been as consistent as anywhere the week previously, again only a few small fish showed this week when seas looked like they should be full of feeding fish. The weather has limited boat time, and when they have managed to get out there have only been odd codling amongst the whiting. I’ve seen blanks reported at Kessingland and Dunwich though I’m sure that there will soon be bass from those beaches. Southwold, Aldeburgh and Orford have produced a few small codling without any consistency, if you are trying down there, fish baits will be worth a chuck on one rod through April.