cheatum annex may be too shallow this early

I still plan to fish the weekend of the 5th but Im hearing cheatum annex is a shallow lake, and may not be worth fishing this early in the season, has anyone fished the other lake, (jones pond) I think its called.
My thoughts are, if the fish are there in the summer, they are there in the winter,.... or are they?? buhahahahahahaha.
Anyway, I will fish some lake this weekend.
All inputs welcome :D
area ;Norfolk, suffolk, yorktown, Type; rentals, shore. pray; Crappie, pearch ONLY. (ok, anything biting) You know how it can get trying to avoid a skunk lol.
good fishing.

Mike- I am a mediocre fisherman but striving to improve. I fished Cheatham 3 times this past spring/summer. We didn't fish the ponds but my wife has. She just got out of the service so now we can't go back. On the big lake you have to use their rentasl boats. Not private boats at all. I have a portable fishfinder unit I took with me and I was shocked to see the water depth was 6 ft at its deepest. I went over about 80% of the lake. I caught a black crappie the first trip and nothing but blue gill the rest of the trips.
Like I said, I am not the best fisherman but manage to catch fish at other places. I want to try Little Creek but this weekend I was planning on the Northwest River in Chesapeake. My wife and I bank fished there in Dec and were pulling in fish. Not big ones but they were biting. I am going to try to get some minnows but lacking that I have some chartreuse maribou 1/16 oz jigs I was going to try. I also have caught some on a small crappie spinner but at this time of year I don't know if I can slow it down enough.
Good luck!

I talked to a guy I trust last Sat. and he told me he wore em out several times last year in the spring. He is gonna take me as I can't get in myself but you should be able to catch them now. He said minnows is the ticket.

Nweport News Res. at Lee Hall is a good early season spot on that side , don't know if they have rental boats out yet. Call N.N. Park office for info.

Thank you all for the post, I have printed it off and shared it with my fishing partner, in hopes he will sign up to the site also (grin), But were going off the info shared for the site.

very much appreaciated.