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 to mid 50’s in the lower lake and in the major creeks over the weekend, but had dropped to the mid to high 40’s on Monday. On Wednesday (3/20/2013) most main lake temperatures were in the high 40’s, with similar readings near the mouths of creeks and readings in the low 50’s on the downwind sides of the backs of the creeks. The lake level was about 12 inches above the top of the dam and relatively stable. The water was brown and slightly cloudy in the lower lake.

A few blue cats and some small to medium crappies were in a few of the deeper channels and deep winter holes in the lower main lake. Medium to large crappies were in some of the staging areas outside some of the creeks. Crappies and blue cats in these deeper locations were hitting live minnows and drop shot rigs with small Gulp baits. Larger crappies were starting to accumulate in the channels of the major creeks and were hitting live minnows and trolled curly-tail grubs over the weekend, were gone from the creeks on Monday, and a few were back in the creeks today (Wednesday). The cold and precipitation Wednesday night and Thursday may run them out again, but look for crappies to return to the creeks and continue to accumulate in the channels and backs of the creeks during the next week or two if water temperatures rise again. Most bass and pickerel were scattered on mid-depth and deep flats in the main lake and were hitting live minnows, blade baits, lipless crankbaits, and plastic worms. 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. Fishing with Capt. Conway, Pierre LaFrance had 10 crappies and 1 blue cat. Tom Porter had 18 crappies, 2 white perch, 2 blue cats, and 1 bass.