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
UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: *1/2; 80s; clear with algae blooms; 1.1 at the Point of Rocks gauge and steady.
Hot and low is the usual summer theme and this July is like so many others.
It’s “float” time, or confined boating but forget that cowboy stuff because “getteup” can result in “gettebang.”
Wet wading is a great option too but beware the bacteria level is high and DO-NOT wade if you have open cuts on your body.
From Pennyfield to Brunswick there are numerous launches to begin your wade. Just don’t park in areas reserved for trailered boats.
Dawn till about 11-AM is prime but the last few hours of the day is good also.
Medium action spinning tackle such as the Ardent Edge rod and C-Force reel is perfect. Use Bass Pro Shop’s Excel monofilament in green or clear.
Topwater lur3es will get you your largest bass typically but don’t be stubborn. I like the whopper plopper and poppers such as Rico and Rebel.
Paddle tail swim baits like the Case Magic Swim attached to a swim head jig like Johnny Cunningham make at Riverfront Campground (RAB Jigs) are very good search tools. Campground tu8bes, Case Magic Swims and Zipper grubs and worms are good choices.
Stay away from large eddy water and spend time around submersed ledges and chunk rocks in deeper water. Shady shores are the go-to when the sun gets high-and so is home.
TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: **; high 80s; blue-green algae in areas; clear but some local stain from various cells.
Very typical end-of-July scenario: bath-tub hot; some grasses looking bad; 100 degree days and finicky fish.
Water quality is suffering from poor or inadequate sewage treatment and that is exactly what you are smelling. There are plenty f fish to catch though is you can entice them. They have SO MUCH food available.
In DC Jurisdictional water, Underwater humps at the south end of Long Bridge—just to the right of the ship lane can make your day if you hit-it-right, withy Bomber Firetiger crankbaits and swim jigs with a paddle-tail trailer. I like the Big Mouth Lure swim jig and the Case Magic Swim paddle tail. Check the foundations out every time with Campground Tubes and do the same upriver at the Key Bridge and underwater foundations of the C&O Canal Aqueduct.
There are some rockfish on both bridges and on the 10-12 foot contour along Fort McNair in the Washington Channel.
The rip rap on the airport side as well as the Navy side must be tested every time you are in the area. I do like tubes here but some days the Whopper Plopper is the ticket.
The I-95 Bridge area has more natural and man-made cover than any other sector of the river so it takes time to come up with a workable pattern some days. There is such huge quantities of natural food too.
The man-made pattern include remnants of wharfs, gravel pits, submersed gravel barges, bridge foundations (obvious and unseen); sea walls, piers and sculptured bottoms.
You will want tubes, crankbaits, vibrating jigs and Magic Stiks. Fox Ferry Point is holding nice bass and stripers.
Nearby Broad Creek docks and scattered grass; Belle Haven coves and Hog Island are potential happy-places.
Pomonkey Creek (outgoing), Pohic Bay (wood on south side) Occoquan system grass are solid with Big Mouth spinnerbait the top attractor.
Mattawoman, Chickamuxen and Aquia are semi-solid but some days, for no obvious reason-they are damn tough. You can grow a smile if you target snakeheads though.
SUSQUEHANNA & JUNIATA RIVERS: **; 80ish; 4.7 at Harrisburg and falling; 3.6 at Newport on the Juniata and holding. Clear with bottom algae a problem in areas.
The recent good boating water is about over but it was also a flushing-aid that helps water quality to a point. Like any free flowing river, get on it early and off of it at high sun.
The lower Juniata has been pretty productive and there ar3 bass to catch between Halifax and Perdix where topwater baits often draws bigger bass and even a catfish (yes). Big Mouth spinnerbaits sold by Johnny Cunningham at Riverfront Campground and their Big Shakey is the way to go. I also like the Case Magic Swim.
It’s a great time of year for shuttled floats so reserve you boat from RAB at 717-877-2704.
##
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,
##
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.