LOU Fishing Report for Week Ending 6621
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
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“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
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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.
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Sponsored by Lowrance & Ardent.
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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
I’m pretty tired of this cicada thing!!
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I didn’t fish this week as other pressing issues required my time and presence but on Saturday my brother in law and I launched at the Solomon’s bridge on the Patuxent and fished swim baits for trout, blues and rockfish. The highlight was Kirk hooked a big-ol’-skate and lost that tug-of-war. Weekend traffic was a “bear” and I cannot get over the ignorance of some at the launch. Hel/l, I thought I was at Belle Haven on a holiday. Hey Bubba—the launch pad is for LAUNCHUING, not prepping your boat or parking there to use the restroom!!
LOU Potomac River Largemouth Club
Sponsored by Lowrance Electronics & Ardent Outdoors
Current Leader: John Ennis, 19.75”
Ken Penrod 20-Inch Smallmouth Club
Sponsored by Ardent Outdoors and Riverfront Campground
Current Leader: Bill Nearhoff, 20.25”
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Have you noticed that weather forecasters are almost as reliable as Dr. Fauci? In my profession, accurate weather predictions are extremely import to decision making as to launch site and client safety. Yesterday (Friday 4th) I did an experiment. I monitored WeatherBug, Weather Channel & AccuWeather. The TV “guessers” were spouting doom and gloom with tornadoes and severe storms the theme. WeatherBug was pretty accurate and AccuWeather was “WAY” off. WeatherChannel was half-right. I actually thing that accuracy could improve greatly if they had windows in their offices.
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TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: **1/2; mid-70s; some color
Pretty good news from DC to Aquia with plenty of sun, reasonable temperature and some saturation. Pretty much postspawn now with summer pattern dominating the behavior. Bass are munching on bass fry, herring and other pods of various YOY. Topwater lures such as Whopper Plopper, buzz baits and Rico-style poppers compliment, even enhance other lure endeavors such as Case Maguc stiks and Campground tubes. The ever reliable Big Mouth vibrating jig called the Big Shakey should always occupy one of you Ardent baitcasting rod/reel. I like to Big Mouth swim jig on braid so I can cast deep into spatterdock fields to root-out sassy bass and snakeheads.
In Washington DC, bridge foundations, particularly the railroad crossing and Key Bridge, is holding smallmouth and stripers. Rip rap shorelines along the airport and naval base shores is crankbait heaven and I like the KVD 2/5, Rapala DT-4, Firetigaer 7A and Bandit. A Case Magic Swim on an RAD jighead is deadloy but some days a tail dipped in chartreuse Spike It makes a difference.
The Woodrow Wilson Bridge sector can be fickle during warm weather but mostly because of the mass of available baitfish—so attack Penrod Cove and Smoot Bay with crankbaits to drawn aggravation-strikes.
There isn’t much grass in this sector—YET, but when the hydrilla gains momentum, my observation will be unwarranted.
Between Piscataway and Pomonkey, there are lots of options including the Lighthouse drop-offs, Bulltown Cove, Pohick Bay and Pomonkey—in and out. The “Penrod” spinnerbait by Big Mouth Lure Company-the green pumpkin Case Magic Stik and flukes seem favored.
I like my chances in Mattawoman and Chickamuxen too especially the spatterdock in the “6-MPH” zones.
UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: *1/2; high 70s; 2-feet at the Point of Rocks station and holding steady. The color is too clear but educational.
I like the Piedmont region launch sites such as Lander, Brunswick, Edwards Ferry and Whited Ferry (in that order). “Two feet” is low—but not “too low” if you read the water and refrain from dog stupd stuff.
If you haven’t purchased any of the Whopper Plopper or Berkley copy-cat surface lures—shame on you. Cast it on either style rod/reel but I prefer Ardent medium action spinning rods armed with an Ardent C-Force reel and 10# test Excel monofilament in the green color. Topwater lyres work best during low light conditions and smallmouth bass eat better then too, Get on early and off early. I like 6-11. Clear sky, sunny days are intolerable 90% of the time.
Campground tubes in smoke/purple, KP Purple; KP Candy and KP V8—attached to 1/8th ounce RAB jigheads (Call Johnny Cunningham at 717-877-2704 tom order your tubes and jig heads with a credit card.
Case Magic Stiks either Wacky rigged or Texposed is hard to beat. Find www.fishigcompleteinc.com and click on Case. You may use my discount code (KenP20),
Focus on off shore habitat like submersed ledges and deeper chunk rock.
SUSQUEHANNA & JUNIATA RIVERS: **; 70s; pretty clear; 4.4 at the Harrisburg station with a few-inch bump by Tuesday. On the Juniata, it’s 4.4 at Newport and falling slowly.
The water levels aren’t hazardous, yet, and if you are prudent and choose launch sites wisely—you should do ok on smallmouth bass with Big Mouth spinnerbaits, Big Mouth’s Big Shakys and some of the better topwater lures such as Whopper Plopper and Rico popper. The sun is your enemy during warm weather and clear-sky days. Dawn till 11 is best but you can root-out some sunny day bass with crankbaits and Campground tubes.
You can always rent-a-boat from Riverside Campground in Duncannon and Johnny will shuttle you upriver to “float” back. Johnny Cunningham’s Riverfront Campground (9 Newport Road, Duncannon, PA) is a very popular campground and his “store” has most of the lures we tout including Campground Special Tubes, RAB Jig Heads, Big Mouth spinnerbaits and much more. 717-877-2704.
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Drake Waterfowl Company is expanding into the fishing community and I am proud to hook my reins to this fine firm (www.drakewaterfowl.com) a national leader of the waterfowl industry and deer-turkey hunting—they are sure to make an impact with the fishermen of the USA.
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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.