Week Ending July 27, 2021
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 & kenpenrod@comcast.net
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I spent much of the week in upper Pennsylvania preparing for my summer youth camp where we teach boys between 12 and 18 the arts of fishing and shooting. Creeks and rivers are very low but most “holes” are teeming with trout.
TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: **1/2; low 80s; clear; hydrilla going crazy
It’s a typical summer pattern now with bass spread out in a variety of cover including grasses, rocks, wet wood and man-made structures.
My advice is to eliminate grasses by lack of obvious food commotion, lack of herons and too many boats.
DC bridges, rip rap and old wharf locations are primo now but also look to the drop-offs in the Washington Channel. Case Magic Stiks, Big Mouth vibrating jigs and square-bill crankbaits do best.
Penrod Cove, Fox Ferry Point, submersed gravel barges and drop-offs in Smoot Bay hold easily aggravated bass that crankbaits seem to trigger.
Bulltown Cove, Greenway Flats, Pohick Bay wood and Pomonkey Creek vegetation are productive until a bunch of boats invade.
The “frog” bite in on at Mattawoman and Chickamuxen but there are plenty of bass in the grass too.
UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: nearly 80 degrees and algae present; clear and quite low; 1.7 at the Point of Rocks station.
Plan your day float wisely and I suggest Brunswick to Lander; Land to Point of Rocks and Whites Ferry to Edwards Ferry. The river is low, clear and the bacteria count is high.
Stay away from the shoreline except for deeper water with shade. Concentrate on submersed ledges withy Big Mouth spinnerbaits, Case Magic Stiks, Case Magic Swims and 1.5 crankbaits. It’s wise to respool your Ardent reels with 6-pound test Excel Monofilament
SUSQUEHANNA & JUNIATA RIVERS: nearly 80 degrees and quite clear. It’s bumpy guys so be careful. It’s 3.6 at the Harrisburg gauge and 3.6 at the Newport station.
The fishery has made giant steps into the recovery mode but we still have to be prudent when catching them—especially “time out of water.” There isnt many areas where boating is safe unless you are extremely experienced.
Your very-good-option is to contact Johnny Cunningham at Riverfront Campground (717-877-2707) and arrange for a boat rental for shuttle service.
Smallmouth bass are eating well and early or late in the day is best. Mid-day with a clear blue sky is an exercise—not a fishing trip.
Those Campground tubes, shallow-dive crankbaits, Big Mouth spinnebaits and Case Magic Stiks are great BUT topwater is everyone’s favorite so do it.
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LOU Guides for 2021
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; Drake Waterfowl, Fishing Division; Maggie Penrod.