LOU Fishing Report for Week Ending 9620
Delays due to Computer Issue:
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/
LOU “Club Awards” for Clients:
Ken Penrod 20-Inch Smallmouth Club:
Sponsored by Ardent Outdoors & Riverfront Campground
Current Leader: Michael Day
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LOU POTOMAC RIVER LARGEMOUTH CLUB:
Sponsored by Lowrance Electronics and Ardent Outdoors
Current Leader” Mike Stoker
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You can feel it–and the fish can too. Loss of daylight and loss of water temperature is the only calendar aquatic critters have. Both are biologic triggers that signal an urgency-and urgency that hints of not-so-good tines approach. Vegetation begins a die-off, most of the yoy (young of the year) abundance is minimal now and soon creeks become more important for hunting food—for a while. Water quality improves—but only the oxygen levels. Surfaces become cluttered with dead and dying vegetables of many sources—and fish school-up more, not because of weather, but because of food sources and LACK of habitat. Monitor the water temperature every day. When the low 70s and into the 60s are the norm, it’s time for you to alter your attack.
I spent a lot of time this week in the upper Susquehanna basin (West Branch) and I have never in my vast time there—seen the trout streams an Sinnamahoning Branch so low. That may not mean much to most of you but that ecoli ridden water is headed to the Bay—and that’s just more trouble.
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UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: *; mid-70s; 2.4 at Point of Rocks falling to 2-feet by Wed’ clear. Algae/bacteria alert.
Bumpy-low but doable in areas. Remember, MD Early Goose Season is “in” and geese are scarce.
It’s a tough-fish-here this year and the absence of anglers is verification. Still, IF you concentrate on where-bass-should-be, rather that drift and random-cast, a day here can still be rewarding. Food is scarce, and “ambush” is the bass-game so tubes, shallow cranks, Case Stiks and small Case Swim Baits are the lures I recommend—but always test the Whopper Plopper bite. The ledges, shad-shore and chunk rock are home to predator and the groceries they seek.
Longtime client reports a few bass caught in the Brunswick area on tubes.
I specialize in the areas between Brunswick and Seneca so use my advice in areas upstream too.
Our “Cast & Blast” trips will become more productive soon and the water cools and the tubers stay home.
SUSQUEHANNA & JUNIATA RIVERS: Montgomery Ferry to Harrisburg; **; nearing 60; clear but some stains on east shore; 3.2 at the Harrisburg station; 3.6 at Newport on the Juniata; bacteria warning.
Pretty much the same story in the Montgomery Ferry to Rockville Bridge vicinity. Numbers are down but worth the time because THER IS NO BETTER smallmouth river in the entire Chesapeake drainage.
Cover water but cover habitat-rich areas (ledges, deeper spots and mid-river island current breaks) with search lures such as Big Mouth spinnerbaits (Riverfront Campground has them), Case Magic Swims on RAB swim bait jig heads; Whopper Ploppers and jerk baits. Slow down with Campground tubes in chunk-rocks areas.
TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: **; 70s; clear; some debris in upper tidal sectors.
The river will be crowded all week due to a large tournament out of Smallwood State Park. Bass fishing is best described as “tough.” One of the better known pros I met in DC Tuesday predicts that 12-13 pounds per day could win the tournament.
Washington DC waters were very stingy this week but Penrod Cove, Smoot Bay, Hog Island and Swan Creek rip rap was a little better.
Waters to the south were thick-with-anglers so we stayed away.
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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,
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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.