EDP report 28/08/13

The region had a bit of a stir up this week with some gentle north westerly’s putting a little surf on the sea above Yarmouth. This put a bit of colour back in, and the cooler air temps and a little light rain kept the holidaymakers largely off the beaches. Although it was hardly a bonanza, catches did pick up slightly and I even heard rumour of a double figure bass off Cromer pier. From the shingle ridge right down to Yarmouth, most beaches that were fished produced at least a few school bass. Below Yarmouth and sole have been the main quarry with some decent fish caught from Lowestoft north, south pier and round southwards at Southwold and Sizewell. I haven’t seen many reports from Aldeburgh and Orford but imagine sport would be pretty similar here with school bass and soles being targeted.

It’s about now that most of us start to think about the autumn, the potential for another crack at the big bass before they migrate southwards and the chance of an early codling. It’s my favourite time of the year for fishing, there’s often a mix of species. I don’t usually get serious about targeting codling and whiting until around November, saying that it’s only 8 or 9 weeks away. Back to this week though and that little bit of north west will keep the sea rolling above Yarmouth and will hopefully encourage a few bass to feed, particularly over later high waters.

EDP report 21/08/13

The fine weather we’re all enjoying isn’t doing much for the sport on the regions beaches, a few sole in the south and a sprinkling of school bass and that’s about the size of it. There have been very few mackerel showing off the north Norfolk shingle, boats out in the wash have had some nice tope though they’ve often struggled a bit for fresh bait. A good north westerly will bring more bass on to the feed and I think that’s what we need above Yarmouth. Around Yarmouth there are still occasional smoothound pups showing, these seem to hang around there most of the summer, though fish over 3lb seem to be a bonus, it’s a similar story on the usually consistent Lincolnshire beaches.

Into Suffolk and sole have been the main target though some lucky anglers have found some school bass whilst targeting the flats, the usual spots have produced the sole with fish reported from the South Pier, Southwold and Aldeburgh. The weather holds little hope for any kind of surf in the north of the patch, light southerlies in the forecast may encourage a few more soles.

EDP report 14/08/13

A slow and steady week on the regions beaches with only a few sole and school bass in reports. The south of the patch seems to be fishing best of all at the moment with the deeper water of Orford and Aldeburgh producing school bass and a few soles. It’s a similar story coming up the coast with a few sole reported at Sizewell, Southwold, and Lowestoft south pier. Despite the conditions being right for the sole I still think we are running late, with the whole season seeming to me like it’s been shunted back by 2-4 weeks, which will hopefully mean there will be more sole over the coming weeks. The river at Yarmouth has produced eels and flats, chances of bass to lures here too. The beaches at Hopton, Gorleston, Yarmouth, and Caister have produced a few school bass and smoothound pups, though it’s fair to say it’s scratchy at best. That form is held up through east Norfolk with only a few school bass and flatfish from the beaches from Sea palling up to Cromer.

Above Cromer and the shingle has fished little better. The mackerel have been elusive to say the least and the school bass may well be off chasing them a little way offshore. Boat anglers and kayakers have found a few thornback rays and smoothound pups as well as a few mackerel and bass from marks off Lowestoft and Yarmouth. Neap tides and nothing westerly’s through this week hold little in the way of inspiration though it should keep conditions flat for the sole in the south and mackerel in the nortrh.

EDP report 07/08/13

The fine weather has seen the regions beaches turned over to the holidaymakers with the anglers limited to time outside of those busy hours, some locals have travelled north to Lincolnshire and found some fantastic sport with lots of smoothounds, some to mid double figures, unfortunately we haven’t seen many like that this side of the Wash. Sport has been steady with still some smoothound pups, school bass and now a few sole too putting in appearances up and down the patch. The shingle ridge has seen a few mackerel though they are hit and miss as usual, there have been some school bass for those fishing with bait during the nights. Lure anglers have had limited success despite some pretty good conditions, I’m sure there’s good sport to be had if the lure angler can time his session with the mackerel hitting the beach. East Norfolk has been rather slow with only a few sole and school bass in reports.

There are still some pup smoothounds from Yarmouth down to Lowestoft though the better fish are harder to come by odd ones to 7lb have been landed. Lowestoft south pier has produced a few sole when conditions have been right, there have been a few too amongst the school bass and pups from there down to Southwold. Looking ahead and with not a lot of wind in the forecast, the only upside to the falling tides is evening high waters. If it stays flat and warm I think the sole will continue and hopefully the odd better hound along with the pups round Yarmouth way, failing that its north of the Wash for a crack at some better hounds.