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 60’s in the lower main lake and in the major
creeks on Wednesday (10/16/2019). The lake level was about even with the
top of the dam and the water was light brown and very slightly cloudy in the
central lake, with more cloudy water along downwind shorelines. This past
weekend, the lake level rose to well over a foot above the top of the dam at
high tide for several days due to coastal flooding coming up the river.

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. Some cats
were suspended rather than holding near the bottom. When active, cats were
hitting live minnows and cut bait. 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 when active, both species were hitting live minnows, small swim
baits, and small jigs. A mix of sizes of bluegill and shellcracker were
scattered on shorelines and on flats out to 3 to 5 foot depths, especially
around cypress trees, in the main lake and in some creeks. 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 and hydrilla mats), around
cypress trees, on flats, and on channel edges. When active, bass and
pickerel were hitting live minnows, top waters (especially frogs in duckweed
and floating hydrilla patches), spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank
baits, jerk baits, and jigs.

Fishing with Capt. Conway, David Biondi and Xanadu Latham had 19 bluegills,
5 shellcrackers, 1 crappie, 2 white perch, and 1 bass. Chris Witte had 1
bowfin, 1 pickerel, and 3 bass. Brian, Tim, and Jeffrey Boberick had 2
crappie, 18 white perch, and 3 bass.