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 middle to high 80’s in the lower main lake and
slightly higher in the major creeks on Wednesday (5/29/2019). The lake
level was about an inch below the top of the dam. The water was light brown
and slightly cloudy in the central lake, and more cloudy along many downwind
shorelines. Many creeks and some shorelines were hard to fish due to clumps
of filamentous algae.

Some blue cats and bullheads were along drop-offs and in channels in the
main lake while others had dispersed onto flats and into creeks. When
active, cats were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Some crappie were in
creeks and along shorelines in the main lake, but most crappie were along
main lake channel edges, frequently 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. Yellow and white perch
were scattered or in loose aggregates on deep flats, drop-offs, and channels
in the main lake and in major creeks, and when active, both species were
hitting live minnows, small swim baits, and small jigs. Many small and
medium bluegill and shellcracker were on flats and shorelines in the main
lake and in some creeks, while larger bluegill and shellcracker were
slightly off shore in 3 to 5 feet of water. When active, bluegill and
shellcracker were hitting live worms and crickets, Nikko nymphs, flies, and
small swimbaits. Pickerel and bass were located along shorelines, on flats,
and on channel edges. When active, bass and pickerel were hitting live
minnows, top waters, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits,
jerk baits, and jigs.