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 high 70’s to low 80’s in the lower main lake and
higher in the major creeks on Wednesday (5/8/2019). The lake level was
about 5 inches above the top of the dam. The water was medium brown and
very slightly cloudy in the central lake, and very cloudy along many
downwind shorelines.
Some blue cats and bullheads were along drop-offs and in channels in the
main lake while others had dispersed onto flats and into creeks. When
active, cats were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Some crappie were in
creeks and others were in the main lake, in both cases frequently near wood
cover in shallow to moderate depths. Active crappie were hitting live
minnows, Wright Bait Co. and Southern Pro curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin
crappie scrubs, and small swim baits. Yellow and white perch were scattered
or in loose aggregates on deep flats, drop-offs, and channels in the main
lake and in major creeks. When active, both perch species were hitting live
minnows, small swim baits, and small jigs. Many bluegill and shellcracker
were on deeper flats and on some shorelines in the main lake, but some had
entered the creeks, and when active were hitting live worms, Nikko nymphs,
and small swimbaits. Pickerel were along shorelines in coves and in creeks
on sunny days. Bass were a mix of post-spawn and a few spawning fish,
mostly in the major creeks and main lake coves. When active, bass and
pickerel were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms,
crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.
Fishing with Capt. Conway, Bill Marley and Lee Bensey had 16 crappie, 1 blue
cat, and 3 bass. Gene Kirsch and Tom Witowski had 6 bluegill, 2
shellcracker, 7 crappie, 4 pickerel, and 1 bass. Mary and Grant Odell had 1
bluegill, 1 shellcracker, 8 crappie, and 1 bowfin. Caffrey, Paxton, and
Trenton Miller had 2 bluegill, 1 shellcracker, 4 crappie, and 1 bass. Tom
Porter had 14 bluegill, 2 shellcracker, 3 crappie, 1 yellow perch, 1
pickerel, and 1 bass.
