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 mid to high 30’s in the main lake on Wednesday (1/28/2015). The main lake and the larger creeks were free of ice, but some ice was in the swamps attached to the lake. The lake level was about six inches above the top of the dam. The water was light to medium brown and moderately cloudy in the central lower lake.

Blue cats were scattered throughout the lake, with many in deep channel areas. Most crappie were in the channels and winter holes in the main lake, and were frequently near schools of bait. Bait and crappie schools have moved frequently and the activity levels of crappie schools have varied frequently, with many being inactive. Baits usually had to be at the depth of the crappie and dead-sticked or moved very slowly. Active crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. curlytail jigs, small tubes, small swim baits, jigging spoons, and blade baits. Some bass and pickerel were on outer edges of flats along drop-offs in the main lake and in channels and on lily pad flats in the creeks and were hitting suspending jerk baits and lipless crankbaits. Other bass and pickerel were under bait schools in the main lake channels and hitting live minnows, swim baits, and blade baits. A few striper were roaming the mid-depth and channel areas in the main lake and taking swim baits, blade baits, and jigs.