Woodbridge
Instant Confirmation
Trips from
US $295
Captain
Kenneth Penrod III
Woodbridge, United States
Angler's choice
100+ reviews
The Fishing Detective is the 'hardest working guide on the river' with an impeccable reputation and over 40 years of experience. Kenneth Penrod III has no criminal history, CPR/first aid certified, drug tested, fully chartered insured, and licensed to guide in DC, VA, MD and PA. The Fishing Detective is a nationally published writer, son of Fishing Hall of Fame Potomac River guide, former treasurer and vice chair of MD DNR Catcha Poacher Program and Black Bass Subcommittee. The Fishing Detective served a calling for 27 years in law enforcment only to be rewarded by a higher power so that he can now live his dream.
Charter
Rating
5.0
115 reviews
5.0
Boat & Equipment
5.0
Captain & Crew
5.0
Fishing Experience
Anglers' gallery (498)
What anglers say
100%
Good experience
100%
Friendly captain
100%
Recommend this charter
92%
Appropriate for children
100%
Satisfied with the boat
96%
Caught fish
All reviews (115)
Showing 1 – 5 of 115 reviews
Ryan PullenRepeat angler5.0VerifiedAnother great trip with Ken!
Half Day Trip – Potomac Bass • 2 adultsAnother fantastic trip with Ken! Couldn’d ask for a more experienced and accommodating guide! As a repeat customer each trip leaves me wanting more and the anticipation of getting the next Bass. To anyone thinking about booking Ken, if you are an experienced angler or have never held a rod before, Ken will accomdate and make the experience one of a kind. the effort Ken puts in to put you in the best spots at the best times even when conditions are tricky is what you are paying for! to Ken - thank you again for your continued hospitality, expertise and guidance. Couldn’t ask for more from a guide - I will be joining you again, next time im in the DC area!
Reported catch:
Response from Captainthsnk you so much ryan for such kind words. you and alex were a pleasure to fish with and excellent company. it is evident that you love the total experience of fishing and it was your optimism and energy that saved our day in the last hour and resulted in fish. take care.
Jon BerlinRepeat angler5.0Verified2d Trip as fun as the first!
Half Day Trip – Potomac Snakehead • 2 adultsOur second trip with Captain Ken in June was as enjoyable as our first in May. We fished hollow frog lures for four hours in the morning. We caught a dozen bass and missed several more. We had hoped to catch snakeheads, but only saw three. Ken was again a great coach, helping my 13-year-old grandson the entire time. I will again recommend him to anyone wanting to do some serious fishing in the tidal Potomac. i will add that he is very quick to respond to email questions, which helps greatly in planning the trip.
Reported catch:Response from CaptainThank you jon. i was impressed with you and averys persistsnce. the snskeheads again did not cooperate but you certainly didnt shy away from the challenge. i enjoyed the day fishing with you. several hours after you left - we caught 6 snakeheads which says more about timing than anything else.
Joe Yanci5.0VerifiedNEWGreat trip!
Half Day Trip – Potomac Bass • 2 adultsCaptain Ken did a great job of going with the flow. Very communicative before the trip and communicated well to set expectations. We caught fish and he dealt with snags in the line and unexpected weather with a great attitude. Would recommend to others and would go again as well.
Response from Captainthank you joe.
Bethany SachsRepeat angler5.0VerifiedKen is the best! Book the trip, you won’t regret it!
Single angler half day special • 2 adultsWe had such a great morning on the water with Ken. He treated us so well. He was on time, had everything ready to go and graciously helped us out every time we got line caught or lost a lure. He took extra time to teach us and help us. We saw a beaver, raccoon, deer and a ton of birds. It was a beautiful morning in nature and Ken took care of everything so we could just sit back and enjoy. Highly Recommend!
Response from CaptainThank you Beth. im so happy to hear that you guys enjoyed your day. Good luck with the move and best wishes for your new beginning. take csre.
Christopher ZhenRepeat angler5.0VerifiedBest Experience on the Potomac
Full day Potomac bass/snakehead • 2 adultsKen is the best guide in the area for tidal Potomac bass and snakehead, especially for more seasoned anglers that can maximize cast accuracy. He spends more time on this water than anyone, will work extra hard to get you on fish, and wont sell you on any expectations that he can’t deliver on. On top of that, he is great to have conversations with. He’s got a loyal client in me!
Reported catch:Response from Captainthank you chris. your fishing efforts were truly impressive. we didnt catch many fish but you caught fish thst would not have been caight by 99 percent of people. i couldnt ask for a better client.
Real catches shared by our community
- The Fishing Detective Guide AgencyWoodbridge, VA
- The Fishing Detective Guide AgencyWoodbridge, VA
- The Fishing Detective Guide AgencyWoodbridge, VA
- The Fishing Detective Guide AgencyWoodbridge, VA
- The Fishing Detective Guide AgencyWoodbridge, VA
- The Fishing Detective Guide AgencyWoodbridge, VA
- The Fishing Detective Guide AgencyWoodbridge, VA
- The Fishing Detective Guide AgencyWoodbridge, VA
- The Fishing Detective Guide AgencyWoodbridge, VA
- The Fishing Detective Guide AgencyWoodbridge, VA
Fishing reports
Snakehead fishing reality and expectatio
May 27, 2026 • Woodbridge
My snakehead trips are beginning and anyone interested should read this prior to booking a trip because I’m going to share my reality of targeting snakeheads with artificial baits on the Potomac. As Jack Nicholson once said in the “The Departed” - “This ain’t no YouTube video”.
Also this is my experience and others may have a different experience and if they can promise you a different experience then what I’m describing then I certainly would go with them.
Last year was not the greatest Potomac snakehead fishing that I’ve experienced - in fact it was the worse. The truth is that my numbers of fish and strikes have been declining for several years and that experience was validated by US Fish and Game surveys showing a pretty dramatic decline in the snakehead population. However, there are still snakeheads to be caught by the dedicated angler that is prepared to work. There will still be days when it’s relatively easy but there will be far more days when it won’t be easy.
Social media has certainly distorted anglers expectations and there are probably places where snakeheads are still relatively easy to catch. That doesn’t mean these people have a snakehead secret or secret bait or snakehead technique - it just means that there are more, undisturbed snakeheads that are generally easier to catch in some places. I fish the Potomac from Washington DC to south of nanjemoy and every tributary has proven pretty consistent with the Potomac snakehead experience.
I’m saying that targeting and catching a snakehead can be work. It requires a lot of efficient casting and mental discipline. It requires the outdoor skills of observation, patience, and persistence. The opportunities may be limited but they are further limited if you don’t notice a small disturbance on the water, or a snakehead cruising on the bank or if you don’t cast immediately and accurately if you do see a snakehead. I mostly guide with topwater baits in shallow water - many snakeheads are caught with chatterbaits and assorted other baits - on outside weed lines but to me - this isn’t the snakehead fishing experience.
You may work very hard to get a strike and then miss the opportunity. I’ve heard a lot of excuses but sometimes they just miss the bait. However sometimes it’s completely your fault. It’s not that you didn’t wait to set the hook - it’s mostly because you didn’t set the hook at all. If they missed it - and you jerked - then immediately cast again. If you waited and they missed it - let it sit - most will still be under the frog ready to hit again. If you choose to use the wrong equipment then you are choosing to miss your opportunity.
I’ve caught a lot of snakeheads and I’m only trying to help you with reality. If you choose to validate your vicarious YouTube learning of catching a snakehead - then I would call them and see them in action but I’m not interested. The reason snakehead fishing is popular among some is that the fish is really not susceptible to a lot a varied techniques. Nobody is fishing deep rock piles or deep contour lines for a snakehead. They are fishing shallow with frogs, flukes, buzzbaits, etc.. It’s visual, relatively “easy” techniques but require a hunters mentality.
In the end - it’s usually work to target a snakehead. It’s a challenge at times. You must keep casting. I say this because I’m preparing myself for the “I watched a YouTube video” comments. They drive me insane -.especially when the angler can’t cast, isn’t being observant, lacks persistence, and generally believes there is a shortcut or secret to success. That’s life now - work is outdated and everybody has a shortcut to success. I get it but if I interrupt your YouTube fishing knowledge comments by saying “just keep casting” - well at least I warned you ! ?. If you do have a real tangible measurable secret that isn’t you fish where there are a lot of unpressured snakeheads - then I’m ready to learn and I’ll pay you my rate to teach me that secret. I love to learn.
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Managing Expectations
Nov 5, 2025 • Woodbridge
The 2025 guiding season is coming to an end and im grateful to fishing booker all all my fishing guests. The season had highs and lows just like the tides of the potomac river. The lows usually revolve around trips that didnt live up to fish “catching” expectations of the client. There is nobody as disappointed as me when for whatever reason the fish do not bite. Some factors of poor fishing are controllable but most are not. I would like to privide a few examples of what can be controlled and what can not be cintrolled when it comes to probability of catching fish.
Controllable:
1. Captain preparedness - i spend countless hours on the tidal Potomac river from washington dc to aquia, virginia. I keep the boat maintained and fully equipped. I show up on time and demonstrate a friendky demeanor. I come from a family that have soent over 50 years of fishing and guiding on the Potomac.
2. I communicate with clients and provide ramp location and meeting times. I try to get a level of fishing experience from them so i can evalute if my fishing experience is best for them.
3. I look at predicted weather conditions to assure saftey.
After this - nany things are out of my control -
1. Angling ability - the biggest factor of catching fish will rest with the guests fishing expeience. If you have minimum cating ability or presenting an artificial bait properly - tben the probability of catching a fish goes way down. I will spend tbe day teaching you but if you also believe that catching fish should go hand in hand with instruction - that may happen - but the odds are decreased.
2. Tides and enviornmental factors - a fisb is an organism that responds to environmental conditions- tides, barometric presure, etc - these factors control mich of a fishes activity. These factors can lead to the saying “they call it fishing - not catching”.
There are many examples of unrealistic expectations. A guest using his equioment the wrong way and still complaining of catching small fish when be was lucky to even get a bite. A guest who insisted on fishing for snakeheads when not only was their fishing ability up to the task but i told them that catching a snakehead was unlikely.
Its your trip but im not always the best guide to suite your expectations. I always go where there are fish but one must catch them on their own. I fish with artificial baits thst require casting and presentation. Sometimes its best to start slow and fish with guides that use live bait for more abundant fish species. I love to teach everyone to beca better fisherman but its a process that doesnt always include or deserve catching a fish.
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Snakehead mistakes
Jan 18, 2025 • Woodbridge
The top ten northern snakehead fishing mistakes I’ve observed of clients :
1. Wrong rod - you don’t need a special snakehead rod but you do need a 7’ medium heavy rod (or longer) with a bit of a soft tip.
2. Wrong line - I like 30 lb braid and I’ll go up but never down. No mono, floro..
3. Bad knot - braid will slip so I use a double Palomar knot.
4. Bad casting - the further away I can keep the boat from intended targets - the better. Casts must be relatively long and very accurate especially to sighted fish in shallow water.
5. No polarized sunglasses - essential to spot snakeheads.
6. Not observant - many snakeheads give away their position by a movement in water or vegetation.
7. Lazy - this is a game of how many good casts can I make to keep my bait for the longest period of time in snakehead habitat and strike zones. You cast - work in strike zone - reel in as fast as you can through non productive water and cast again.
8. Bad hook sets - I’ll tell u a secret. There’s three different snake head strikes that dictate how I set the hook. However I don’t care when you set the hook but I do need u to set the hook hard.
9. Missing opportunities - you may only get 1 to 3 great opportunities in a day. If you don’t observe a wake following ur bait as u reel in or you take a long time to cast at an observed fish or if you miss a strike and don’t immediately and repeatably throw to same spot- then a lot of hard work is lost.
10. Not controlling what is controllable. No leaders. Don’t use a med rod and make a mile cast that overextends your equipments ability to hook and land a snakehead.
I’ll break the rules every now and then. Yes I’ll use heavy floro if I’m casting a chatterbait. Yes I’ll throw a long way and take my chances. It’s heartbreaking to see a missed fish that was catchable because I know that these opportunities are limited in a day. Control the controllable and cast a lot. I’ll worry about the rest.
Book a June trip. Do it - do it now. ?. You won’t regret it.
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Top 3 snakehead baits for 2024
Dec 7, 2024 • Woodbridge
Part 3 - Three top Snakehead Lures of 2024
The 2024 Fishing Detective Guide Agency LLC Snakehead Summary brought to you by thee Fishing Detective and #simmsfishing, #fishdetective729, #seaguar, #dobynsrods, #seewhatsoutthere, #powerpole, #kuiu, #ardentreels, #wackyworm.
The fishing detective provides the most excellent Christmas gift for the fisherman in your life - a gift certificate for full and half day fishing trips. The 2025 snakehead trips will be 500 for 7 hours and 325 for morning/evening half days.
Part 1 provided the stats for 2024. Part 2 will summarize my impression on fishing and the conditions that existed on the most productive days. Part 3 is the top lures of 2024.
Part 3 - Three Top Lures of 2024
My guide agency specifically targets snakeheads on snakehead trips. Consequently I don’t consider randomly casting a grass flat with a chatterbait as targeting snakeheads. I have specific areas and cast specific baits at specific times where the odds are in my favor that snakeheads will be the dominant fish. Yes - I do catch bass in these areas but the bass are by product catches. Also I’ve caught snakeheads on every single bass bait catsgory and technique you can name - creature baits punching, dropshots on docks, shakey heads on gravel banks, Zara spooks, whopper plopper, buzzbaits, senkos etc etc. However, 2024 proved that there are only 3 baits necessary to target a snakehead. These three baits were the most productive because they can be thrown into heavy shallow water. They can be worked fast or slow. They work the water columns that snakeheads exist.
1. Hollow Body Frog - the hollow body frog is still my #1 choice for targeting snakehead. I only need two colors but I have a variety of sizes. I don’t much care if it’s a popper or standard frog except that it comes through the cover without hanging up especially on pads. I don’t care if you can walk it or not. These things to me are selling points for frogs that are basically all the same so you have to sell your frog by making it appear different. The body size, the texture of the frog body and the hooks are my considerations. Consequently I primarily use 2 brands - Booyah and Spro. Both come in standard and smaller body sizes. Both have good durability and great hooks. My Booyah frig has caught more snakeheads than any other bait but I did start throwing the spro a lot because it’s a little harder plastic and comes throw pads much better.
2. Chatterbait - it’s very difficult for me to say this because unless I’m fishing way south I feel the Chatterbait isn’t necessarily “targeting” a snakehead. It’s also not a bait I like clients throwing on my rods. However it’s a great snakehead bait and the bait I use to catch the biggest snakeheads on grass edges and the mouth of guts especially on lower tides when they are away from the banks. The biggest snakeheads always have come on a Chatterbait because big snakeheads act like big bass in that they are in slightly deeper water and are efficient predators. I don’t use a lot of custom blades jigs but again I use 2 sizes - full size and a mini max. I like gold and black blades. I like gold, white, black/blue or green pumpkin shirts. The trailer - I use a variety but really like the hog farmer spunk shad.
3. Bubble gum Fluke - a fluke is a good snakehead bait. It can be fished fast to locate snakeheads that are away from the banks. A lot of times I throw a fluke so they reveal themselves by a wake or a chase. The other great thing about a fluke is that I can use it like a senko and let it sink near a snakehead that is reluctant to hit something on top. It’s a great sight fishing bait. I always have a bubble gum fluke on to throw to fish that I can see but ignore a frog. I can also throw it far, fish it fast, throw to bank or grass edges, fish it on top or bottom. A lot of times I’ll have the boat positioned so clients can throw the frog to the marsh edges while I throw out away from the bank to help locate snakeheads.
That’s my top 3 baits. These baits are no different than most throw. I may do things differently with a hollow body frog or work a chatterbait a variety of different ways than some but essentially all 3 baits can be worked as a version of any soft plastic or crank bait or wake bait that you have in the box. I did learn a frog modification year that made a real difference but I’m not going to share just yet.
My opinion is that there are no specific “snakehead” lures. A frog doesn’t need a spinner on the back to be a snakehead frog. A bait doesn’t have to be bigger or louder to be a “snakehead” bait. The areas you throw a bait are what differentiate the bait from fishing for snakeheads or another fish. The niche is being filled with “snakehead” baits but that’s only you being suckered or sold. It’s ok - I do it too but in the end the biggest world record snakeheads have all been caught on a regular old bladed jig.
If you are interested. Book now. My advice is to look at
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It was a great 2024
Dec 6, 2024 • Woodbridge
It was a fantastic 2024 season thanks to all of you and fishing booker. 2025 season is tight around the corner. Here is information that i hope you find usefful.
Snakehead Trips - very polpular. I recommrnd a 4 hour trip if you are a new client with the fishing detrctive. The season runs from may to october. However, june and july are by far the most productive months. Thats my #1 christmas gift to you - june and july is the best time to book a snakehead trip. Look at a few days before the full and new moons in these months.
Largemouth Bass - the season runs from mid february to november. The pre spawn nonths of march and early april provide the best chance of the biggest largemouth of the year. The months of april through early june bring bass shallow to soawn. June abd july are great post spawn months with top water action. The summer months are good early morning and late afternoon trips. Santa loves the full moons of april and may.
Thanks to everyone for giving me the opportunity to take you fishing in 2024 and i hope to see you in 2025.
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Why you should consider me
Oct 19, 2024 • Woodbridge
Ive been a full time fishing guide for nine years. My father was a full time fishing guide for 45 years and he had hundreds of guides work for him. Consequently ive been exposed to alot of people who describe themselves as a “fishing guide”. Im well aware that people have alot of choices when it comes to hiring a fishing guide for the day. Im also aware from my experirnce that there are alot of bad choices out there - i would like to provide some reasons to consider me.
1. My qualifications are exemplary - im insured by chater lakes. Im a us coast guard qualified charter boat captain. Im licensed to charter through the potomac river fisheries commission. Im first aid and cpr certified through the red cross.
2. My background is exemplary - ive never been arrested. I dont use illegal drugs or drink alcohol to excess. Im drug tested as dictated by the coast guard.
3. My past career was successful and interesting. I was a police detective for 27 years and won almost every award tge department had to offer. From finishing first in my police academy class to be selected to hand picked units that obliterated drugs, dwi and street crimes. I would finish first in two swat schools but eventually met my goal of being a detective and supervisor of the homicide division. I would never have an open case in himicide while maintaing the highest case load
4. Im educated - i achieved an associates degree from montgomery college. A bachelors degree from university of Maryland. I would attend johns hopkins university police executive program and later transfer my credits to liberty university for my masters degree. I would teach at the police academy, maryland university, and human trafficking investigation throughout the country.
5. Im committed to the Potomac river - i was selected as vice president of the Marylsnd DNR black bass fishery committee and as secretary of the Maryland DNR Catch a poacher program. I was exposed to the politics that damages our beloved river.
6. Im financially independent- im not financially dependant on anyone or on the money provided through guiding. Consequently im honest in my financial dealings and dont need to get a guide in despite bad conditions. I do respect my time but i always provide accurate info as to fishing conditions. You wont be surprised by added expenses at the end of the trip.
7. I feel that all the professional measureables are achieved but i also feel that im courteous, friendly, patient, and professional. I always strive to do my best and not place clients in a position to fail.
There are alot of choices and im well aware that there may be better fishermen than i but i work every day to be the best fishermsn on the river. However i provide alot of intangibles that allow clients to book with confidence. We dont always catch them because fish are a variable that is uncontrollable but im going to give full effort. After all im the “hardest working guide on the river”.
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