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 have been in the mid 30’s in the lower main lake from last
weekend through Wednesday (1/11/2017). The lake level Wednesday was a few
inches above the top of the dam and had been stable for a few days. The
water was light brown and clear in the central lower lake. The lake had
been ice-covered since last weekend and was still ice-covered at mid-day on
Wednesday. The ice should clear out over the next several days. The
following winter patterns were in place before freeze-up and should hold
when the ice clears.

Most blue cats and bullheads were on flats and channels in the main lake and
scattered in creeks and hitting live minnows and cut bait. Most crappie
were along drop-offs and in channels in the main lake, especially near wood
cover. Active crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. and
Southern Pro curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, and small
swim baits. Small to medium yellow perch and white perch were scattered or
in loose aggregates on some main lake flats and channels and were hitting
live minnows, small swim baits, and small jigs. Most bluegill and
shellcracker were along channel edges in the main lake and were occasionally
hitting small jigs, Nikko nymphs on drop shot rigs, small swim baits, and
live worms. Most bass, pickerel, and bowfin were on flats, along drop-offs,
or in channels in the major creeks and the main lake. When active, bass and
pickerel were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms,
crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.