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 middle
60’s in the central lower lake on Wednesday (10/16/2024), with water
below 10 feet in the middle 60’s like the surface. The lake level was
about even with the top of the dam. The water was medium brown, clear at
the surface, slightly to moderately cloudy at 1 to 2 feet, and quite
murky below 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 have been around brush piles and
other wood cover along channel edges and mostly hitting live minnows and
occasionally hitting small jigs. 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 on flats in the creeks and in
the main lake and hitting small curly tail jigs. A moderate number of
bluegills and shellcrackers have been on main lake shorelines and flats
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, frogs, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms,
crank baits, and jerk baits. Interestingly, a mix of smaller bluegills,
crappies, and catfish have begun to move out into channel areas. This
normally happens about this time in the year, but the water temperature
is usually about 10 degrees lower when it happens.

Catches have varied widely thanks to changing weather. Fishing with Art
Conway, Mike Carruth, Gerry Felix, and Gordy James had 1 bluegill, 8
crappies, 2 white perch, and 1 largemouth bass. Jack and Dave Pong had
59 bluegills, 5 shellcrackers, 1 yellow perch, and 7 largemouth bass,
all on fly rods. Tom Porter and Sandra Rothrock had 10 bluegills, 1
shellcracker, 3 crappies and 1 blue cat.