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 upper 80’s in the lower main lake and in the major
creeks on Wednesday (7/3/2019). The lake level was about even with the top
of the dam. The water was medium greenish brown and moderately cloudy in
the central lake, and more cloudy along some 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 along shorelines in the main lake, but most crappie were along
main lake channel edges, frequently near wood cover. 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, and when active, both species were
hitting live minnows, small swim baits, and small jigs. Many small and
medium bluegill and shellcracker were scattered on flats and shorelines in
the main lake and in some creeks, while many larger bluegill and
shellcracker had spawned again on the full moon, dispersed, and were loosely
clustered on the new moon along shorelines or slightly offshore in 3 to 5
feet of water. When active, bluegill and shellcracker were hitting live
worms and crickets, Nikko nymphs, flies, and small swimbaits. Pickerel and
bass were located along shorelines (especially under duckweed patches), on
flats, and on channel edges. When active, bass and pickerel were hitting
live minnows, top waters (especially frogs in duckweed patches),
spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.
Fishing with Capt. Conway, Ross Alfonso and Cary Duval had 10 crappie, 1
white perch, 1 bullhead, and 2 gar. Lawrence Barden had 19 bluegill, 2
shellcracker, 1 white perch, and 3 bass.
