Art Conway (804-514-1486) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that
Chickahominy Lake mid-day surface water temperatures were in the middle
60’s in the central lower lake on Wednesday (4/24/2024). The lake level
was about 2 inches above the top of the dam. The water was medium brown,
clear at the surface, slightly to moderately cloudy at 1 foot, and quite
murky at 3 feet due to an apparent layer of suspended microscopic algae.

A few small blue cats, channel cats, and bullheads have been scattered
on flats, along drop-offs, and in channels in the main lake, and when
active have been hitting live minnows, shrimp, and cut bait. A fair
number of small to medium crappies were around creek mouths. Some days
they won’t touch minnows but will hit a tube jig suspended under a float
or a curly-tail grub on a jig. Other days they want nothing but
minnows. White perch have been scattered or in loose aggregates on deep
flats, channel edges, and in channels in the main lake and occasionally
in creeks, and when active have been hitting small baits including live
minnows, Gulp minnows and Fry, and swim baits. A few yellow perch have
been in the creeks and in the main lake and hitting small curly tail
jigs. Increasing numbers of bluegills and shellcrackers are in the
major creeks and some main lake shorelines and are hitting live worms,
wet flies, and small jigs. Some pickerel and largemouth bass have been
on flats and channel edges in the main lake and shorelines in the main
lake and major creeks. Although bass beds are almost impossible to see,
casting topwater and very slow sinking baits tight to shoreline
vegetation has worked, suggesting some bass are bedding. When active
and deeper, bass and pickerel have been hitting live minnows,
spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, and jerk baits.

Catches have varied with weather, with many species becoming relatively
inactive after heavy rains or cold fronts, then gradually becoming more
active as weather moderated. Alice Anne Potts and her mother Anne Potts
had 6 bluegills and 7 crappies. Dave Pong and his father Jack Pong had
43 bluegills, 3 shellcrackers, 8 crappies, 3 yellow perch, 1 roach
minnow, and 3 largemouth bass, all on fly rods. Bill Marley and Dennis
York had 12 crappies, 1 white perch, 6 blue cats, and 3 largemouth bass.
Jeff Uhr and his mother Anne Uhr had 8 crappies, 1 white perch, and 1
largemouth bass.