IT was a chilly week, but that did not stop the fish feeding.

In fact, it was another great week on our part of the East coast.

The wind has curtailed a few boat trips but when they have been able to get out, they have reaped the benefits.

Pride of place has to be a 12lb bass caught by boat angler John Clarke.

John launched his own boat, Snow Goose, from Clacton’s Martello Bay and fished in front of the Gunfleet windfarm.

The giant fish fell to a live bait whiting.

This is the biggest bass I’ve reported this season, although I have heard that commercial long-liners have also found some heavyweights.

West Mersea charter boat Eastern Promise 2 headed for deeper waters further out off our coast.

They found the ravenous spurdog packs feeding and David Mynors and Andy Barnes caught upwards of 20 fish to 15lbs.

The Brightlingsea boats have also had good trips, with both the Sophie Lea and Sea Watch charters reporting very good catches of codling and thornback rays.

Colchester Sea Angling Club fished their first Transdec match of the season on the Frinton beaches.

A strong north-easterly wind and weed that was being blown in caused problems for the 13 anglers.

In first place was Neil Cocks, with 6lb 15oz.

Phil Buy was second, with 6lb 11oz, Mark Peters third, with 6lb 6oz, and Mark Sessions fourth, with 6lbs.

The heaviest fish was caught by Mark Sessions, weighing 2lb 15oz.

Whiting, codling, dogfish, rockling and dabs were caught.

Walton Pier has had another good week, mostly on the ebb tides with Dave Trotter catching a nice 4lb 3oz codling.

He landed it from the lower part of the pier, by the club hut.

Young Lewis Garnham caught his personal best codling from the pier.

It weighed in at 4lb 5oz and was caught on a black lugworm bait.

The new Holland beaches have been fishing really well after dark, with anglers catching good bags of codling and also a few rays.

Clacton Sea Angling Club fished an evening match here and some very good weights were recorded.

Thirteen anglers fished and caught 91 fish between them, with Rob Tuck finishing first, with 728 points.

Lawrence Chisnall was second, with 485, and John Wilson third, with 352.

The heaviest fish was a 50cm thornback ray, caught by Lawrence.

Clacton Pier has also seen more codling, but certainly not as many rays.

Sunday sees the annual Clacton Pier charity match, with fishing from 12pm until 5pm.

Tickets are available from Dean’s Tackle on 01255 425992 and Clacton Angling on 01255 221863.

If you have any fishing reports, you can contact me at popplewell1@btinternet.com The tides for the weekend are 5.16pm on Saturday and 6.13pm on Sunday.