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 50’s in the main lake and low 60’s in the major
creeks on Wednesday (3/8/2017). The lake level was about even with the top
of the dam. The water was light brown and very slightly cloudy in the
central lower 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. A few crappie
were still along drop-offs and in channels in the main lake, especially near
wood cover, but many crappie were in channels in the major creeks throughout
the lake. Many crappie were scattered rather than in large schools, and
were frequently on flats, sometimes very shallow, adjacent to deeper water
on sunny afternoons. Many crappie in the creeks were active and 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
(some still egg-laden) and white perch were scattered or in loose aggregates
on some main lake flats and channels and in some creek channels and were
hitting live minnows, small swim baits, and small jigs. Bluegill and
shellcracker were along channel edges in the main lake and in creeks 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 usually better with more stable conditions.
When active, bass and pickerel were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim
baits, stick worms, crank baits, suspending jerk baits, and jigs.

Fishing with Capt. Conway, Mark Brown had 27 crappie, 2 yellow perch, 1
pickerel, and 1 bass. Liza Brings had 1 bluegill, 1 flier, 37 crappie, 1
pickerel, and 3 bass. Pierre LaFrance had 5 crappie.