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 in the major creeks on Wednesday (03/26/2014). The temperatures in the creeks had reached the low to mid 50’s over the past weekend, but dropped due to the cold front and snow Tuesday. The lake level was about a foot above the top of the dam. The water was light brown and was slightly to moderately 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 have left the winter holes, and moderate numbers are in the major creeks. This last cold front has reduced their activity and moved some of them down the creeks. They should become more active and head back up the creeks this weekend. Most crappies were not hitting aggressively today, but before the snow active fish were hitting live minnows, Kalin crappie scrubs, trolled Wright Bait Co. curly-tail grubs, small swim baits, and small suspending jerkbaits. Some pickerel and bass were on mid-depth flats in the backs and side-channels and in the main channels in the major creeks and were hitting live minnows, small swim baits, and suspending jerk baits. A few yellow perch were wandering in the creeks and were hitting live minnows and small jigs.

Fishing with Capt. Conway, Mickey Cleveland had 12 crappie, 1 citation yellow perch, and 1 pickerel.