# Hot Ditch 01/21... Brrrrrr



## GOSKN5 (Aug 5, 2007)

*Sorry for the long post.. but hey... Im a rambler and I like telling fishing stories... 

Short story... launched late caught a 24.5", 20" and 18" speck.... *

Long exciting, thrilling, awesome story: 

Well this was my first trip to the Hot Ditch and the pond... my plan was to launch at around 6am or so, but that didnt quiet happen. 

I woke up about 4:30 and the wind was still blowing some and it was sooo cold that I decided to wait for the sun to come up... 

I ended up launching around 9am or so and fishing flood tide and start of outgoing... I headed to the pond... 

There were about 4 folks wading on the way there and one lad wading right in the entrance to the cove... but no boats in the pond.... I had decided not to get minnows because I didnt feel like stopping and wasnt sure how the fish would react to all the rain... I started throwing a mirrolure and a chartruese grub on 1/4 jig head... no bites.. not even a nibble for the first hour or more.... 2 boats then moved in and anchored.. but I had plenty of room to roam around them... 

Then I decided to switch the lure and presentation and put on a 4" plastic jerk bait and worked it really really slow... and I felt a slam... knew it was a big fish... ran out some drag and stayed down forever... finally got him to the top and I had me first paper speck... 24.5" bad news was he was hooked deep in the throat and was out of the water for a long time while I got the hook out... I decided he wouldnt make it and forfeited the release citation... 

I also managed to pick up a 20" & 18" that were released...what a great day on the water.. it was freezing cold but I was loving it... 

What a wonderful day... thanks TUG for the tips.... 

here be a pic of the big guy..... doesnt do him justice... he was much bigger in real life...24.5"


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## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

photos rarely do justice to a big trout. nice report. do you happen to know what the water temp was up in there this morning, or what it has been lately?


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## red_fish (Jul 22, 2007)

the water temp in the ditch stays around 53-57 in the pond and up around the hot ditch i think its around 60


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## red_fish (Jul 22, 2007)

haha sorry dude perddy fish there hommie was thinking about hittin this morning but it was to dang cold


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

*nice job*

good work. way to go.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

I love that !!! Nice fish man!!!

I know I am probably the only one that does not know this but why does that water stay so warm? Is there a power plant discharge nearby? Or a Nukular one ? (and yes i spelled that one in honor of ole' GW)


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## baitslingin (Jul 31, 2005)

nice fish right there


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## red_fish (Jul 22, 2007)

yeap dominion virginia power right across the river


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## GOSKN5 (Aug 5, 2007)

I dont know what the water temp was this morning....my fish finder shoots through hull and doesnt get a good reading.. but it was reading right around 50 and is usually off a few degrees???

It was a nice morning out there... only thing that got cold were my hands...I cant fish with any type of glove...


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## TugCapn (Jun 18, 2007)

*Cold....Payed Off*

Way to go Skn5. You notice your the one holding the fish, and the rest are saying I was going to go BUT it was too cold....sniffle, sniffle . Like I told ya on the phone, you gotta put in the time to catch the paper. Hope to hook up with you when I get home. Rain, Hail, Sleet or Snow the fisherman will go.


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## eaglesfanguy (May 1, 2003)

Yeup.. Dominion power run off.. Its a coal burning power plant.. So no worries about radiation... Big ole specks stack up there in the winter like cord wood.....I sure miss that place... 
Great pic and sounds like a fun trip.. Them some good eatin fellers there. Good luck ont he next trip


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