Hopton, Suffolk

SEASONS
The bass show from May through to November along with the odd flounder and sole. The whiting arrive in early October followed by the cod which peak around Christmas, but with a spring run in late March to April.

BAITS
Most local anglers fish fresh blow or black lug, though frozen black lug can also fish really well here. You'll pick up more cod if you tip with squid, and for the whiting tip with either frozen mackerel or sandeel. The dabs take sticky black lug best.

White rag can be a killer bait here, especially for the early season codling at long range, and in daylight for the bass. Peeler crab also works well for both summer bass and winter cod.

TACKLE & TACTICS
This is a pretty shallow beach made up of clean sand and clay backing on to groynes. It fishes well on the flood but tends to produce its best fishing in the three hours before low water during the bigger spring tides.

Tides can pull hard here, so choose a 5-6oz beachcaster with a reel loaded with 15 to 18lb line and a 60lb shock leader. Carry both 5 and 6oz grip leads, the latter with long tails to increase grip during the tide run.

Top rig for general species such as flatties and whiting is a three-hook flapper armed with size 2 Kamasan B940 Aberdeen hooks. For the dabs drop down to a size 6 Aberdeen. For long range fishing switch to a two-hook clipped down rig, again with the size 2 Aberdeen's.

For both bass and codling a simple clipped down rig is the most consistent rig. Use a single 4/0 Viking hook for the bass, and a two-hook pennel rig using twin 4/0 Vikings for the cod.

LOCATION
Hopton lies off the A12 between Gorleston and Lowestoft. At the big roundabout take the road signposted Hopton and at the T junction take the left turn then the immediate turn to the right. Go through the village following the road to where the houses end with beach access down the steel steps.