THIS week the codling have hit the Essex coast with a vengeance.

In fact, in all the years I’ve been fishing, this has to be one of the best I’ve known.

Most of the codling are in the two to 3lb range, but the sheer quantity being caught is outstanding.

The high five-metre tides of the weekend seemed to have pushed those fish in closer to the beaches.

The new sea defence beaches at Holland seem to be producing lots of fish.

Anglers can now fish on the sand without having to fish off the promenade.

The night tides here are fishing better than daylight hours but fish are being caught on both.

Richard Holgate had a great evening session here, catching six plump codling on a flood tide.

Likewise, Steve Markham-Lee also caught six codling.

Julian Gilbert and Danny Watson also reported similar catches.

Clacton angler Mick Frost had a couple of trips here this week and caught some good-sized fish on the early-morning flood tides.

The Clacton beaches up to the pier are also seeing the same amount of fish being caught, although phase two of the sea defence has now started.

Clacton Pier is also seeing those spring-run codling on both flood and ebb tides.

Clacton Sea Angling Club fished their latest evening match at Holland and the weather was atrocious, with strong winds and torrential rain.

Eleven anglers fished through it and in first place was Rob Tuck.

In second was Berni Putko and third was Ken Peacock.

The heaviest fish was a 48cm codling for Rob Tuck.

Clacton Sailing Club member Shaun Wright had two three-hour trips this week in his own boat, Bubble.

He headed for the Wallet area and recorded 63 codling from the two trips.

The fish were caught on squid, lugworm and hermit crab.

Walton Pier has also seen more fish this week.

Once again, the rougher seas here will always produce codling.

Walton angler James Everett fished a daytime tide and had some good-size codling.

He also lost a few that came off as he was reeling in.

Colchester angler Derek Cranfield fished the top of the pier and also had a great day, hauling in the codling.

Dabs are still being caught from here in calmer weather.

Colchester Sea Angling Club headed for the Aldeburgh Suffolk beaches for their February league match.

Twelve anglers fished in frosty conditions.

To be honest, the fishing was very patchy with not a codling in sight.

However, dabs, whiting and a few pouting were caught.

Result: 1 Martin Close 4lb 3oz, 2 Mark Peters 3lb 13oz, 3 Mark Sessions 3lb 7oz. Top junior: Alfie Gilbert. Heaviest round fish: Mark Sessions. Heaviest flat fish: Phil Buy.

It looks like we have now seen the last of those sprat shoals for this season.

The high winds of this week have broken up the remaining shoals and now the codling are concentrating on feeding on the bottom again.

The tides for the weekend are 7.10am on Saturday and 8.39am on Sunday.