Ken Penrod's Mid-Atlantic Fishing Report

Week Ending September 27, 2020

LOU Fishing Report for Week Ending 92720

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/

LOU “Club Awards” for Clients:

LOU Fish of the Week: largemouth: Tim Roach

LOU Potomac River Largemouth Club:
Tim Roach
Current Club Leader:

##
If 2020 were a fishing reel, the backlash would impress an osprey. It’s a nightmare, with one thing after another and everyone in America is affected. California is burning down and Washington/Oregoners are burning themselves down. A disease with a 99.9% recovery rate has halted a 22-trillion economy and Americans are burning cities to the ground with the help and encouragement of their politicians. Policemen are low-life murders according to potential low-life murderers and Congress approved a bill that afforded unemployed with $1000 a week-and wonder why those very people don’t want a job. Don’t even get me started on the national politics because I could go on forever. Even the weather has been crazy and we have three more month to go.
Closer to home, and closed to some hearts—just consider the state of our natural resources. Maryland has shortened the goose season and reduced the take-home to ONE. Maryland has reduced the striper take-home to ONE. The upper Potomac River fish population may be at an all-time low and the tidal Potomac is embarrassing especially since it is basically a catch and release ethic. Nearby Susquehanna River in PA, especially the middle sectors, is fishing poorly and most of PA suffers from drought.
Whew—and that’s not all.

UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: *; clear; <70; 1.3 at Point of Rocks—and that’s LOW. Complicating your quest to catch a few bass is the river flow which has finally succumbed to drought. It’s downright bumpy, but chilling and if you are careful and prudent—you can catch some hefty smallmouth because they are the females and they know the menu is about to get as scant as McDonalds. The Piedmont areas have the most water other than dam-affected impoundments. Id change to six pound test Excel monofilament and cast lures on Ardent rods and reels. Nothing beats a Campground Tube or a Case Magic Stik for now—but I certainly want to test topwater lures at dawn—and chuck Case Magic Swim or Big Mouth spinnerbaits as locators. TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: **; <70; Some grass or wind stain in areas but basically quite clear. Bass fishing has been pretty disappointing recently but I look for improvement once the water cools more and the grass dies off. Until then, stay away from submersed vegetation in the AM until the sun jump-starts the oxygen producing process—and fish the shoals and drop-offs nearby. Also, your calendar may tell you that it’s fall but you temperature gauge and mood of the fish is still about late summer. Use crankbaits, Magic Swims, drop-shot, jigs and tubes on those shoals. I’m using Ardent baitcasting rods and reels with 17 pound test (green) Excel Monofilament for: spinnerbaits, Big Shakeys; crankbaits, buzzbaits and rattling lures but I use Ardent spinning rods and reels with 8# mono for tubes, Magic Stiks, Magic Swims, drop-shot and Zipper Worms. From DC to Mattawoman—my week was poor. My client (Tim Roach) managed one fine Mattawoman bass and we has 5 keepers in the Penrod Cove vicinity. Vegetation is dying-off and floating away so that can interfere with your tight-line presentations. SUSQUEHANNA & JUNIATA RIVERS, PA: **; <70; clear; very very low; 2.9 at the Harrisburg station and 3.3 at Newport on the Juniata. It would appear that there are more rocks than water but remember—there are no bus stops for bass to leave. You just have to fish the various pools or wear waders and do float trips. Johnny Cunningham of Riverfront Campground is the man to arrange rentals and shuttle service with and he’s located at the Juniata/Susqy confluence. Forget that random-cast technique you developed and pick your targets most carefully. It’s a good time of year for a lot of different lures but nothing beats the Campground “Teaser” tube in the KP Series attached to 1/8th ounce RAB jig heads. I’d also have a Zipper grub on one rod and it’s still Whopper Plopper time. ## 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, ## 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.