IT looks like we're heading for an Indian summer and, with calm seas and just a light, warm breeze, we're still seeing plenty of summer species being caught.

Once again, it's been a strange week for new species of fish turning up around our part of the coast.

Gary Coward fished an evening tide on Clacton Pier, hoping to catch a thornback ray or two, which he did.

However, he didn’t think he'd ever catch a spotted ray from anywhere on the East Coast - but that’s exactly what he did!

Spotted rays frequent the South Coast and Wales, so, along with the gilthead bream that was reported previously, we can now add another new species to our list.

The annual Clacton Pier charity fishing match in aid of St Helena Hospice was held at the weekend and raised a brilliant £440.

The weather conditions were hot, with just a light breeze.

It wasn't really conducive for good fishing but, all the same, fish were caught.

Neil Cocks won the match with an amazing five thornback rays for 1,141 points.

Second place went to Mick Lloyd, with one thornback ray for 185 points.

G Hewit was third (106 points), Des Adams fourth (56 points) and Ken Peacock fifth (49 points).

The heaviest flatfish prize went to Billy Paquette, with a sole for 21 points.

A big thank you goes to Sean Piero for all the great organisation work he does behind the scenes and on the day to keep the event running smoothly, along with Phil Buy and Neil Cocks.

The Holland beaches have seen the autumn whiting move in close and, after dark, they can be troublesome if you're targeting rays and bass.

The shallower Frinton beaches are producing thornback rays as the sun goes down and Mark Oxley and Graham Harmen reported rays to 7lbs.

Bass are still showing here and whiting after dark.

Walton Pier has to be the venue of the week and my trip to the pier was epic!

The previous week I'd managed to catch a few rare mackerel in very wet and windy conditions.

The mackerel shoals only appear around the pier maybe every four years or so and to catch a mackerel is quite a talking point.

I fished a midday tide in very calm conditions and the mackerel were ravenous.

Fishing a set of feathers, I managed to catch a bucketful.

As long as the weather stays settled, and the seas clear, the mackerel will stay around the pier.

The Walton Pier Club held their first match of the season on the pier at the weekend.

Nineteen anglers were greeted with gin-clear water and calm seas and only a few small fish were caught.

Stuart Butler won the match with 10oz.

Second spot went to Adam Woods (9oz) and third to Andrew Westrope (8oz).

Soles, bass and wrasse were the main catch.

The boats are still seeing smooth hounds, bass and thornback rays, along with whiting, and the charter boat Sophie Lea has reported plenty of good-size bass and smooth hounds

Dave Hollands launched his boat Essex Boys from the Gunfleet Boat Club ramp and reported bass to nearly 9lbs, along with some big smooth hounds and dogfish.

The high tides for the weekend are 4.39pm on Saturday and 5.30pm on Sunday.