Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-514-1486) out of
Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water
temperatures were in the mid to high 50’s in the main lake and in the major
creeks on Wednesday (11/8/2017). The lake level was a few inches above the
top of the dam. The water was medium brown and slightly cloudy in the
central lower lake, with more murky water along some downwind shorelines.

Most blue cats and bullheads were on flats, along drop-offs, and in channels
in the main lake and scattered in creeks, and were hitting live minnows and
cut bait. Most larger crappie were on mid-depth flats, on drop-offs, and in
some channels in the main lake. A few crappie were still scattered on
shoreline flats. Activity was moderate, and when active, crappie were
hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. and Southern Pro curlytail jigs, small
tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, small swim baits, and blade baits. Yellow and
white perch were scattered or in loose aggregates on flats in the main lake
and were hitting live minnows, small swim baits, and small jigs. Some
bluegill and shellcracker were still scattered along shorelines or on
shoreline flats, frequently near wood cover, but most larger bluegills were
near the outer edges of hydrilla beds in 3 to 8 feet of water or along
drop-offs in the main lake. Bluegill were hitting small jigs, wet flies,
Nikko nymphs, small swim baits, and live worms. Many bass were on mid-depth
flats, along drop-offs, or in channels near mouths of the major creeks and
in the main lake. Some bass were on shorelines or shoreline flats,
especially under hydrilla mats on sunny days. Pickerel were in creeks, on
main lake 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.

Fishing with Capt. Conway, Steve Thady had 50 bluegill, 1 shellcracker, 2
yellow perch, 2 roach minnows, and 2 bass. Tom Porter had 12 bluegill, 5
crappie, and 1 blue cat.