At 7:30 last night my buddy and I packed up the truck and departed the snow covered Outer Banks.  The destination was the ol faithful Elizabeth River with some speckled trout pullage in mind.  It is pretty challenging to catch something close to home these days, and who can pass up the speckled trout fishery just a short hop over the border.  Armed with a couple kayaks, a bunch of hand warmers, and our favorite hard plastic baits, we set off onto the river.

The conditions seemed to be ideal. The water was high and still coming in, the wind was calm, and the steam coming off the water was a tell tale sign that the warm water of the discharge was making its way out to the main river.   We headed to some of the key spots.

After coming up empty at all the go to areas, it was time to head up to the warm water to get the skunk out.   I always think of the hot water discharge as a place to wind on a couple 20 inchers and break the ice.   It didn’t take long to get the first fish in the kayak.

After slinging up fish after fish……. she finally hit, after a couple runs and some strong head shakes, there she was.   I caught the biggest trout of my life in the discharge.  After spending countless hours trying to dial in the big ones on the main river, I catch it in the damn nursery.  I learned a valuable lesson when I held up that fish and saw her true size and beauty.  Once you think you have it all figured out, you realize you don’t know anything.

Now I hate to touch on this, but I will.  Many people like to bash the Elizabeth River and more specifically the “hot ditch.” (I still don’t quiet understand how anyone who enjoys fishing has anything negative to say about an amazing trout fishery in the dead of winter.)  To me, fishing is all about getting outdoors and catching fish with good friends.   I never let anyone’s opinion make me lose sight of why I truly love fishing.  The moment I stopped giving a shit about what other people thought of me was a really great feeling.  Get out there, enjoy the outdoors, and do it for the reasons you did when you were 5 years old!