Here’s this week’s selection of the best sea, pier and beach fishing catch reports from top marks around the English, Welsh and Scottish coastlines provided to the team at Sea Angler magazine from reputable sources within the world of sea fishing…

RIVER TYNE, SUNDERLAND

If you want a bit of action, the area known as the walkway at the mouth of the River Tyne has been producing lots of small cod along with the odd sizeable fish. These can be caught on clipped-up rigs with size 1/0 hooks baited with ragworm or crab.
Tactics: Day or night, it doesn’t make any difference. A flood tide is preferable, but try to avoid the really big tides. There is parking available just a two-minute walk away.

RIVER TYNE, CLEVELAND

Most anglers are relying on the ever-present flounders and dabs for a bit of sport, with plenty of smaller specimens showing from the piers and clean ground beaches. The odd bigger specimen flounders to 2lb have been reported, but most of the sizeable ones are around the 1lb mark or under.
Tactics: The odd small bass and early plaice have shown from some beaches, and some whiting are evident after dark, but until a Northerly wind stirs the sea up again it is time for small hooks and light gear to make the most of a session.

HEYSHAM, MORECAMBE BAY, LANCASHIRE

At low water you’ll find plenty of flatfish, and most of the locals follow the tide out to about 50 yards and then fish close in with flapper rigs baited with either black or red lugworms. But if you do walk out with the tide remember to be careful.
Tactics: A few bass are also expected to be making an appearance now, and another venue that is well worth a visit is the Golf Course at Morecambe.

WHITBY, NORTH YORKSHIRE

Small flatfish are accounting for the majority of anglers’ catches at the moment at Whitby beach. Fish are being caught during both day and night, but anglers going out once the sun has set have been faring slightly better.
Tactics: Two-hook flappers with small hooks and fresh worm baits are recommended, and these don’t need to be cast any further than 35 yards. Fish from low water up and there is free parking available on the road that runs along the beach.

WEYBOURNE, HOLT, NORFOLK

If you fish a flapper rig with small hooks and worm baits you’ll catch lots of flatfish, and the odd cod are also being caught along this stretch of the coast. The local anglers advise you to use small hooks and worm baits on an incoming tide.
Tactics: Those who have been fishing for cod have been fishing as far as they can.

CORTON, NEAR LOWESTOFT, SUFFOLK

There are signs that there will soon be a good run of cod as a few small ones are now starting to make an appearance. There’s plenty of parking by the beach.
Tactics: Plenty of whiting and most of the fish have been caught fishing at about 60 yards. Flapper rigs baited with black lugworms are the best tactics, and you should look to fish around the flood tides.

DIMLINGTON, NEAR EASINGTON, EAST YORKSHIRE

Some really great mixed catches of cod and whiting have been taken, but it’s essential to fish the morning ebb tides because this is when you’ll get the lions’ share of the bites.
Tactics: Clipped-down pulley rigs are the best way to approach this venue and you should be looking to use hookbaits like black lugworms tipped with crab. It doesn’t matter if you can’t cast a lead to the horizon here either as fish have been caught as close as 30 yards.

COURTAULDS, GRIMSBY, SOUTH HUMBERSIDE

In the next few weeks peeler crab will be dominating catches, but in the meantime stick to blueys, maddies and king ragworms for the mackerel.
Tactics: Fish a pennel rig with a size 1/0 hook with worms for the cod, and there are also plenty of flatfish to be caught by those that like fishing at short range. Those fishing two hours either side of high tide have been getting the best of the action.

WINTHORPE, NEWARK, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

Those that have been fishing the tide on its way in have got the best of the fishing where flatties and whiting have made up some consistent catches.
Tactics: Locals are predicting that the bass should arrive here in the next few week, but until then the main targets mentioned above can be fooled with flapper rigs baited with worms or blueys.

WEYBOURNE, HOLT, NORFOLK

A few cod are now making an appearance especially on the evening tides, plus there have been plenty of bites from flatfish.
Tactics: If you’re after the cod fish a pennel rig with lugworms at around 80 yards, and for the best of the sport you should time your session two hours before and two hours after high tide.

SALTHOUSE, NEAR WEYBOURNE, NORFOLK

If the going gets tough you can always rely on the ‘shingle bank’ to produce flatfish for those who can scratch around with small hooks and scaled-down tackle because there are always bites to be had, and you don’t have to fish far out either.
Tactics: Lugworms are still at the top of the bait list so don’t leave for the beach without them.

DUNWICH, SAXMUNDHAM, SUFFOLK

Anglers fishing along the coast at Dunwich have been reporting good catches of flounders and codling.
Tactics: Last light usually produces the better stamp of fish, and an ebb tide is best for cod, although flood tides are also worth fishing.
If you arm yourself with ragworm or lugworm you’ll be covered on the bait front, and these should be fished on a two or three-hook rig cast 50 yards to 60 yards. The venue is easily accessible and offers plenty of free parking.

CLACTON-ON-SEA, ESSEX

Sport is finally starting to pick up in the area, with plenty of cod to 3lb and small bass being caught. At most marks you will still need a decent chuck of at least 100 yards to get among the fish, and small ragworm baits have been proving very effective.
Tactics: Aim to fish the tide two hours up and two hours back down again, and the hours of darkness have been the most productive. There is lots of free parking available close by.

GILLINGHAM, MEDWAY, KENT

The first of the skate are now starting to show off Eastchurch Gap, and so far fish to 8lb have been reported. There are also flounders and dabs being caught.
Tactics: If you fancy targeting the skate, arm yourself with sandeel or bluey baits, and fish these on Pennel rigs with size 4/0 hooks. A night-time flood tide is the ideal tide to fish, and you can park at Walden Bay for free and then walk around to the fishing.

SOUTHSEA, HAMPSHIRE

Bass, plaice, flounders, whiting and pollack are the main species being caught from Eastney Beach during the day and the harbour entrance at night.
Tactics: If you are targeting the plaice, wishbone rigs with plenty of beads and spinners are recommended, and the further you can cast the better. For the other species, running legers with ragworm will be fine. Parking is available close to the fishing at both marks.

CHURCH COVE, THE LIZARD, HELSTON, CORNWALL

This popular venue is situated on the stretch known as ‘the lizard’ and the plaice are starting to show in numbers. A simple paternoster rig baited with lugworms or ragworms are best.
Tactics: Another venue worth a try is Porth Kerris as it’s producing the odd mackerel, and garfish should also soon start to show up. You should fish a flooding tide, but you’ll really struggle to hold bottom on the ebb.

NEWPORT, GWENT, SOUTH WALES

Monknash is a good low-water mark to fish, and small-eyed and spotted rays are starting to show, along with dogfish and codling.
Tactics: The best baits to use at the moment are sandeel, squid, and if you can get hold of any, crab is also good. Distance is crucial to success here and so the further you can cast the better.
Those fishing during the daytime have fared better and you can park for £1 in the farmer’s field.

BORTH, DYFED, WEST WALES

Fish the low water back in at Borth beach and you’ll be in with the chance of catching dabs, small turbot and bass.
You don’t need to worry about casting to the horizon because a chuck of 40 yards to 50 yards will put you among the fish.
Tactics: Two or three-hook clipped-down rigs are recommended with ragworm or lugworm tipped with a piece of squid. The evening is best if the tides are right, and you can park for free near the golf course.

FLINTSHIRE, NORTH-EAST WALES

Fish the tides below 28ft at Connah’s Quay Docks and you’ll be in with the chance of catching flounders and bass.
Tactics: Better catches taken at night, but you’ll still get bites during the day. Lugworm tipped with a bit of mackerel on a flapper rig is the most popular set-up at the moment, and you will find the fish fairly close in. You can fish out of the back of your car here.

WHITEHAVEN PIERS, WHITEHAVEN, CUMBRIA

The Whitehaven Piers, especially the North pier, are fishing well for a variety of species including, plaice to over 1lb, small rockling, codling, dabs, flounders and dogfish.
Tactics: Ragworm, black lugworm and razor fish are all scoring, and they don’t need to be cast any further than 50 yards. The bigger tides during the daytime tend to fish better and there is plenty of parking at the piers.