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 low to mid 80’s in the main lake and up the creeks on Wednesday (07/16/2014). The lake level was a few inches above the top of the dam. The water was medium brown and moderately cloudy in the central lower lake.

Blue cats were scattered throughout the lake and up the creeks. Crappie were scattered along the creek and main lake shorelines, on mid-depth wood cover, and on channel edges, and when active were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. curlytail jigs, small tubes, and swim baits. Yellow perch were scattered on shorelines and hydrilla flats in the main lake and up some creeks and were hitting small jigs. Bluegill and shellcracker were widely scattered along shorelines, on hydrilla flats, and around wood cover. Some small clusters of larger bluegill were present, frequently out from the shore in 3 to 4 feet of water. Bluegill and shellcracker were hitting live worms and crickets, flies, small tubes, small Gulp baits, and 1 inch dark Wright Bait Co. curlytail jigs. Fliers were scattered in the creek channels and were hitting live minnows and small jigs. Bass were next to shoreline vegetation and on grass flats and wood cover in the main lake and were hitting frogs and toads, stick worms, and live minnows. Pickerel were scattered in the creeks and main lake and hitting spinnerbaits and live minnows.

Fishing with Capt. Conway, Ted Antol had 14 bluegill, 1 shellcracker, 1 yellow perch, 7 bass, and 2 bowfin. Joe Shmokler and Carolyn Conway had 18 bluegill, 6 crappie, 1 bass, and 1 bowfin. Terry Rivers had 10 bluegill, I shellcracker, and 1 bass.