Art Conway (804-514-1486) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that
Chickahominy Lake mid-day surface water temperatures were in the mid- to
upper 40’s in the central lower lake on Wednesday (12/13/2023). The
lake level was about eight inches above the top of the dam. The water
was light brown, clear in the top foot, increasingly cloudy for the next
foot, and quite murky for the next several feet in the central lower
lake.
We appear to be in winter patterns, since the water has been in the 40’s
for the last few weeks. A few small blue cats, channel cats, and
bullheads have been scattered on flats, along drop-offs, and in channels
in the main lake and in some creeks, and when active have been hitting
live minnows and cut bait. A few small to medium crappies have been on
wood cover on deep flats and on channel edges in the main lake. Most
crappies have been in deeper areas in channels. Crappies have been
relatively inactive, but when active have been hitting live minnows and
Gulp minnows and occasionally hitting tubes, curly tail grubs, small
swim baits, and wet flies. White perch and a few yellow perch have been
scattered or in loose aggregates on deep flats, channel edges, and in
channels in the main lake, and when active have been hitting small baits
including live minnows, Gulp minnows, and swim baits. Small bluegills
have been in channels and occasionally hitting small Gulp baits on
dropshot rigs. Some pickerel and largemouth bass have been on flats and
on channel edges in the main lake. When active, bass and pickerel have
been hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank
baits, and jerk baits.