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LOU Fishing Report for Week Ending 52321
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
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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.
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Sponsored by Ardent & Riverfront Campground.
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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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LOU FISH OF THE WEEK:
Youth Largemouth: Jaden Lee & Jacob Drever
Toothy Critter: Mark Drever, snakehead
Crappie: Dennis Koulatsos
Largemouth: Dennis Koulatsos
Shad: Kayla
LOU Potomac River Largemouth Club (LoPo)
Sponsored by Ardent Outdoors & Lowrance Electronics
Ken (3)
George Giammittorio
Youth (17” qualifies for 16 &<: Jaden Lee
Youth: Jacob Drever (2)
Barry Bonovich
Dennis Koulatsos
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Like Jim Vance used to say: “If you don’t like the weather in the DC area—wait a minute.” Well, that may be an exaggeration, but not by much. Last week I spent all 6 guide days in Simms Gortex with strong wind and this week I spent all days in Simms pull-overs and jeans. The tide was crazy too, perhaps because last week’s strong northerly winds blew the water out but it hurt the “catching” some because any current is better than none. Last week the water temp was barely above 60 and this week we were in the low 70s. Lots of “cotton” falling from trees that adheres to your line and makes casting and lure-cleaning difficult. We were checked by a MD Conservation Officer (a good man) and he advised us that: if the ONLY life jackets you have in the boat are the suspender type—you must have them on your body to comply. Those old, bulky orange relics do not have to be worn. Some Democrat came up with that idea I’m sure.
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TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: 70s; tidal clear; unusually low tides with diminished flow, hordes of “tournament” traffic.
I saw my favorite tidal bass manager on the Potomac recently in a DNR boat I thought was an electro-shocking vessel. When questioned I was told that they were monitoring an underwater “fish habitat” that was installed with great fanfare, in Smoot Bay—you know-the “bay” in the Potomac River with MORE habitat than all other coves combined. Has ANYONE caught a bass from that project? Go around to the next cove and see what man-made habitat is all about.
High barometer, clear skies and restricted tidal flow affected the no-grass northern tidal Potomac, and understand that last week’s “chill” deterred the spawn causing females to retreat or dump their load. You/we are catching decent numbers of nice bass but they are primarily males. We are catching an unusual number of bass with “black-blotch spots," the” type PFBC thought was detrimental to fish in the Susquehanna River. Nonsense. MD DNR biologist of years gone by recognized this phenomena as a pigment intrusion—but of the hundreds of fish I’ve caught in many states—none were sickly. NONE. Full Moon is May 26. That’s why the males dominate the catchin’.
Maryland tidal bass fishing is/was/can be, the best in the entire universe—but MD DNR is hell-bent on ruining that with their “Come-on-in” Tournament enablement. It’s the same on the Upper Bay. I know you think I don’t like tournaments but I really don’t care what you think about that. I’m worried about the fishery-not the events, and MD DNR has ruined everything they touch. Think about the striped bass rules. ONE fish per person. Canada geese: ONE per person; Blue Crabs: on the verge of collapse—and how about those oysters? The upper Potomac is in distress.
In the District of Columbia, I was there only one day but it wasn’t a good fishing day. We caught a half-dozen small, smallmouth and nothing but a blue catfish in the Washington Channel. Herring are everywhere and it’s hard to compete with that.
The I-95 bridge area has been pretty good with bass in shallow water eating bass fry and herring. Most of the bass we are catching are males and makes me believe that there will be another spawn in the full moon phase next week. Our standby baits continue to be the Campground tube and Case Magic Stik but we are catching some on square-billed cranks, Big Shakey and Case swim baits.
The middle-area between Piscataway and Pomonkey is producing bass especially Greenway Flats, Pohick Bay coves and inside Pomonkey where underwater vegetation is the draw and Shakey Head offerings and Big Mouth spinnerbaits do the deed.
Between Occoquan and Aquia lies the best fishing, in grass beds. Case Magic Stiks and Big Shakey vibrating jigs seem best. There is just so much tournament traffic though.
UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: *; near 70 degrees; clear; 2.1 at Point of Rocks and that’s pretty low.
The region is in a semi-drought stage with a 4-inch deficit of rainfall so far. The “chill” of last week was altered by the heat-wave of this week and clear blue skies and high barometric pressure added to the negatives of diminished bass stocks. Focus on mid river habitat, especially submersed ledges and chunk rock with Campground tubes in the KP Series. It’s a good idea to have 6-pound test monofilament (Bass Pro’s Excel) on your Ardent spinning reels—and make long casts.
The pattern is similar between Seneca and Brunswick so stay low in the boat-don’t motor over the good holes and test for topwater action with Whopper Ploppers.
SUSQUEHANNA & JUNIATA RIVERS: **; near 70 degrees; 4.5 at the Harrisburg station and steady. On the Juniata at Newport the flow is 4.1 and holding.
Full fledge summer pattern but don’t be surprised to find some spawn activity next week as the moon is full on the 26th. Bass are scattered so spinnerbaits and Case Magic Swims are good tools. Ledges and mid river current breaks are holding bass.
The river levels are pretty good but caution is advised when motoring around. The clear-sky days are never best so start early. Don’t forget—a bass can hold her breath just about as long as you can. Get ‘em back in the water quickly.
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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; Maggie Penrod.