IT'S not very seasonal weather at the moment, with temperatures above where they should be for this time of year.

Then again, who's complaining?!

There's still no sign of any cod showing and, to be honest, that is it for us for another year.

We just need those cod that are still feeding and being caught from further up north on the British coastline to move down here!

Walton Sea Angling Club once again ran their annual Boxing Day fishing match on Walton Pier.

Seventy-two competitors were greeted with rain and a strong wind but that didn’t deter any of the anglers and fish were caught from the off, with whiting, dabs and rockling making up the catch.

This match is always family-orientated and it was great to see the ladies and juniors fishing.

First place went to Sam Francis, with 1lb 1oz, second spot to Phil Buy, with 1lb, and third to David Aldis, with 11.8oz.

Rodney Mills was fourth, with 11oz 5oz.

The ladies' prize went to Hannah Westow, with 4.5oz, while the junior winners were Braden Aldis (6oz), George Deakin (5oz) and Nathaniel Williams (3.5oz).

The highlight of the day had to be a small pod of porpoises that appeared halfway through the match and were popping up only a few yards from the pier.

Colchester Sea Angling Club fished their Christmas pairs match on the Holland-on-Sea beaches.

Squally rain made the fishing difficult but there were a few fish to be caught - not the hordes of whiting that had been caught in previous matches but enough to keep all the competitors busy.

With Christmas goodies and hampers to win, everyone was keen to do well.

Whiting, codling, thornback rays, pouting, rockling, eel, bass and a solitary dab were caught.

The winning pair on the night, with a combined weight of 8lb 4oz, was Lawrence Chisnall and Neil Cocks, with 8lb 4oz.

Second place went to Nik Highfield and Brian Bethell, with 5lb 8oz, which included a 2lb 12oz thornback ray for Nik.

This won him the heaviest fish prize.

Third place went to Gary Hambleton and Dave Clark, weighing in 4lb 11oz.

Those thornback rays are showing well on evening tides from Walton Pier, along with whiting, dabs and the very odd codling.

Clacton Pier is also fishing the same with the percentage of bigger fish showing on the night tides.

The January issue of the national Sea Angler magazine will be in the shops very soon and I have written a feature on the Frinton beaches (a "hidden gem").

It might just include the odd thornback ray and few memories too so is well worth a read!

A happy new year to you all and see you on a local pier or beach sometime.

If you have any fishing reports or photos you can send them to popplewell1@btinternet.com