Norfolk pair enjoy success over the border

It's been steady this week with a few fish on most of our beaches, though neighbouring counties seem to have had the best of it.

The Lincolnshire beaches have produced some superb hound and ray sport, Norfolk rods Rob Allen and Christian Bulch both finding plenty of double figure hounds and nice rays.

This side of The Wash and the hounds have been a bit smaller – although I haven't had reports of anybody fishing The Wash beaches themselves, I would imagine there would be chances of similar sport there.

Holt SAC fished the first round of the West Norfolk Challenge in the river at King's Lynn. It's usually a good flounder and eel match and it didn't disappoint this time.

Mark Sharman obliterated the field with 21 fish for 9lb 2oz, Trev Elliott was second with 5lb 9oz and Richard Burt third with 5lb 4oz.

Mark Gooch had the best flounder at a cracking 1lb 4oz, with Ivan Allison the best eel at 1lb 6oz. The club are back on the shingle at Kelling next weekend.

In the south there have been some hound pups, a few soles showing below Lowestoft and there are still a few dogfish, bass and codling around Aldeburgh and Orford, including the odd better bass to 7lb.

I haven't seen reports of any rays lately. Although most people are fishing with crab for the hounds and bass, fish baits must still be worth a try I think.

The river at Yarmouth has a few school bass and there's always a chance of a better one – flounders and eels here too and hound pups on the beaches. East Norfolk has been patchy; conditions have hardly helped, though there have been a few school bass. I would imagine there will be hounds again when the sea flattens off and the tides building to springs this weekend might just be the change needed.