Ken Penrod's Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report

March 21, 2021 report and “Welcome Spring”

LOU Fishing Report for Week Ending 3-21-21

Mailing Address: 4708 Sellman Road, Beltsville, MD 20705
Cell @ 240-447-2206 (Best Way). Kenpenrod@comcast.net

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First-Hand Reporting Since 1982—NOT part-time guess work.

Professional Guides Since 1982
Ken Wrote “The Books” on Regional Fishing.

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Expert Fishing Instructors for:
Tidal Potomac River <> Upper Potomac River <> Susquehanna River
Juniata River <> Upper Bay <> Eastern Shore Tidal Rivers
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In General, WELCOME SPRING 2021. This initial report for 2021 will be rather brief as we have just begun our schedule. Spring is just a few days away but the “struggle” is on as winter does not wish to let-go. I arrived in Duncannon, PA on Tuesday, the 16th, and the Susquehanna was “falling” and the air temperature declining. Predictions of “flow” at the Harrisburg gauge was near 10-feet—then 12, then 14. It actually almost reached 8-feet-so always check daily (hourly) and never trust water or weather predictions older than 4-hours.
This is a cool time to be here (actually COLD sometimes) but the weekend was awesome with light wind and temps near 70.
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SUSQUEHANNA & JUNIATA RIVERS (PA): *1/2; 29-50 degree air; 40’ish water; 7.1 at the Harrisburg gauge falling to 6.1 by Wednesday. 5.9 at Newport on the Juniata slowly falling. Good color with some staining on the east side,
It’s been a tough several days as barometer reading of 30.7 contributed and those cloudless-skies didn’t help. The rivers are “primo” and the gulls, stone flies and wood ducks are everywhere. The geese are starting to stake-out territory and the fighting begins.
The week ahead looks really promising, Johnny Cunningham’s Campgroud Tubes and RAB jig heads are mandatory and “Neding” is another reliable presentation. Try using a 2-inch piece of the Case Magic Stik on a stand-up head. Mizmo grubs, Case Magic Swims and Zipper grubs belong in your kit. Jerk baits will become the “ticket” very soon but I’m losing faith in the Rapala versions and I have two that actually have a bend in them. That QC team has to tighten up.
UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: *; mid-forties and good color. 3.6 at Point of Rocks and steady.
I know we are all hoping for improvement this year but don’t count on much. Recent-year flood and disease has taken a toll that will take a few years to mend. It’s still a fantastic river to fish.
I suggest Whites Ferry, Edwards Ferry, Lander and Brunswick. Campground tubes, Zipper grubs and Case Magic Swims are the ticket. Forget the “random-casting” technique though and concentrate on shoreline eddies and current breaks.
I highly recommend Ardent spinning rods (6-6-6’ Edge medium action with C-Force or Wire reels full of Bass Pros Excel monofilament in 6-8 pound test.
TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: **; good color; mid-40s.
Looks like a favorable tide-week and weather predictions will create a warming trend. Remember, next Sunday will be a full-moon and with the warm-up, I expect false-spawning behavior from the largemouth, especially in some of the southern tribs (Mattawoman, Occoquan, Chickamuxen and Aquia).
Bass are is transition-stage now, living deeper and eating shallower. Work the drop-offs in the morning with Silver Luckies, Mizmo grubs, Zipper grubs and even rattling lures and Big Mouth Lure’s Big Shakey, Your Lowrance should help you locate the baitfish but look for both to go shallow as the sun does its thing. Those Campground tubes are as reliable for largemouth as they are for smallmouth.
Beware the Washington Channel area along Fort McNair as they will be on extra-caution mode for a while.
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LOU Guides for 2020
Captain Ken Penrod: (National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame) Cell: 240-447-2206; kenpenrod@comcast.com; Facebook; LinkedIn; Instagram, Twitter @ken_penrod.
Tidal Potomac; Upper Potomac; Susquehanna River; Juniata River; Maryland Eastern Shore Tidal Rivers; George Stevenson Reservoir and trout streams in Cameron County, PA-near Sinnamahoning..
Captain Dave Kerrigan, VP of Smallmouth Operations @ 301-252-5322;

Captain Brian Barnes @ 302-745-4668,

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Meet My/Our Partners.
The following are our sponsors and partners. Some are all encompassing within my group—and some are personal to the guide. All are valued.
RiverPro; Mercury; Lowrance Electronics; Ardent Outdoors; Big Mouth Lure Company; Yeti; Patagonia; Case Plastics; Kuiu; Simms Fishing; Costa; Power Pole; NRA; Zipper Worms; RAB Jig Heads; Campground Tubes; Riverfront Campground; AlumaRyder; (Dave Kerrigan); Guidefitters; NRA; Maggie Penrod.

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