This last fortnight sea fishing sport has been frantic around the Dorset coast, with a multitude of sea fish species of all sizes being caught.

Here you can try everything from offshore wrecking to sneaky inshore tactics for mullet and bass, especially if you are prepared to be out of bed early to catch a charter boat on the early tide.

The shore fishing is equally magnificent, with anglers taking the Jurassic path down to Poole harbour for bass, mullet, flounders, cod and wrasse.

Chesil beach draws shore anglers like a magnet, the elusive triggerfish proving tricky to catch but giving exciting sport once hooked.

At the far eastern end lies Portland, where the angling opportunities are endless – especially if you have a head for heights.

The cliffs and rock ledges will certainly give you scope to target the huge wrasse that lie in wait within the gulleys and kelp jungles.

Crab baits, especially hermits, are the main bait here, but make sure that your tackle is up to the job – this isn’t the place for flimsy rods and reels!

The charter fleet housed within Weymouth harbour will normally head out to the Shambles Bank where plaice, turbot and brill await, along with pollack and blonde rays filling the hooks at the Kidney Bank.

If it’s bass that defy you, then you’re sure to find them in feeding mode in the Portland race.

Weymouth Bay provides you with opportunities to fish a plug or a spinner for the odd bass or pollack, but head further towards Swanage and the charter fleet here will put you over some terrific tope.

Charter boats out of Poole offer you the chance to bag yourself one of the huge pollack, but the massive harbour will give you the chance to explore the shore selection of fish.

If your charter boat heads for The Foreland and Studland Bay, then the black bream will give you non-stop action, but on the way the skipper may decide to stop off to allow you catch some fresh sandeels in the hope of exciting bass fishing as you pass over the sandbanks.

Bournemouth is always worth a shout, but you’re better off taking a boat out, as the beaches can be crowded with holidaymakers.

Southsea Parade, near Portsmouth, can offer some plaice fishing, as can

Portsmouth and Langstone harbours, but be aware, these are bass conservation areas.