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 80’s in the main lake and in the major
creeks on Wednesday (8/2/2017). The lake level was about even with the top
of the dam. The water was light to medium brown and moderately to heavily
cloudy in the central lower lake.

Most blue cats and bullheads were on flats and along drop-offs in the main
lake and scattered in creeks, and were hitting live minnows and cut bait.
Most crappie were on mid-depth flats and drop-offs, frequently near wood
cover, but a few crappie were on shallow hydrilla flats. Most crappie were
inactive, but when active were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. and
Southern Pro curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, and small
swim baits. Yellow perch were scattered or in loose aggregates in creeks
and on flats in the main lake and were hitting live minnows, small swim
baits, and small jigs. Bluegill and shellcracker were scattered or in small
schools on flats near wood cover or along the outer edge of hydrilla beds in
3 to 4 feet of water in the main lake, and were hitting small jigs, Nikko
nymphs, small swim baits, and live worms. Most bass were on flats, along
drop-offs, or in channels near mouths of the major creeks and in the main
lake, while a few bass were on shorelines, especially under hydrilla mats.
Pickerel were in creeks or on shorelines or around wood cover or vegetation.
When active, bass and pickerel were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim
baits, stick worms, crank baits, jigs, and frogs.