SEA FISHING: This past week has been a tale of the wind, the early part dominated by westerly and the latter part by northerly.

These split conditions have given a mixed bag of catches, particularly in the north of the region.

In the westerlies the shingle ridge saw the first real show of mackerel with anglers enjoying 40 and 50 fish a session from Cley through to Weybourne.

As the northerlies picked up into the weekend the mackerel all but disappeared from catches by Saturday afternoon being replaced by flounders and bass, both enjoying the surf.

Holt SAC's match last Sunday had to be moved at the eleventh hour from Bacton to Kelling due to the heavy surf at Bacton.

The move paid off for John Carter who ran out winner with three fish for 5lb 1.5oz which included a super bass of 3lb 13oz with his flounders, Mike Watts came second with 3lb 2oz and Paul Fenech came third with 2lb 11oz. The surf on the beaches from Cromer down has seen plenty of schoolies caught for those prepared to fish into the teeth of the wind, the usual haunts of Trimingham, Mundesley, and Cart Gap being as good as anywhere.

Alan Kettle caught the winds easing and the surf manageable and made the most of those good conditions to break his personal best bass record twice in a session,

Alan recorded a brace of stunners at 5lb 9oz and 7lb 12oz from Caister, both fish were returned alive and well.

The changing winds didn't seem to offer much help for those rods fishing around Lowestoft, only occasional school bass and pin whiting showing for those fishing.

The beaches south of Lowestoft have been slow too with a few school bass here and there though I should think some colour has come back into the sea on the back of the northerlies, if it flattens off we may well see some sole.

The forecast for the week ahead gives another mixed bag though I don't think it will help the north too much with building pressure and a lot of south and weed bringing south-westerly, those winds could colour up the southern beaches though and if it does there should be some sole when the sea flattens off.