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 low
70’s in the central lower lake on Wednesday (4/17/2024) and a few
degrees higher in the major creeks. Water temperature below 5 feet was
in the middle 60’s. The lake level was about 2 inches above the top of
the dam. The water was medium brown, clear at the surface, slightly to
moderately cloudy at 1 foot, and quite murky at 3 feet due to an
apparent layer of suspended microscopic algae.

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 when
active have been hitting live minnows and cut bait. A fair number of
smaller crappies were around creek mouths and in the creeks, and could
be caught by trolling in the creek channels. The activity level and
preferences of crappies in the creeks have varied a lot over the past
several weeks. Some days they won’t touch minnows but will hit a tube
jig suspended under a float or a curly-tail grub on a jig. Other days
they want nothing but minnows. White perch have been scattered or in
loose aggregates on deep flats, channel edges, and in channels in the
main lake and occasionally in creeks, and when active have been hitting
small baits including live minnows, Gulp minnows and Fry, and swim
baits. A few yellow perch have been in the creeks and hitting small
curly tail jigs. Increasing numbers of bluegills and shellcrackers are
entered the major creeks and are hitting live worms, wet flies, and
small jigs. Some pickerel and largemouth bass have been on flats and on
channel edges in the main lake, and increasing numbers are starting to
show up in major creeks. Although bass beds are almost impossible to
see, casting topwater and very slow sinking baits tight to shoreline
vegetation has worked, suggesting some bass are bedding. When active
and deeper, bass and pickerel have been hitting live minnows,
spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, and jerk baits.

Catches have varied with weather, with many species becoming relatively
inactive after heavy rains or cold fronts, then gradually becoming more
active as weather moderated. Sandra Rothrock had 10 bluegills, 2
shellcrackers, 19 crappies, 2 white perch, 1 yellow perch, and 1 striped
bass.