SEA FISHING: The slightest glimmer of an upturn on the region's beaches this week. I've heard of a few codling from the beaches, and our friends in the kayaks, to give us some much needed enthusiasm, and with the forecast ready to turn again this week we may well get a mini revival.

The slightest glimmer of an upturn on the region's beaches this week.

I've heard of a few codling from the beaches, and our friends in the kayaks, to give us some much needed enthusiasm, and with the forecast ready to turn again this week we may well get a mini revival.

Catches from the Suffolk beats have consisted of occasional flatfish, whiting and some undersized codling. The Lowestoft area has been the pick of those beaches with Pakefield yielding a couple of codling in the 2-3lb bracket and some nice dabs at Kessingland.

Up towards Yarmouth and things improve ever so slightly with a few more flats reported and a few of those 2-3lb codling, mostly to kayakers just offshore but a few have fallen to shore anglers too.

The east Norfolk beaches have been pretty inconsistent this winter, though a few fish are starting to show up here also.

The Hunstanton club fished a match at Walcott last weekend, with at least one codling caught, among the flatfish and whiting.

The wind is due to shift from easterly through to a general northerly direction as the week progresses, which should help this area and a decent rough up should bring those 2-3lb fish within casting range as it fines down again and I'm cautiously optimistic.

There have been a few flatties showing on the north Norfolk shingle again. Pete Cheeseman fished on the ridge at Weybourne on Saturday with his son, managing plenty of dabs, mostly small fish though tipping with squid seemed to winkle out a few better ones.

Holt SAC's match at Kelling last Sunday saw flatties dominating the results again. Pete Loke followed up his second place in January's winter open with a club win this week. Pete's nine fish for 3lb 4oz comfortably held off Sheringham ace Tony Thomas who carded 2lb 11oz with his 10 fish whilst Sea Angler correspondent Paul Fenech came in third with 2lb 3oz.

Prospects for the week ahead, while not exactly exciting, do at least give cause for a little optimism. Tides are building and it looks like we might finally lose some of the easterly air flow and the associated high pressure. As we get some northerly winds and the high pressure eases for a tide or two at least, it might just be worth a chuck on the east Norfolk beaches, especially when the sea starts to fine down, but please be careful in heavy seas.