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 40’s in the lower lake and in the high 30’s in
the upper lake on Wednesday (2/1/2017). The lake level was a few inches
above the top of the dam and rising. The water was light to medium brown
and slightly cloudy in the central lower lake, with more murky water
entering the upper end of the lake.

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. Some crappie
were along drop-offs and in channels in the main lake, especially near wood
cover, and other crappie were in channels and on flats in the creeks,
especially up the lake. Many crappie were scattered rather than in large
schools. Many crappie have been inactive recently, but activity has been
slowly increasing, especially up the lake. 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 in some creek channels and flats 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. Bass activity has been
sporadic, but has been better f0llowing several days of more stable
conditions. When active, bass and pickerel were hitting live minnows,
spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.

Fishing with Capt. Conway, Tom Porter had 4 crappie, 1 pickerel, and 4 bass.