WE seem to have started the new year in a similar mode to the back end of last year - with not much to report on!

The winter season has always been about the cod for boat and beach fishermen.

However, unfortunately, there hasn’t been a sudden surge of fish being caught and in fact, once again, this week I have no reports at all.

I have been fishing this coast for many years and have never seen so many dejected cod anglers just waiting for a report that some cod are being caught.

I think we will now have to wait until March and the oncoming of spring for maybe a chance of a run of codling.

Walton Sea Angling Club headed for the local pier for their latest evening match.

Conditions were atrocious, with a strong north-westerly wind and driving snow to contend with.

Once again, small whiting and dabs were the main catch and the top angler on the night was Rob Tuck, with 3lb 4oz.

In second place was Nik Highfield, with 1lb 15oz, and in third was Terry Quartermaine, with 1lb 7oz.

The heaviest fish prize went to Rob with a 14.5oz dab.

Walton Pier has had a reasonable week, with plenty of small fish to be caught and there are plenty of bites to be had on light tackle and small hooks.

The Walton beaches are fishing much the same, with whiting and some flounders to be caught.

The Walton Pier Club fished the Holland-on-Sea beaches around the Brighton Road area for their match, but with calm seas and bright sunshine it was always going to be difficult.

Once again, the anglers were pestered with under-size whiting and not much else.

Barry Adair won the match and Tom Day and Andy Grant tied for second place.

Clacton Pier has once again stood out and some thornback rays have again been caught.

Brian Griggs fished here at the weekend and landed two rays, along with dabs and whiting.

Brian told me that squid baits will catch the thornback rays.

The high tides for the weekend are 6.33pm on Saturday and 7.25pm on Sunday.