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 (7/13/2022). The lake level was about even with the top of the
dam. The surface water was light brown and slightly cloudy in the central
lower lake, with more cloudy water deeper, on windy shorelines, and in some
creeks.

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 moderately active,
but were somewhat difficult to fish for in many creeks and shorelines in the
main lake due to numerous clumps of filamentous algae. Some of the bluegill
clusters were larger fish spawning on the full moon. Bluegills hanging
around cypress trees on sunny days were moderately active. 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, Ben Harris and Brian Dementi had 2 crappie, 3
white perch, 1 citation yellow perch, 1 blue catfish, 1 striped bass, and 3
largemouth bass. Karen Anderson had 9 bluegill, 4 crappie, 3 white perch,
and 1 largemouth bass. Bryant and Ken Davis had 3 crappie, 1 pickerel, and
1 largemouth bass. Tom Porter had 28 bluegill,3 shellcracker, and 5
crappie.