Art Conway (804-514-1486) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that
Chickahominy Lake mid-day surface water temperatures had dropped about
10 degrees since the middle of last week, and were in the lower 70’s in
the lower lake on Wednesday (9/28/2022). The lake level was about 3
inches below the top of the dam. The surface water was light brown and
very slightly cloudy in the central lower lake, with more cloudy water
deeper, on windy shorelines, and in some creeks. The cloudy layer below
about 1 foot was visibly olive green and was probably an algal bloom.
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.
Active crappie were hitting live minnows best, but were also
occasionally hitting 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, small lipless crankbaits, 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.
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, Steve and Mark Austin had 9 crappie and 1
largemouth bass. Tom Porter had 31 bluegill, 1 shellcracker, 7 crappie,
1 white perch, and 5 largemouth bass.