January and February—easily the two worst months of the year, particularly for those of us who like to get outdoors and maybe wet a line. Yes, fishing is generally poor in these months, except on the Chickahominy Lake in Prince Edward County.
The Chickahominy Lake is my favorite fishing lake in winter. It’s a very shallow lake, meaning the water is comparatively warmer, with lots of bait available. I fished there often with the late Don Arthur, a fishing guide who caught tremendous numbers of big bass in the winter months. Don kept meticulous notes. His records showed clearly that he and his clients caught more large bass and pickerel during the winter than at any other time of the year. The Chick is indeed a cold-water hotspot.
The Chickahominy Lake is also among Virginia’s most scenic bodies of water. It’s worth a visit just to see the variety of wildlife and the cypress trees and aquatic plants lining the shore, plus lots of waterfowl.
The lake is a 1,230-acre water supply reservoir located along the New Kent-Charles City County line. This impoundment of the Chickahominy River was completed in 1943 with the construction of a low-head dam known locally as Walkers Dam. A fish ladder constructed into the dam allows for the passage of anadromous (migratory) fish such as blueback herring and striped bass. The city of Newport News draws water from Chickahominy Lake and has been responsible for the recent repairs and renovations to Walkers Dam. A new, manually operated boat lock at the dam allows boat traffic to move between the lake and river.
The lake is a popular destination for anglers who enjoy fishing a large reservoir with plenty of habitat and cover. Chickahominy Lake continues to be a predator-heavy system with an abundance of bass, black crappie, chain pickerel, stripers, and bowfins. The blue catfish population has recently increased, as anglers have started to target the catfish population. The shallow flats of Johnson and Lacey creeks provide the earliest crappie action each year. Anglers report numerous citation-sized bass caught from Chickahominy Lake. Chickahominy Lake continues to produce an abundance of 4- to 6- pound bowfins with a decent chance at a citation over 10 pounds.
The best shot at catching a trophy bass or a nice pickerel is directly related the bait you use. If it’s a large shiner, you’re in luck. If it’s artificial bait, maybe not so much. A big bass this time of year doesn’t want to chase his dinner. But if it’s dangling in front of him, he’ll eat it.
My best success came not on the main lake but back in the creeks. We would set up in about 12 feet of water off the bank and dangle shiners at about 6-foot depths. When the float went down, hang on. It would be a nice fish.
There are two boat ramps on the Chickahominy Lake: Ed Allen’s (call (804) 966-5368) and Eagle’s Landing (call (804) 966-9094). Both marinas sell live bait and rent boats. It’s a good idea to call ahead this time of the year as sometimes the ramps are iced over and not accessible.
So catch a pretty day and go catch some fish—even in January or February—at the Chickahominy Lake.