Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-746-2475) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the high 40’s in the lower main lake and the mid-50’s in the backs of the major creeks over the weekend. On Wednesday (02/26/2014) the water temperatures were still in the high 40’s in the main lake, but had dropped back to the high 40’s in the major creeks. The lake level was a little over a foot above the top of the dam. The water was very light brown and was very slightly cloudy in the central lower lake.

A few blue cats were in the lower lake winter holes, but many apparently have scattered throughout the lake and up the creeks. Crappies appeared to have left the winter holes, and last weekend moderate numbers were up the major creeks, primarily on the flats in the backs of the creeks, and were hitting live minnows, small jigs, small swim baits, and small suspending jerkbaits. Some pickerel and bass were on mid-depth wood cover, but last weekend many were on shallow to mid-depth flats in the backs and side-channels in the major creeks. Pickerel and bass were hitting live minnows and suspending jerk baits. Most of the crappies, bass, and pickerel had left the backs of the creeks by Wednesday and were located in channels and holes farther down the creeks or on mid-depth cover near creek mouths. They should return to the backs of the creeks on afternoons of sunny days if the water temperatures rise again.

Fishing with Capt. Conway, Tom Porter and Hollis Pruitt had 25 crappie, 1 citation yellow perch, 1 blue cat, 1 bowfin, and 3 bass.