Ken Penrod's Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report

Week Ending April 18, 2021

LOU Fishing Report for Week Ending 41821
Mailing Address: 4708 Sellman Road, Beltsville, MD 20705
Cell @ 240-447-2206 (Best Way). Kenpenrod@comcast.net
PLEASE—never communicate with me via Messenger. NEVER
WWW.penrodsguides.com; NEWLY constructed with lots of information. See the “About”, then “Galley” section for photos and “Programs” for club and youth camp information.
“See our Facebook Pages for Fishing Reports too.
First-Hand Reporting Since 1982—NOT part-time guess work.
Professional Guides Since 1982
Ken Wrote “The Books” on Regional Fishing.
Licensed, Drug Tested, Commercially Insured, Time Tested.
Expert Fishing Instructors for:
Tidal Potomac River <> Upper Potomac River <> Susquehanna River
Juniata River <> Upper Bay <> Eastern Shore Tidal Rivers
Visit our other Facebook Pages below:
Notes: Our fishing reports and client photos will be posted to Ken’s Facebook Page, “Life Outdoors Unlimited” and our website, www.penrodsguides.com.
“Ken Penrod’s Life Outdoors Unlimited” (https://www.facebook.com/Ken-Penrods-Life-Outdoors-Unlimited-1436799496550830/)
Ken Penrod’s 20-Inch Smallmouth Club members at: https://www.facebook.com/Ken-Penrod-20-Smallmouth-Club-214057305623741/?notif_t=page_fan.
Sponsored by Ardent & Riverfront Campground.
LOU Lo-Po Club at: https://www.facebook.com/LOU-Lo-Po-Potomac-River-Largemouth-Club-1107431399330003/
Sponsored by Lowrance & Ardent.
LOU Magazine at: https://www.facebook.com/LOU-Magazine-942855415798908/
Camp Sycamore at: https://www.facebook.com/Ken-Penrods-Camp-Sycamore-215146332155566/
REMEMBER—We have eliminated our land-line phone so contact should be at 240-447-2206 or kenpenrodjr@gmail.com
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LOU Fish of the week:
Smallmouth: Bill Nearhoof
Ken Penrod’s 20-Inch Smallmouth Club
Bill Nearhoff; 20.1/8’’
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SUSQUEHANNA & JUNIATA RIVERS; PA: **1/2; low 50s; clear;5.3 at Harrisburg falling to 5.0 by Wednesday. 5.4 at Newport on the Juniata, falling to 5.0 Wednesday.
A strange wee, but a good one although catching bass tightened-up by the weekend. Lots of big, fat slabs eating Campground Tubes and crankbaits in a clear river falling quite quickly. Water temps dipped by Thursday and into Sunday. East shore stain went away mid-week. Lots of boats and Campground friends had Happy-Hour each evening. The weekend was a 4-boat Ennis Electric Company event that we have scheduled for about 20-years in a row but for the “Wolfe Scuttle” last year.
I’m changing to 6-pound test Excel for this week because of clearing, lowering factors. I predominately use Ardent spinning rods and reels and like the Edge rods and the C-Force/Bolt reels. Campground tubes in the KP Series is the ticket but we use a modified Ned Rig with 2” pieces of Case Magic Stik. Crankbaits to 3-4 feet seem best and those Big Shakeys by Big Mouth Lure Company are superb.
We work both sides on the main stem between Perdix and Montgomery Ferry as well as mid-river habitat. The Juniata was fishing better than the main river by the weekend.
Twenty-seven year client Bill Nearhoof won Fish of the Weeks and Club ebtry with a 20 1/8th inch beast but I’m so impressed with the 15-18 inch class that are the best-looking fish in my vast career. Here.
Captain Dave Kerrigan has been stroking Juniata habitat in his BIG Ol’ AlumaRuder and he loves his milk-run to Halifax too.
The Enns Weekend was all about “buds fishing with buds’ as it’s been for the past 23 years. Big fish honors went to John Ennis Jr on Saturday and David Hooker Sunday.
Our annual Sorrentos Party was Sat night and Poppy Sam made us proud-again.
April 27 will be the April Full Moon and that simply means that “B-Team” will be staging soon. Quit griping about those small fish you are catching. They are the males claiming territory—and the big girls will move in.
RTEMEMBER-you may not create a wake with your boat within 100-feet of the shore.
TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: ***; mid 60s; good grass growth south, pre-spawn. LOU Guides for 2020
I always get “antsy” this far into my Susquehanna schedule because I KNOW what’s happening on my home water. “Big” weights on local tournaments and lots of photos from my buds. South is best-maybe, and bass are staging for full moon spawns.
Case Magic Stiks, Big Mouth Big Shakey and Penrod, Campground Tubes and RED rattling lures are recommended.
You may want to check-out Chickamuxen, Aquia and Potomac Creeks to the south. Use your Lowrance to find new-growth grass. The Occoquan Channel run will kick in soon and Mattawoman too.
Piscataway, Broad and Swann are ripe but Smoot Bay and Penrod Cove is worth the time.
UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: *1/2; mid-60s. Clearing; quickly falling from about 9-feet last Tuesday to 4.7 today—and slowly falling into next week.
I like the above scenario because the water is warming, the fishing pressure has been “absent” and the full moon is just around the corner. 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.

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: 1 ½; ,mid 60s; clear; 4.7 at Point of Rocks
LOOK, Maryland doesn’t care about any natural resource that doesn’t live in trout streams or Chesapeake-Bay proper. Ask them for their “Budget” list! THEY are not going to do anything of consequence for this river so do-it-yourself.
Adopt a “60-Second Rule” which means C&R within 60 seconds.
The Piedmont Region warms quickest so Brunswick to Seneca is probably you best bet. Don’t “test” your tackle collection—use Campground tubes.
Ardent medium action spinning rods and C-Force or Wire reels with 6-8 pound test Excel Mono is great advice.