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 lower
70’s in the central lower lake on Wednesday (5/15/2024). The lake level
was about 8 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, shrimp, and cut bait. A fair
number of small to medium crappies were around creek mouths at moderate
depths. 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. A few 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 in the main lake
and hitting small curly tail jigs. Increasing numbers of bluegills and
shellcrackers are in the major creeks and some main lake shorelines and
are hitting live worms, wet flies, and small jigs. Some pickerel and
largemouth bass have been on flats and channel edges in the main lake
and shorelines in the main lake and major creeks and 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 18 bluegills, 1
shellcracker, 8 crappies, and 1 white perch.