LOU Fishing Report for Week Ending 7520
Mailing Address: 4708 Sellman Road
Beltsville, MD 20705
Cell @ 240-447-2206 (Best Way), Office Device @ 30-937-0010. 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/
##
CLIENT “Attaboy” Awards.
LOU Fish of the Week; Largemouth
Jay George, from Mattawoman, with KP
LOU Fish of the Week: Toothy Critter
KP, Snakehead from Mattawoman
LOU Potomac River Largemouth Club:
(Sponsored by Lowrance Electronics and Ardent Outdoors)
Jay George
##
I Know, I said no report this week—but it’s a short one. “Heat” continues to dominate the fishing factors this week and that includes the Chesapeake Bay also where I spent a memorable day. Rivers levels are falling like a rock and waters temps are rocketing like 4th of July fireworks. I realize that everyone is “locked-up” and anxious to get out fishing so forgive me for being tardy in returning calls. We have been swamped.
Part of the problem is that our usual summer “go-to” destinations just aren’t fishing well. The upper Potomac and Susquehanna bass populations were near-mortally harmed by the 2018 summer floods and its “tough” sledging (low and bumpy)BUT, there are bass to catch and while jet-boating about (unless you are EXPERT) is a good idea—drift-floating is. Yes—this is wet-wade time too.
I think the TV commercials by Johnny Morris of Bass Pro/Cabelas says it best, especially in these times when people are so skittish about disease and criminal protest activity when he says: “Get back to the great outdoors” and “find yourself in the outdoors where life is best and safest.”
Think about it: you are so busy being busy that you really believe your kid’s school teachers should be parenting. Yep—you bought them the best iPads and Games, and you do shake-your-head when you hear of good kids in bad spots—but it is your fault.
By now most parents that are home with their children are fairly convinced that “it’s really not the teacher” that has my kid doing strange things.
Take a kid fishing is just a theme. Hey—do anything WITH your kid is a good idea.
Didn’t want to beat that drum too loud but just think about it. Bass thumb is cooler that pink hair, bolts in the nose and vagina hats.
UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: *1/2; 80ish; clear; 1.6 at Point of Rocks—steady
Bathtub warm and pretty low so beware the bacteria in the water and the rocks just under the surface. This is “get there at dawn” and get out by noon season. A little aquatic bug hatch in the AM and evening. Topwater along the shady-shore with Whopper Ploppers is my advice. Campground tubes over submersed ledges and Case Magic Stiks to “slow water” is your backup.
TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: **-*** depending on you; middle 80s; clear with some wind color
There are a few fragile hot-spots and there are a lot of go-to spots that need to be avoided for a while.
I like the Key Bridge to Fletchers sector—except weekends, where smallmouth eat tubes and crankbaits.
DC isn’t as productive at it usually is for summer fishing but those bridge foundations and Bomber “Firetiger” crankbaits are made for each other.
WW Bridge sector is tougher but crankbait the drops in Smoot and Penrod Cove.
Mountain laurel and Pomonkey Creek seem to signal good stuff and this year is no exception. Big Mouth spinnerbaits, Case Stiks and Zipper Worms.
Mattawoman Creek is fishing best near the river and snakeheads are eating frogs in Marsh Island Cove00where grass is growing rapidly.
SUSQUEHANNA & JUNIATA RIVERS: **; high 70s; clear and bumpy; 3.4 at the Harrisburg station and 3.5 in the Juniata at Newport.
Really good floating conditions so contact Johnny Cunningham of Riverfront Campground (717-877-2704) to reserve a boat and set-up a shuttle.
Good topwater activity in the Amity pool and on main river islands and ledges.
CHESAPEAKE BAY-Buzz’ Marina to Smith Island to Tangier; 80s; quite clear
We covered a lot of water on Friday, beginning at Buzz Marina and fishing “Target Ships” jetties, creek mouth and shoreline rip rap. We found lots of young blue fish on sunken target ships and a few trout on humps. Traffic wasn’t as bad as I had feared but the Bay was rougher than expected. We used colorful four-inch swimbaits on 3.8th oz. jig heads all day. We kept 20 blues and lost more than that. My BIL fried (McCormicks) a good batch and they were very good.
Yep—we hab blue crabs and sweet corn also.
##
. 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,
Notice: Captain Kenny Penrod (KP3) will be operating his own guide service in the future and can be reached at 240-478-9055. He is a super guide and knows the Potomac.
##
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.