THE weather warmed up nicely for the weekend and seemed to bring anglers out in force.

A gentle onshore breeze made for a slightly choppy sea but not bad enough to stop the boats launching.

Once again this week it is all about the thornback rays, although we have also seen a few more bass caught.

John Clark launched his boat, the Martello Bay, and reported bass to 8lbs, plus some good-size rays as well.

Clacton Boat Club members Barrie Sage and John Cook also fished from their own boats, Spindrift and Starfish, and landed thornback rays to 8lbs and also some good-size dogfish.

The Holland boats are also seeing very similar results.

Alan Tipple and Sandie Davis fished a mile off the coast and reported rays to 12lbs, dogfish and still some big whiting.

Dave Holland and Rocky Rochelle launched their boat, Essex Boys, from the Gunfleet Boat Club ramp and caught some large thornbacks to over 12lbs, plus bass in the 4lb range.

St Osyth beach and the surrounding area is still the top venue on our part of the coast, with plenty of small rays to be caught, although there are some bigger ones in between them.

Colchester club member Olly Yallop caught one of these, weighing in at 11lb 8oz. He was using bluey for bait.

Clacton Pier has also been steady, with rays being caught on most days along with the odd small bass, dogfish and whiting.

The Clacton and Holland beaches seem to have slowed down somewhat.

Rays are still being caught, but not in the numbers we have seen in previous weeks.

Frinton is not really fishing particularly well, but there are small bass and dogfish after dark to be caught here.

The Walton Pier Club headed for these beaches for their latest match and were greeted with bright sunshine and an onshore breeze.

Fifteen anglers fished and the fishing was hard.

Not all competitors caught fish, but school bass and whiting were caught.

Colin Harris came out on top, closely followed by Kevin Blackwell and third place went to Peter Harris.

Walton Pier is still catching small whiting and a few rays off the top of the pier, although they are a bit on the patchy side.

The odd small smoothhound has also been caught this week, which is a sure sign summer is on its way.

There are also some school bass from around the club hut area.

The high tides for the weekend are 3pm on Saturday and 3.30pm on Sunday.