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 upper
30’s in the central lower lake and a bit lower up the lake on Wednesday
(1/24/2024). The lake iced over during the weekend and early this week.
Today there were still areas of floating ice and extensive shore ice in
the lower lake in the morning. Most ice in the lower lake was melted by
late this afternoon. Bays, creeks, and oxbows at the upper end of the
lake and above were still iced over this afternoon, but should melt by
tomorrow. The lake level was back to within normal range, and was about
3 inches above the top of the dam. The water was light to medium brown
and quite murky in all areas of the lake that we checked today. There
was still a visible current in the upper part of the lake, but much less
than during the high water.

We appear to be in winter patterns overall, since the water has been in
the 40’s for the last month and has been in the middle to upper 30’s
since last week. The following patterns were consistent for several
weeks prior to the high, murky water followed be the freeze. When
conditions stabilize, these patterns will probably resume.

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.
Occasional small to medium crappies have been on wood cover on deep
flats and on channel edges in the main lake, but most crappies have been
in deeper areas in channels. Crappies have been relatively inactive,
but when active have been hitting live minnows, Gulp minnows and Gulp
Fry, 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 Fry, and swim baits. Small bluegills
have been in channels and have usually been inactive, but 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.

Fishing with Art Conway today, Tom Porter had 1 blue cat. Based on
sonar, most fish appeared to be close to or on the bottom. The next few
days should get the water temperature back up a little and hopefully
perk the fish up a little.