Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-514-1486) out of
Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water
temperatures were in the mid to high 60’s in the main lake and in the major
creeks on Wednesday (10/18/2017). 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, with more murky water along downwind shorelines.
Most blue cats and bullheads were on flats, along drop-offs, and in channels
in the main lake and scattered in creeks, and were hitting live minnows and
cut bait. Most crappie were on mid-depth flats and drop-offs, frequently
near wood cover, but a few crappie were still scattered on shoreline flats
and a few crappie were in main lake channels. Activity was moderate, and
when active, crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. and Southern
Pro curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, and small swim baits.
Yellow and white perch were scattered or in loose aggregates on flats in the
main lake and were hitting live minnows, small swim baits, and small jigs.
Some bluegill and shellcracker were still scattered or in small schools on
shoreline flats, near wood cover, or along the outer edge of hydrilla beds
in 3 to 8 feet of water in the main lake. Some bluegill had moved to
drop-offs and channel edges. Bluegill were hitting small jigs, wet flies,
Nikko nymphs, small swim baits, and live worms. Many bass were on mid-depth
flats, along drop-offs, or in channels near mouths of the major creeks and
in the main lake. Some bass were on shorelines, especially under hydrilla
mats. Pickerel were in creeks, on main lake shorelines, or around wood
cover or vegetation. When active, bass and pickerel were hitting live
minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jigs, and
frogs.
Fishing with Capt. Conway, Juanita and Steve Grigg had 16 bluegill, 2
shellcracker, 1 roach minnow, 1 yellow perch, and 8 bass. Tom Porter and
Capt. Bill Buck had 17 bluegill, 3 shellcracker, 9 crappie, 1 white perch, 6
roach minnows, 1 blue cat, and 1 bass.
