Art Conway (804-514-1486) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that
on Wednesday June 17, Chickahominy Lake mid-day surface water
temperatures in the lower lake were in the middle 80’s. The lake level
was about 3 inches above the top of the dam. The water was medium brown,
clear from the surface to about 1 foot, but much more murky for several
feet below 2 or 3 feet, apparently due to an algal layer. Several areas
had numerous small algal colonies adhering to the surface and in the 6
inches below the surface.

A few blue cats, channel cats, and bullheads were scattered in deeper
regions of channels in the main lake, but some were also in some creeks
and on flats. Moderate numbers of crappies were on main lake
channel-edge wood cover, especially near creek mouths. Moderate numbers
of bluegills and shellcrackers were in scattered patches on main lake
shoreline flats, frequently associated with traditional spawning areas.
A few pickerel and bass have been in creek channels, on channel edge
flats, and on channel-edge brush piles.

Shallows in many areas in creeks and in some main lake areas were
becoming difficult to fish due to numerous clumps of filamentous algae
floating at or near the surface.

Despite the very annoying wind gusts Monday, Ron Floor and his grandson
Mick Gregeris and I caught 11 bluegills, 1 shellcracker, and largemouth
bass while fishing several shoreline areas in the main lake. Tom Porter
and I caught 17 bluegills, 2 shellcrackers, 14 crappies, 2 white perch,
and 2 largemouth bass.

For bluegills, red wiggler worms under a bobber on spinning rods and
dragonfly nymph wet flies on fly rods were equally effective. For
crappies, minnows under bobbers were most effective.