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Chickahominy Lake Fishing Report – March 23, 2016

Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-746-2475) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the low to mid 50’s in the lower main lake and in the major creeks on Wednesday (3/23/2016). The lake level was a few inches above the top of the dam. The water was light brown and very slightly cloudy in the central lower lake.

Some blue cats and a few bullheads were still in channels and winter holes, but others had moved onto flats and into creeks. Cats were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Crappie had migrated into major creeks and began assembling in spawning sites by last weekend, then left after the cold front, and were moving back into the creeks over the last few days. Active crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. and Southern Pro curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, and small swim baits. Small to medium yellow perch were scattered or in loose aggregates on some main lake flats and in channels and on flats in major creeks and were hitting live minnows, small drop shot baits, and small jigs. Small to medium bluegill and shellcracker were starting to accumulate along some shorelines in major creeks and were hitting flies and small jigs. Some bass, pickerel, and bowfin were along shorelines, on flats, and along drop-offs in the major creeks. When active, bass and pickerel were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.

Fishing with Capt. Conway, Lynn Wolverton and Dean Miller had 16 crappie, 1 yellow perch, and 1 pickerel. Brian Martin and Clemet Custer had 4 bluegill, 19 crappie, 1 blue cat, 4 pickerel, and 6 bass.

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Chickahominy Lake Fishing Report – March 16, 2016

Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-746-2475) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the low to mid 60’s in the lower main lake and the high 60’s in the major creeks on Wednesday (3/16/2016). The lake level was a few inches above the top of the dam. The water was light brown and very slightly cloudy in the central lower lake.

Some blue cats and a few bullheads were still in channels and winter holes, but others had moved onto flats and into creeks. Cats were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Crappie action was picking up as loose aggregates migrated into major creeks. Active crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. and Southern Pro curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, and small swim baits. Small to medium yellow perch were scattered or in loose aggregates on some main lake flats and in channels and were hitting live minnows, small drop shot baits, and small jigs. Some bass, pickerel, and bowfin were on flats in the main lake and along drop-offs and in the backs of major creeks and were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.

Fishing with Capt. Conway, Capt. Bill Buck had 10 crappie including a 16 inch citation.

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Chickahominy Lake Fishing Report – March 9, 2016

Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-746-2475) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the low 50’s in the lower main lake and the mid to high 50’s in the major creeks on Wednesday (3/9/2016). The lake level was a few inches above the top of the dam. The water was medium brown and slightly cloudy in the central lower lake.

Some blue cats and a few bullheads were still in channels and winter holes, but others had moved onto flats and into creeks. Cats were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Crappie action was picking up as loose aggregates migrated into major creeks. Active crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. and Southern Pro curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, and small swim baits. Small to medium yellow perch were scattered or in loose aggregates on some main lake flats and in channels and were hitting live minnows, small drop shot baits, and small jigs. Some bass, pickerel, and bowfin were along drop-offs and in the backs of major creeks and were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.

Fishing with Capt. Conway, Malcolm Turnbull had 5 crappie and 1 gizzard shad. Charlie Fasano and Kyrie and Michael Jones had 3 crappie, 8 yellow perch, 8 white perch, and 2 blue cats. Pierre and Alexandre LaFrance had 8 crappie.

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Chickahominy Lake Fishing Report – March 2, 2016

Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-746-2475) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the low 50’s in the lower main lake and the mid 50’s in the major creeks on Wednesday (3/2/2016). The lake level was about six inches above the top of the dam. The water was medium brown and moderately cloudy in the central lower lake, with more murky water along downwind shorelines.

Some blue cats and a few bullheads were still in channels and winter holes, but others had moved onto flats and into creeks. Cats were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Crappie action was picking up as loose aggregates migrated into major creeks. Active crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. and Southern Pro curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, and small swim baits. Small to medium yellow perch were scattered or in loose aggregates on some main lake flats and in channels and were hitting live minnows, small drop shot baits, and small jigs. Some bass, pickerel, and bowfin were along drop-offs and in the backs of major creeks and when active were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.

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Chickahominy Lake Fishing Report – February 24, 2016

Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-746-2475) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the high 40’s in the lower main lake on Wednesday (2/24/2016). The lake level was about five inches above the top of the dam. The water was medium brown and slightly cloudy in the central lower lake, with more murky water along downwind shorelines.

Some blue cats and a few bullheads were still in channels and winter holes, but others had moved onto flats and into creeks. Cats were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Crappie action was picking up as loose aggregates migrated into major creeks. Active crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. and Southern Pro curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, and small swim baits. Small to medium yellow perch were scattered or in loose aggregates on some main lake flats and in channels and were hitting live minnows, small drop shot baits, and small jigs. Some bass, pickerel, and bowfin were along drop-offs and in the backs of major creeks and when active were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.

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Chickahominy Lake Fishing Report – February 17, 2016

Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-746-2475) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures ranged from the high 30’s to the low 40’s in the lower main lake, the high 30’s in the upper main lake, and the low to mid 40’s in the major creeks on Wednesday (2/17/2016). The lake level was a few inches above the top of the dam. The water was light to medium brown and slightly cloudy in the central lower lake, with more murky to moderately muddy water up the lake and clear water in the major creeks.

Blue cats and a few bullheads were in channels and winter holes and were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Crappie action was still slow throughout most of the lake due to the cold water. Crappie schools were largely gone from the winter holes in the main lake in channels and on channel edges and had not yet appeared in the creeks, but should be there soon. Active crappie had been hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, and small swim baits, and these should work when the crappie appear in the creeks. Small to medium yellow perch were scattered or in loose aggregates on some main lake flats and in channels and were hitting live minnows, small drop shot baits, and small jigs. Some bass, pickerel, and bowfin were along drop-offs in the major creeks and when active were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.

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Chickahominy Lake Fishing Report – February 10, 2016

Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-746-2475) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the very low 40’s in the lower and upper main lake on Wednesday (2/10/2016), and will drop over the weekend. The lake level was about 8 inches above the top of the dam. The water was light to medium brown and slightly cloudy in the central lower lake, with more murky water up the lake and in some bays and creeks.

Blue cats and a few bullheads were in channels and winter holes and were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Crappie action was still slow throughout most of the lake due to the cold water, but some small schools were moderately active late last week and early this week. Most crappie were in loose schools in the main lake in channels and on channel edges, usually at depths of 8 to 15 feet, and frequently in the neighborhood of wood cover. Crappie in areas with current were in eddies and backwaters out of the main currents. Numbers of active crappie had not appeared yet in the creeks. When active, crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, small swim baits, jigging spoons, and blade baits. Small to medium yellow perch were scattered or in loose aggregates on some deeper main lake flats and in channels and were hitting live minnows, small drop shot baits, and small jigs. Only an occasional bluegill or shellcracker was active along the deep edges of hydrilla flats, on mid-depth wood cover, or in channels and very lightly hitting live crickets and worms, small blade baits, and small plastics on drop shot rigs. Most bass and pickerel were on deeper flats and in channels in the main lake, but some bass, pickerel, and a few bowfin were along drop-offs in the major creeks and were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.

Fishing with Capt. Conway, Tom Porter had 15 crappie and 4 white perch.

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Chickahominy Lake Fishing Report – February 3, 2016

Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-746-2475) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the mid 40’s in the lower main lake on Wednesday (2/3/2016). Water temperatures were in the high 40’s at the upper end of the lake and in the lower parts of major creeks, and into the low 50’s in some shallow areas near heads of creeks. The lake level was about six inches above the top of the dam. The water was light brown and very slightly cloudy in the central lower lake, with more murky water in some bays and creeks.

Blue cats and a few bullheads were in channels and winter holes and were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Crappie action was still very slow due to the cold water. Most crappie were in loose schools in the main lake in channels and on channel edges, usually at depths of 8 to 15 feet, frequently in the neighborhood of wood cover, and when active were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, small swim baits, jigging spoons, and blade baits. Numbers of active crappie had not appeared in the creeks yet, but may over the next few weeks. Small to medium yellow perch were scattered or in loose aggregates on some deeper main lake flats and in channels and were hitting live minnows, small drop shot baits, and small jigs. Only an occasional bluegill or shellcracker was active along the deep edges of hydrilla flats, on mid-depth wood cover, or in channels and very lightly hitting live crickets and worms, small blade baits, and small plastics on drop shot rigs. Most bass and pickerel were on deeper flats and in channels in the main lake, but some bass, and pickerel and a few bowfin were along drop-offs in the major creeks and were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.

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Chickahominy Lake Fishing Report – January 27, 2016

Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-746-2475) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the high 30’s in the main lake on Wednesday (1/27/2016). Most of the lower lake was open water, but some bays and most creeks were still ice-covered. The lake level was a few inches above the top of the dam. The water was medium brown and clear in the central lower lake.

Fishing was still generally slow, but should pick up a little if the lake warms up a little more by this weekend. Blue cats and a few bullheads were in channels and winter holes and were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Moderate numbers of crappie were in loose schools in the main lake on deeper flats, along channel edges, and in deep holes in channels, usually at depths of 7 to 18 feet, sometimes suspended, and frequently in the neighborhood of wood cover. When active, crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, small swim baits, jigging spoons, and blade baits. Some small to medium yellow perch were scattered on deeper flats and in channels and were hitting live minnows, small jerk baits, small swim baits, spoons, and small jigs. Only an occasional bluegill or shellcracker was active along the deep edges of hydrilla flats, on mid-depth wood cover, or in channels and very lightly hitting live crickets and worms, small blade baits, and small plastics on drop shot rigs. Most bass and pickerel were on deeper flats and in channels in the main lake and were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.

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Chickahominy Lake Fishing Report – January 20, 2016

Capt. Art Conway of Conway’s River Rat Guide Service (804-746-2475) out of Ed Allen’s Boats and Bait reported that Chickahominy Lake mid-day water temperatures were in the high 30’s in the main lake on Wednesday (1/20/2016). Most of the lake was ice-covered, with a large open area just above the dam. The lake level was a few inches above top of the dam. The water was medium brown and slightly cloudy in the central lower lake.

Fishing had generally slowed due to the recent cold fronts before the lake froze, but some fish were active in the upper part of the lake. These patterns will probably continue when the ice melts.

Blue cats and a few bullheads were in channels and winter holes and were hitting live minnows and cut bait. Moderate numbers of crappie were in loose schools in the main lake on deeper flats, along channel edges, and in channels, usually at depths of 7 to 18 feet, sometimes suspended, and frequently in the neighborhood of wood cover. Active crappie were hitting live minnows, Wright Bait Co. curlytail jigs, small tubes, Kalin crappie scrubs, small swim baits, jigging spoons, and blade baits. Some small to medium yellow perch were scattered on deeper flats and in channels and were hitting live minnows, small jerk baits, spoons, and small jigs. Most bluegill and shellcracker had moved to the deep edges of hydrilla flats, to mid-depth wood cover, or into channels and when active were hitting live crickets and worms, small blade baits, tubes, and jigs. Most bass and pickerel were on deeper flats and in channels in the main lake and were hitting live minnows, spinnerbaits, swim baits, stick worms, crank baits, jerk baits, and jigs.