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 surface
water temperatures were in the middle to upper 80’s in the lower lake on
Wednesday (6/1/2022). The lake level was about 1 inch above the top of the
dam. The surface water was light brown and clear in the central lower lake,
with more cloudy water deeper, on windy shorelines, and in some creeks.
Numerous clumps of filamentous algae were starting to deteriorate and
floating due to gas bubbles, and were accumulating near downwind shorelines.
Other algal clumps were still healthy and attached to the bottom.
A few small blue cats and bullheads were scattered on flats, along
drop-offs, and in channels in the main lake, and when active were hitting
live minnows and cut bait. Most crappie were near channel edge brush piles
in the main lake and were slightly to moderately active. A few crappie were
in creek channels and were moderately active. Active crappie were hitting
live minnows, tubes, curly tail grubs, and small swim baits. White perch
were scattered or in loose aggregates on deep flats and channel edges in the
main lake, and when active were hitting small live minnows, swim baits, and
jigs. Some bluegill and shellcracker were on deep flats and channel edges
near brush piles in the main lake, but were not very active. Other bluegill
and shellcracker were in loose clusters on shorelines or near-shoreline
flats in the main lake and in the major creeks and were active, but were
somewhat difficult to fish for in many creeks and shorelines in the main
lake due to numerous clumps of filamentous algae. Active bluegill were
hitting live worms and crickets, Nikko nymphs, Wright Bait Co. 1-inch curly
tail grubs, and flies. Pickerel and bass were in creeks and around cypress
trees, on deeper flats, and in channels in the main lake. When active, bass
and pickerel were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick
worms, crank baits, and jerk baits.
Fishing with Capt. Conway, Robert Thomas and Dick Chapman had 41 bluegill, 1
shellcracker, 1 flier, and 1 yellow perch. Gordy James, Jeff James, and
Laura White had 7 bluegill, 2 crappie, and 1 white perch. Gene Kirsch and
Tom Witowski had 11 crappie, 1 bullhead, and 1 largemouth bass. Tom Porter
had 18 bluegill, 4 crappie, and 1 largemouth bass.