Fishing Report for Week Ending July 31, 2022
NEW Mailing Address: 1860 Robin Court, Lusby, MD 20657
Kenpenrod@comcast.net<>240-447-2206<>www.penrodsguides.com
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LOU POTOMAC RIVER LARGEMOUTH CLUB;
Sponsored by Lowrance Electronics & Ardent Outdoors
Current Club Leader: Dr. Dave, 21.75”
Ken Penrod 20-Inch Smallmouth Club
Sponsored by Ardent Outdoors and Riverfront Campground
Current Leader: John Ennis, 21.75”
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The 2022 drought continues along with above-normal heat—and if you feel stressed by that—imagine how the fish feel. Dissolved oxygen is very low so limit the time you keep fish out of water and do not play with that critter. Photos should take 15 seconds if you get ready while she in wet. Count to 15 right now. That’s a long time. MD DNR shut down rockfish season for a few weeks because of this but like always—they didn’t have balls to keep it that way. Bass tournaments in this heat is a killer too—but MD still aggressively invites them while other states around us shut down for the spawn at least. I walked out on them at the last meeting I ever had when they rejected my proposal below.
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I spent last week at my mountain cabin with Mark McQuown and Allan Mullis doing repairs to the lodge, We changed the ceiling tiles in the grand room (six bundles of 2x4cut into 2×2); applied 18 gallon of paint stain to the exterior after replacing some siding; did extensive flashing to keep Alvin out; cleaned in places avoided for 15 years and caught rattlesnakes, photographed elk, deer and turkey and visited the Tavern and Willows.
The Sinnamahoning Creek (1.8 feet—record is 1.1 in 1955), First Fork and trout streams are extremely low and bacteria levels are off the chart but still—people float, tube and swim there.
So—my fishing report is incomplete and short.
A reminder that MD Resident Goose Season begins Sept 1 and we will be offering “Cast & Blast” outings—if the geese show up.
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UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: **1/2; 80-ish; algae; 1.5 at Point of Rocks—which is LOW.
Longtime client at friend Jay George fished areas between Seneca and Brunswick two days last week and is quite excited to report plenty of small bass, abundant forage and even Canada goose sightings.
It’s float, wade or putt-around time so get there early and be gone by noon before the tube-hatch. I’m recommending Ardent medium-action spinning rods with Ardent “Wire” reel with six pound test Excel monofilament.
Use Whopper Ploppers or poppers in the early morning and Campground tubes, Case Magic Stiks, Case Magic Swims and Ned style baits.
Get them in the boat/hand quick—and back into the water quick
TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: **; 80ish; algae to the south; hydrilla galore; tough-bite most places;
“Dog Days’ they call it—but much of July was dog days. It’s pretty-summer-tough for bass but snakeheads and catfish galore.
Way too much weekend tournament activity but ”build it and they will come.”
I like the DC area this time of year for all three bass—and very little boat traffic until mid-day on weekends when the party-crown come to play.
Washington Channel dropoff and shoal with tubes, Case Stiks, Big Mouth spinnerbaots and vibrating jigs and Bomber 7-A firetiger crankbaitrs (on the dropoff.) Rockfish are in the 10-12 foot level and it’s productive to troll there.
Bridge foundations, especially Long Bridge and Key Bridge for all three.
Rip rap on both sides of main stem with cranks, tubes and topwater lures early.
I like Mattawoman, Pomonkey, Chickamuxen and Quantico Creeks for snakes with frogs and flukes. Some big, fat bass in the thickest grass.
SUSQUEHANNA & JUNIATA RIVER: **; 80ish; very bumpy; 3.2 at Harrisburg and 3.5 at Newport on the Juniata
There are plenty of bass to catch but a tough road to get to them so if you are not a first-class jet boat operator—wade, float or get Johnny Cunningham to shuttle you upstream and float back to Riverfront Campground in lone of his rentals.
It’s spinnerbait heaven in this warm water an d nothing beats the Big Mouth Lure Company brand.
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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.
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.
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