Given work and other commitments me and my friends Mark and Tina don�t get to fish as often as we�d like so I was bursting at the seams to get away from a heavy year at work and to squeeze as much fishing in as possible.

Fishing is still reasonably new to me, (just over a year) so the opportunity to fish the Elliston & Coffin Bay areas couldn�t come quick enough.

The much-awaited day of Thursday the 25th of Nov 04 finally came and we packed and were on our way.

However trips like this never go without a hitch.

This shot is just the other side of Cleve, I am the taller one being less than helpful in a stressful situation checking the state of my feeble pen pushing hands and given the girth size I had better join other members with a New Years resolution to lose 10 kilos or so.

We finally arrived at Elliston about 9.30pm, found our accommodation, few beers and off to bed as we were off to Locks Well the next morning (Friday) the 26th surf fishing for Salmon. After a handful of failed attempts at Daly�s Head to catch my first Salmon I couldn�t wait.

Mark and I were off about 5.30am and were in the water at first light.

Surely I would get my first decent salmon however after about 4 hours Mark was up about 6 nil. Here is Mark with the first fish of the trip.

By now I was really beginning to wonder if I would ever catch a decent salmon however its just great being ankle deep in water in this part of the world.

I never broke the drought, Mark thought it was due to sunscreen on my hands but I put it down to either killing someone in a previous life or the fact I never wore my FISHSA cap.

Me waiting for the first one.

Despite being disheartened I was sure I would do better the next day (Sat the 27th of Nov) but was not leaving anything to chance. No sunscreen on the hands and wore the FISHSA cap however after about an hour at Locks Well this was the result.

Mark again, and hes looking likes he�s rubbing it in just a tad.

And the trend continues

FINALLY, the moment came. My first decent salmon and note the CAP, they do bring luck.

Despite looking a bemused dork I am a very happy man at this point.

And the salmon was released to fight another day, as were most of the salmon we caught.

For the next few days up until Monday we fished Locks Well each morning and did well except for the final day where I was the only one to catch a few smaller STs but I can�t wait to get back there.

Just a few more shots. Eventually I reckon Mark and I drew but he still doesn�t admit it.

Spectacular scenery with the moon going down at sunrise, pity the photo isn�t better

For the remainder of our days at Elliston we fished the Jetty and areas such as Salmon Point, Sheringa and Camel Beach.

Most days we would have fished at least 10 hours a day starting at sunrise and often going until late at night. Heres a few more shots around Elliston. Camel Beach from memory, could only get undersize KG whiting but very relaxing.

We only had limited success from the Elliston jetty with a few quid, tommies and the odd trevally but with this sunset work seemed a million miles away and I didn�t really care. Still would have been good for a big feed of squid and gar to bring back.

While we never caught heaps we still gathered enough for a decent feed. Most of this lot were from Salmon Point, love catching trevally.

We left Elliston on Tuesday the 2nd of December and headed for Coffin Bay where we planned to stay for a week.

Around Coffin Bay we fished at varying points along the Ledge, Seal Corner and the main City Wharf where we managed a few tommies, small KGs, STs and a just legal Flathead which went back.

We also spent a few days fishing off Farm Beach, Greenly, Gallipoli with only limited success but the coast line is so spectacular you don�t seem to care.

My own highlight was a 30 minute (Mark reckons it was only 5 minutes) battle with a ray off the end of the Mt Dutton Bay jetty.

This was my first time I had had my own reel scream off as the bait was taken and the first time I really had to control the drag etc as the ray took off an a few biggish runs. Great learning experience and at times I thought my cheapo $70 combo was going to blow up.

Managed to get it to the top of the water for a shot before cutting it off hopefully to live happily ever after.

Me being a bit over dramatic.

Thought about walking it back to the beach but I guessed it had been through enough and I am lead to believe the hooks will only remain for a few days. Would like peoples thoughts.

The ray just prior to release.

Its really great having great friends. We know people from Cummins who had bought a new boat the Wed before we arrived at Coffins.

Due to �reaping� the guy who owned the boat couldn�t join us but his two sons took us out for 2 great days. I felt a bit guilty going out on a boat before the bloke who forked out the money for it but I got over it.

The new boat arriving at Coffin Bay.

On both Sat and Sunday (4th and 5th of Dec) we left from Farm Beach and fished out from Gallipoli a few Ks.

On the Saturday we got our boat limit of KGs between 4 of us but we had to move about a bit. We also moved in close to the beach at Gallipoli and caught about 15 trevally around the 30cm mark, great fun.

On the Sunday we were on the water by about 6.30am, dead flat. We made our way to deeper water (about 80 ft) and within an hour and a half we had got our boat limit. Great stuff.

Most KGs were around the 35cm mark, a few over 40cm and I boated one over 50cm only for it to jump out as I measured it. Never mind, I had fun.

While fishing shouldn�t be competitive between friends I won despite what Mark says. After bagging out on whiting we put some tommies on heavier gear for snapper but no luck.

The Lads, Boyd and Zebp whose dad owns the boat, thanks lads.

A good feed of whiting starting to build up.

Now this may explain why we caught a few half chomped whiting.

By the time we got back to our accommodation on Sunday we were very tired bunch of fisher people.

Over the last 9 days we had squeezed in more hours of fishing to add up but would do it all again in a flash.

Just like to say here how much I appreciate Mark and Tina�s friendship.

They have helped me a lot with my fishing and it was great to spend a trip like this away with them, hope to do it again some time.

Without them I doubt whether I would have had such an experience. Also like to thank many members of this site who have responded to my previous posts and offered advice especially after my previous disasters at Daly�s. Refer here.

Can�t wait to experience our great coastline again and see sights like these � thanks for putting up with such long post.

Darren (Duncecaster)

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DunceCaster