LOU Fishing Report for Week Ending 6131
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.
“Ken Penrod’s Life Outdoors Unlimited” (https://www.facebook.com/Ken-Penrods-Life-Outdoors-Unlimited-1436799496550830/)
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Sponsored by Ardent & Riverfront Campground.
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Sponsored by Lowrance & Ardent.
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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
I’m pretty tired of this cicada thing!!
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LOU FISH OF THE WEEK
Largemouth: Mike Jane
LOU Potomac River Largemouth Club
Sponsored by Lowrance Electronics & Ardent Outdoors
Current Leader: John Ennis, 19.75”
Ken Penrod 20-Inch Smallmouth Club
Sponsored by Ardent Outdoors and Riverfront Campground
Current Leader: Bill Nearhoff, 20.25”
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CONGRADULATIONS to Hank Cherry for winning the 2021 Bassmasters Classic, Cudos to local Ed Loughran (rememvber his as he guided for Bill Kramer for a few years) for a strong finish. It just isn’t the same without the big-guns that moved on to other opportunities but it does open it up for so many other rising stars. Just wish they would ban that “throw-them-on-the-rug” landing techniques. Major League Fishing is way ahead on so many issues. Did you see Hank get out of his boat on his victory drive around the stadium and hug that little downe syndrome boy?
TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER: **1/2; mid 80s; trib color and more coming.
There is sooo much food for these post spawn bass so trying to get them to eat our imposter offerings is challenging—and, just as expected, the hydrilla is growing like a weed (lol) and offering massive new quantities of habitat. Still, like I always tell you, “find the food and you have found the bass.” New problem: getting well-fed bass to eat your lures. I’ll “circle” back to that.
In the Washington DC area, some stained water and debris made its way into the tidal sector as the upper Potomac FINALLY got some rain. No harm though, and actually helpful. Above Key Bridge, it was not a place to be as police and firemen searched for missing swimmers that didn’t result well. The VA side of Roosevelt Island is providing some excellent fishing for both smallmouth and largemouth. It’s “skinny” water with ledges so be cautious.
There is abundant rock-lined shorelines on both sides of the river and some is seldom-ever fished. I will not be specific but tie on a Rapala DT66 in Hot Mustard or a Case Magic Swim on an “under-chin” and “search.”
The railroad bridge foundations are (BOTR) where Campground tubes in the KP Series on an RAB jig head—or a Case Hellgrammite on a #1 circle hook with 1/8th ounce bullet. Well-fed fish will react to intimidations so ALWAYS have a 7-A Bomber Firetiger tied-on to an Ardent Edge Baitcaster with 12-#test Excel on an Ardent C-Force or Summit Hawk reel.
From inside the Anacostia River to downriver Bolling Airforce Base you will find a shoreline completely “stoned” and three old (unseen” pier locations. Watvh your Lowrance as you move along (anti-flow) and in the deep0er areas use that crankbaits; in the moderate depths, use a Big Mouth Big Shaky or “Penrod spinnerbait” and always, always use the Campground tube and Case Magic Stik.
The Blue Plains sewage treatment plant is and always will be a fish-attractor or a death trap—but check it out. The long dock and her pilings are challenging, but worth it.
WOODROW WILSON BRIDGE area, my favorite area for more reason than explainable, is one of those aquatic-rich environs that is either threatened or enhanced by population growth, now, and years ago, and there is more man made habitat than anywhere-else on the Potomac. My plan to install Woodrow Wilson Bridge deck-concrete into a nearby cove known as The Spoils or preferably, Penrod-Cove was a masterpiece. Nine million pounds of concrete from the 1983 bridge deck was cut into large slabs and barged into the cove where Ken specifically pointed to preferred locations including two islands and a jetty that protects the cove from nasty river stuff including Blue Plains sewage intrusions. Ken was recognized by BASS Federation as “Man of the Year,” “Federation of the Year” and Izaak Walton Chesapeake Bay Conservation Award.”
Fox Ferry point collects as many fat bass as it does outboard motor lower units so “pick your time,” It’s a 1950s pier where gravel operations staged excavated gravel from areas now known as Oxen Run, Penrod Cove, Smoot Bay.
Wait until you can see the tips of the pilings and even the rocks, before fishing here. There is deeper water either side of the 60-yard pier that goes directly toward Alexandria, I keep my boat pointed into the current no matter the tide. Firetiger crankbaits, weighed Case Magic Stiks, Big Mouth jigs and Case Magic Swims.
In Penro0d Cove, just look! It’s all fishy. The concrete with cranks and tubes. The coves with BML spinnerbaits and Case Magic Stiks.
Between Penrod Cove and the NEW WW Bridge, look to the old gravel-barge graveyard on the left. New foundations are starting to pay off-but find the remnants of the old bridge with you Lowrance.
SMOOT BAY is up to you and none of it is bad. Bottom Sculpted by the Smoot family, it is now a highly developed location with the likes of MGM and the Ferris wheel that NO-ONE will go on-it with me. MDR in their expected-ignorance decided to install a “fish habitat” made of wood and weights. There is NO area more habitat-rich than Smoot Bay. None. Oh Well.
You are on your own here because anything I would point you to would be unfair to my clients and the fish. Great drop-offs all around the perimeter where crankbaits do well. A shoal with much vegetation-history is now barren and I suspect vegetable poisoning. Docks galore.
In the BELLE HAVEN MARINA vicinity, more gravel pits and a National Park Service wet dream to reclaim that land for “wetland” to appease bird-watchers.By the way, I have two “FAVORITE” launch sites on the entire Potomac and Belle Haven Marina is one of them. Those “Park Service” endangered coves are natural fish nurseries and again, sculpted by gravel op0erations of years gone by. Downriver a bit is Charlies Cove (read my book) and Hog Island, another barge graveyard—and one of the best habitats between DC and AQUIA.
To the SOUTH, Bulltown Cove, Pohick Bay, Pomonkey Creek, Mattawoman and Chickamuxen have “grassy” and wood bass but rather scattered. That Big Mouth Spinnerbait, the “Penrod” as well as the perch Big Shakey are good fish finders. The Case Magic Stik is top-of-the-chart for results though
UPPER POTOMAC RIVER: **; 80ish; 3.7 at Point of Rocks, down from almost 5-feet Frida, and dropping slowly; stained, actually, muddy;
Topsy-turvy this week with the weather, rise and color but none of these factors is really bad. There just isn’t the populations of smallmouth bass from even a few years ago. In most any other state, fisheries managers would be scrambling to help restore this situation but MD DNR is simply disinterested. Remember this when elections come around. Larry Hogan isn’t our friend when it comes to natural resource.
Those Piedmont launch sites, Brunswick, Lander, Point of Rocks, Whites Ferry and Edwards Ferry are my choices but there is a hundred miles of river above that too.
Topwater lures in the AM, and Whopper Plopper or Big Mouth buzzbait is the ticket. During the early and late hours but that Case Lil Magic Swim on an RAB swim bait jg head is deadly and helps eliminate water. Campground tubes in the KP Series on 1/8th ounce RAB jigs heads is as reliable as eggs-for-breakfast. Bass are related to ledges but will get shallow in the wee hours,
Its time to change to 6-pound test and I totally rely on Bass Pro’s Excel in the green color. Ardent spinning rods and reels are made for us ordinary folk so get you some. Those 400-1000 combos are ego trips. Only YOU, can make YOU a better angler. Same goes for all those lures you seen TV guys catching fish on.
SUSQUEHANNA & JUNIATA RIVERS: **; 80ish; 4.5 and steady at the Harrisburg station—and that’s GOOd for June.
It’s summer pattern and it’s even boat-floats or wading time if you are prudent and anxious. Johnny Cunningham of Riverfront Camoground, located at 9 Nrwport Road, Duncannon, PA-where the Juniata meets the Susquehanna, is Top-Cat when it comes to boat rentals, shuttled adventures, campsites, superbly stocked fishing items and plain-ol’-good guy. Reach him at 717-877-2704 but not at 5ish. That’s happy hour time.
My best advice is get on the water at dawn if you want your best chances but cloudy days extend your stay and increase your productivity when the barometer is under 30. Clear sky days are troublesome for so many reasons. Bass are scattered but chasing. Topwater strikes are awesome and that Case Magic Stik and Magic Swim (plastic swim bait) must be in your arsenal. Crankbaits, especially the 2-4 foot divers in crawfish are a must.
In the upper reaches of the Susquehanna drainage, particularly Sinnemahoning Creek and Stevenson Dam—where we conduct our annual summer youth cam for boys 12-18 from our lodge in Sinnamahoning.
Like any of the Susquehanna contributors, these waters got their butt kicked too during record floods of 2018 and record drought of 2020—NOT TO MENTION the infamous train-wreck that dumped thousands of gallons of fish-killing chemicals into the Sinnamahoning Creek contributors in the Emporium area. By the way, PFBC received about 6-MILLION and PDE another 7-MILLION in punitive damage—AND I HAVE NOT SEEN ONE DIME SPENT ON THE REAL PROBLEM.
Still, Lots of trout in so many streams near our lodge and we always do pretty well on the Stevenson Dam
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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.