Office at: 1860 Robin Court, Lusby, MD 20657
240-447-2206<>Kenpenrod@comcast.net<>www.pemrodsguides.com
.Week Ending April 3, 2022
3422
Fish Of The Week, Smallmouth:
Lucian Romano: 21-Inches
Ken Penrod 20-Inch Smallmouth Club:
(Sponsored by Ardent Outdoors & Riverfront Campground)
Lucian Romano
Leo Romano
Mike Elloitt
<<>>
A wild week of weather throughout our region that included weather calamities, nasty winds and drastically changing temperatures that affected many persons lives and totally upset smallmouth plans for spawning. We complain what it did to our fishing plans but how about those 80 vehicles on PA Route 81 where 5 died.
March is known as: The month of “In Like a Lion—Out Like A Lamb,”
I’m calling bullshit.
<>
SUSQUEHANNA & JUNIATA RIVERS, Pa: ** some ***; dirty many areas; some rise; lots of temperature drop; Windy. 6-feet at Harrisburg, kinda steady thru Wed; 5.5 at Newport on the Juniata—steady; 6-feet at Harrisburg and steady; 5.4 at Newport on the Juniata and slowly falling.
Radical weather including a deadly whiteout along with winds up to 40 MPH and a water temperature drop of about 15 degrees presented many issues for aquatic inhabitants and those pursuing them. I lost 3 days of guide trips but so-what?
From 55 degrees to 42 caused the big girls to “pull back” and chased the bucks away. At week’s end the reverse was occurring but then the river rose and really clouded-up. I had my first-ever, o-bite, o-fish day in 20 years with 32 year veteran Dr. Dave aboard. Two days later, The Romanos both caught their personal best—and they fish with me every year for the past 30. Just remember, there is no such thing as “what happened last year on those dates!”
The waters are up some, cloudy some and clearing some but we are back to 50-degrees in the pm and that’s cause for grinning.
You are on the edge of choosing your weapons (lures) but you-MUST get some Campground Tubes and RAD jig head from Johnny Cunningham of Riverfront Campground (717-877-2704) and his jig heads. Do you know how many clients have challenged with their brand? Lots—and my stuff is King. That paddle-tail swim-bait by Case Plastics is a game-changer too. It’[s a 4-inch called Magic Swim. Go to www.fishingcompleteinc.com and find the Case brand. Use my promo code (KenP20) and get those Magic Stiks too.
As to tradition, every years for the past 20, I have been on the Susquehanna River out of Riverfront Campground, for no less than 6-weeks.I spend my birthday and my Easter here. The “rule” around the campground has always been—don’t fuss over Ken on April 2—he doesn’t like-it. A Small Circe of friends always know that KP wants a hot-dog on a stick for his birthday meal. WELL
Johnny. Corinne. Moe and Maggie had the campfire lit and food-on-the-table when I got off the water and imagine—I had no idea Maggi was to be there., There I was, with cigar in hand, and I promised I would quit. I really want to thank my Campground friends and everyone that sent messages via social media.
Captain Dave Kerrigan, Vice President of Life Outdoors Unlimited, reports the past week to be typical spring conditions. Water temp hanging under 50 from cold nights (and days)! Catching some fish here and there but not finding a bunch anywhere. A slight rise and some muddy water made the main river tough, but the Juniata was only stained and remained fishable. By Sunday the rivers had both cleared up a lot and levels were slowly falling!
We caught fish in current and seams on jerk baits and plastics! Campground Special tubes continued doing their usual thing – tricking hungry bass into thinking its dinner time!! Penrod Purple moved into favor by end of the week!! We caught quite a few BIG fish with many females with heavy bellies looking to spawn soon! This is the time when you get the famous pop and drop bites where the bass are just smacking them to defend a nest…set the hook on nothing!! LOL!! Happened many times the last few days. Overall, the week was solid and the fishing good. Unfortunately, the cold weather pattern seems locked in for a week or so more!! Keep those bibs out for now!! And slow that bait down!!
TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: **, ***; high 50s. some stain; mid to upper 50s
Pretty good fishing throughout the basin but remember—the sun is your friend now.
Case Magic Swims, Big Mouth spinnerbaits and Campground Tubes are the ticket so just add an Ardent rod and reel and plan your trip to conserve gasoline.
Dropoffs and marinas in the Washington Channel are providing hefty bass and the railroad bridge foundations hold some quality smallmouth. Stripers are in and out on their spawn run and even some white perch too.
Penrod Cove concrete and adjacent coves have some bass acting like it’s spawn time—and wow—the crappie are exceptional.
Piscataway Coves and Pomonkey entrance make catching easy but so does Belmont Bay, Mattawoman emerging spatterdock and grasses.
UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: **1/2; 50ish; perfect color; 3.9 at Point of Rocks and slowly falling
It’s nice to be able to say that “smallmouth bass fishing is rebounding nicely” especially in the Piedmont areas of Brunswick to Seneca.
I really like the Brunswick to Lander sector where small KP Series tubes do the deed.
<>
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,
##
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.