Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-746-2475) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the low 40’s in the lower lake and major creeks and in the high 30’s in the upper lake on Wednesday (2/20/2013). The lake level was about 6 inches above the top of the dam. The water was brown and slightly cloudy in the lower lake.

A few bowfin, blue cats, crappies, white perch, and bass were in deeper channels and deep winter holes (about 18-25 foot depths) in the lower main lake and when active were hitting blade baits and live minnows. Most crappies and white perch appeared to have left the winter holes but had not yet made an appearance in the major creeks. Look for them to start showing up in the creeks during the next week or two. Most bass and pickerel were scattered on mid-depth and deep flats in the main lake and were hitting live minnows, blade baits, and lipless crankbaits. A few small to medium bass and an occasional small yellow perch or pickerel were in the major creeks and were hitting live minnows and small suspending jerkbaits.