LAKE CHESDIN-help/advice needed

[DFelts]

I'm just curious as to what others are having success with on this lake.  I live literally 4 miles from the boat landing and countless times ive fished chesdin with not one bite.  I've tried everything from deep diving cranks, top water, plastics to swim baits.  I cant seem to figure it out for the life of me.  If anyone could point me in the right direction I'd certainly appreciate it.

[thebillsman]

Might want to put this in the Regional section of the forum.

[DFelts]

I think I figured out how to do that, new to the whole forum world.

[DrMarlboro92]

Go to wipponock creek. Try topwaters early morning, then switch to wacky rigged senkos. I've found watermelon with red flake, or bloodworm works the best, but I've caught them on many different colors. 

Another productive thing to do is throw a silver/black rat-l-trap or similar lipless crank around cover and across points. They tend to like a lift/drop retrieve, or knocking it around cover. You will get hung but you should catch some fish this way.

[thirtysixit]

Lake Chesdin is a tricky lake.  Some days its off and some days its on fire.  Go to the back of whippernock creek and work your way out towards the main lake.  Burn a Ratltrap along the weed edges and eventually you will run into a few.  Always works for me.  Fall on Chesdin is my favorite time of year to fish it.  Find the shad and you'll find the bass close by. Good luck.

[Sam]

D, let's face it. Lake Chesdin does not like you.

Just kidding.

Is your ramp at Seven Springs? Free Dinwiddie side ramp? Whipponock Marina ramp?

I want to send you an email, soon, on fishing Lake Chesdin.

Right now I am tired and waiting for the election results.

So PM me with your email address so I can send you some good information. I will PM my email address to you.

Hang in there and I will share some info with you.

 

[Sam]

Never heard back.

I guess he figured it out.

[WdyCrankbait]

We will get them tomorrow Sam.

[thirtysixit]

Fished Chesdin this past Monday and Thursday...... The hogs are chasing the ratltrap. I caught several big girls on it. My 67 year old mom caught a 5.8 LB hog on a Middle N, chartreuse and blue.  Its a great place to fish right now.

[Sam]

On ‎11‎/‎16‎/‎2016 at 5:12 PM, WdyCrankbait said:

We will get them tomorrow Sam.

And we did. Woody caught three and I nailed two.

Beautiful day on the water.

Sorry we had only two hours to fish and hang out but we got a late start.

Next year! Think next year.

 

[WdyCrankbait]

Post that picture of that nice bass you caught Sam.

[TriCityBassin']

so surprised to see so much interest in this lake.  I don't fish it, and I work on 460 everyday.  The guys in my bass club also shun the lake, except May.  Soo many jet skis, maybe i just need to give it another go.

If you get past the stumps, go up the App.  Every top 5 finish had at least a couple of boats that went up river.

[Sam]

On ‎11‎/‎28‎/‎2016 at 3:46 PM, TriCityBassin' said:

so surprised to see so much interest in this lake.  I don't fish it, and I work on 460 everyday.  The guys in my bass club also shun the lake, except May.  Soo many jet skis, maybe i just need to give it another go.

If you get past the stumps, go up the App.  Every top 5 finish had at least a couple of boats that went up river.

Tri, would love to go into the Swamp and then up the Appomattox River but it is just way too dangerous for the boat and motor.

Chesdin is a small lake and if there are two club tournaments on any one day you can forget fishing your favorite places.

And you are correct: too many skiers, jet skies, pontoon boats and people anchored in the middle of the lake fishing for catfish.

 

[NickTheTrick]

On 11/8/2016 at 6:22 PM, Sam said:

D, let's face it. Lake Chesdin does not like you.

Just kidding.

Is your ramp at Seven Springs? Free Dinwiddie side ramp? Whipponock Marina ramp?

I want to send you an email, soon, on fishing Lake Chesdin.

Right now I am tired and waiting for the election results.

So PM me with your email address so I can send you some good information. I will PM my email address to you.

Hang in there and I will share some info with you.

 

My parents live about a mile from Lake Chesdin, and I fish it pretty regularly. I do alright, but you can send that email this way!

[Sam]

PM your email address to me.

[Josh Lee]

I realize I am very late to this arrival, but I recently got a boat and live very close to the lake, going out of the launch by the dam. Any help is appreciated.

[Sam]

Josh, please go to the introductions section and introduce yourself.

 

Then add your physical location to your avatar so we know where you live and fish so we can give you good advice.

 

The Forum is not set up to give a one time input on any body of water. Too many variables to consider plus the fact that we have no idea of what level you are in your bass fishing.

 

Time on the water is critical to learning any new lake or river. You are probably launching at the free Dinwiddie ramp which means you can go to Whipponock Creek and then up to where the lake turns to the right into the Swamp and beat the bank the entire way up on both sides of the lake in addition to going into coves and creeks.

 

Stay away from the Swamp as it is very dangerous to enter and leave if you have no idea of what you are doing. Have a local show you how to get in and out of the Swamp.

 

Big fish are being caught in Chesdin these days. I nailed an 8.5 pounder and a friend caught an 11 pound lady last weekend.

 

Let us know how you did; the water temperature; water clarity; windy or calm; cloudy or sunny; lots of others on the water or just you; what baits worked; what presentations worked; and was the ramp calm or crazy. 

Have fun. Be safe. And stay with us asking your questions so you will become a better bass fisherman.

[Josh Lee]

Sam, thank you for answering as I wasn't sure I'd get a response with the post being so old. I finished setting up my profile and look forward to learning more. 

I went on the lake today, before seeing your reply, alot of people on the lake today. I drove to a few spots where I've caught them before, not even a bite, I used the fish finder, found schools of crappie or shad, too bunched up to be bass I would think. Water temp was around 60. I was throwing a square bill and then a shaky head trick worm a trees and other cover. Not one bite. I did go from 1130 to 2ish which probably wasn't the best time to go. Thanks again for any help.

[Sam]

Josh, I was told by a friend who hit Chesdin three weeks ago that there must have been 3,000 boats on the water.

 

He also did not do well with is efforts.

 

So I have written Chesdin off until we have our bass tournament coming up in May.

 

Best way to fish Chesdin these days is to be at the ramp and blast off before sunrise and be ready to fight it out at the ramp when you are ready to trailer your boat.

 

Good luck and be safe.

[Bird]

All lakes in VA has seen a spike in fishing pressure.

 

Before the virus, the wife and I would visit our oldest daughter in Roanoke quite often and I'd bring my boat.

 

Fished quite a few lakes in the farmville area and Chesdin was on my radar. 

Thanks for the report, think I'll hold off

 

[Brad Reams]

I've fished there some over the last couple years and we've found a reliable cove.  That cove has produced consistent results every time we go.  

 

There are spots to find, I think you just gotta put some time in and find em.

 

Winterpock swamp, I've heard good things, but it's a little tricking avoiding the stumps to get there.   

 

I've NEVER experienced that lake when it was crowded. 

On 4/27/2020 at 9:52 AM, Bird said:

All lakes in VA has seen a spike in fishing pressure.

 

Before the virus, the wife and I would visit our oldest daughter in Roanoke quite often and I'd bring my boat.

 

Fished quite a few lakes in the farmville area and Chesdin was on my radar. 

Thanks for the report, think I'll hold off

 

Hope the DOAH is gonna be better this year.   

I fished it twice last year and it was AWFUL both times.  It hasn't been real good in years for us.  But I'm usually fishing the North Fork bellow Strasburg.  

[Bird]

14 minutes ago, Brad Reams said:

I've fished there some over the last couple years and we've found a reliable cove.  That cove has produced consistent results every time we go.  

 

There are spots to find, I think you just gotta put some time in and find em.

 

Winterpock swamp, I've heard good things, but it's a little tricking avoiding the stumps to get there.   

 

I've NEVER experienced that lake when it was crowded. 

Hope the DOAH is gonna be better this year.   

I fished it twice last year and it was AWFUL both times.  It hasn't been real good in years for us.  But I'm usually fishing the North Fork bellow Strasburg.  

We must be fairly close, fish quite a bit around Deer Rapids, above and below. 

[Brad Reams]

1 minute ago, Bird said:

We must be fairly close, fish quite a bit around Deer Rapids, above and below. 

hmmmmm, Don't think I know where that is, but I think I found it on the map. Little bit skinny water last time I was there, draggin too much for me.  

 

I'm usually between Stras and Catletts Ford.  

[Bird]

Deer Rapids is just south of Strasburg on the river. 

Yes, can get very shallow in summer months. 

[rjwintl]

On 10/3/2016 at 8:21 AM, DFelts said:

I'm just curious as to what others are having success with on this lake.  I live literally 4 miles from the boat landing and countless times ive fished chesdin with not one bite.  I've tried everything from deep diving cranks, top water, plastics to swim baits.  I cant seem to figure it out for the life of me.  If anyone could point me in the right direction I'd certainly appreciate it.

You might hafta nix Virginia from fishing and do upstate NY’s Black Lake /Indian River … in 46 years in VA I’ve never caught fish to the amount and size that I could catch in upstate NY in one Summer … truthfully … bob walters