IT seems that autumn clock has been switched on bang on time!

Overnight shoals of autumnal whiting have appeared for beach, pier and boat anglers.

Our beaches have been invaded with these voracious feeding species and after dark is the time to target them.

They are a great favourite for the competition beach and pier angler as they can add big weights to any match.

Dogfish have also made a return, although most are being caught after dark as the sea is still very clear during daylight hours.

James Hendry headed for his local Holland-on-Sea beaches in the hope of fishing for soles on an evening tide.

He reported that it was a whiting every cast, although he did catch bass and pouting close in.

Weed has been a bit of a problem this week for shore anglers, mostly when the tide is running hard on the ebb tides.

This has probably been caused by the light onshore winds.

Clacton Pier has had a slower week with just the odd thornback ray but, once again, evening tides are producing more.

Whiting and dogfish are also prolific after dark.

The Frinton beaches have been quiet this week, with just the odd small sole and school bass.

The Walton beaches are only showing small bass, eels and the odd sole.

Walton Pier has seen a few rays from the top of the pier, while whiting, dogfish and soles are showing well after dark.

Soles are being caught on the lower part of the pier on ragworm baits at close distance.

Those mackerel shoals I reported on last week seem to have dispersed, with now only the odd mackerel being caught.

Colchester Sea Angling Club held round nine of their annual Sea League on the Dunwich beaches.

Twelve anglers fished from 7pm until midnight on a flooding tide.

For most anglers the fishing was difficult, with fish few and far between.

However, they did manage to catch soles, eels, whiting, bass and a couple of small smooth-hounds.

The overall winner was Mick Bradley, with 5lb 3oz, including the heaviest round fish, a bass of 2lb 1oz.

Second place went to Martin Close, with a mixed bag for 3lb 7oz, and he also won the heaviest flat fish prize with a sole weighing 15oz.

Third spot went to Mark Sessions, with 1lb 15oz.

The boats have had a varied week.

Once again, thornback rays, smooth-hounds and bass have been the mainstay, although it has been slightly quieter than last week.

Clacton Boat Club member Martin Smyth and Kevin Scrivener fished a mile off the coast.

They caught bass on feathers close to the local pier - all fish were returned - and high water saw them catching thornback rays to herring baits.

Martin landed a cracking bass, weighing 6lbs, on the ebb tide, with squid as the bait.

September usually heralds the first of the cod shoals moving inshore, although as yet there are very few reports of any significant catches from any venues.

If you have any fishing reports you can contact me at popplewell1@btinternet.com

The high tides for the weekend are 2.31pm on Saturday and 3.07pm on Sunday.