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 high 60’s in the main lake and low 70’s in the
major creeks on Wednesday (4/5/2017). The lake level was a few inches above
the top of the dam. The water was light brown and very slightly cloudy in
the central lower lake.

Early to mid-spring patterns had returned. Most blue cats and bullheads
were on flats and channels in the main lake and scattered in creeks, and
were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Most crappie were spawning, either
on vegetation or wood cover in the creeks or on wood cover (mostly cypress
roots) in the main lake. Active crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright
Bait Co. and Southern Pro curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs,
and small swim baits. Small to medium yellow perch were scattered or in
loose aggregates in creeks and on shoreline flats in the main lake. When
located, they were hitting live minnows, small swim baits, and small jigs.
Most bluegill and shellcracker were still on mid-depth flats in the main
lake but a few had moved into the creeks and were hitting small jigs, Nikko
nymphs, small swim baits, and live worms. Most bass were on shorelines, on
flats, or along drop-offs in the major creeks and the main lake. Pickerel
were still in many creeks on shorelines or around wood cover. When active,
bass and pickerel were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick
worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.

Fishing with Capt. Conway, Mickey Cleveland had 12 crappie, 1 yellow perch,
and 1 pickerel. John and Daniel Ferranti had 6 pickerel and 7 bass. Tom
Porter had 2 bluegill, 18 crappie, 2 white perch, 1 blue cat, 2 pickerel,
and 1 bass.