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 surface
water temperatures were in the middle 80’s on Wednesday (7/7/2021). The
lake level was about 2 inches above the top of the dam. The surface water
was light brown and very slightly cloudy in the central lower lake, with
more cloudy water deeper, on windy shorelines, and in some creeks.
A few small blue cats and bullheads were on flats, along drop-offs, and in
channels in the main lake, and when active, were hitting live minnows and
cut bait. Crappie were in multiple patterns and moderately active. A few
crappie were in creeks, usually in deeper areas near wood cover. Most
crappie were near creek mouths, on flats, or on channel edges in the main
lake, frequently around cypress trees, wood cover such as brush piles, or
near the dam. A few crappie were scattered on shoreline flats in the main
lake, especially early in the day. Active crappie were hitting live
minnows, tubes, curly tail grubs, and small swim baits. White and yellow
perch were scattered or in loose aggregates on flats and channel edges in
the main lake with occasional fish in creeks, and when active were hitting
small live minnows, swim baits, and jigs. Moderate numbers of bluegill,
shellcracker, and flier were in creeks and on main lake shorelines and
flats, with most larger fish away from the shoreline but still in the
neighborhoods of spawning locations. Bluegill and shellcracker were hitting
live worms, wet flies, Nikko nymphs, Wright Bait Co. 1-inch curly tail
grubs, and small swimbaits. Pickerel and bass were in creeks and around
cypress trees, on flats, and on channel edges in the main lake. When
active, bass and pickerel were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim
baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, jigs, and topwater baits.
Fishing with Capt. Conway, Paul Dugent and Brian and Evan Worthington had 7
crappie, 4 white perch, and 1 largemouth bass. Tom Porter had 22 bluegill,
12 crappie, and 1 bullhead.
