Fly Fishing Tips
Fly Fishing Tips
Blue Liner Flows Review | USGS Stream Gauges
All water level data originates from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Surface-Water Data, which monitors over 13,000 stream gauges across the U.S. and more than 350 in Pennsylvania. The USGS has been transitioning to a new online interface over the past five-plus years. The updated look and feel have left some old features behind while adding new ones. I hate it.
So, I’ve been on the hunt for a desktop and mobile app that delivers USGS backend data through a clean, easy-to-use interface. Blue Liner Flows offers a solid solution for iPhone, iPad and Mac users, with apps built for both platforms. Most importantly, favorites and preferences sync across devices. There’s a free version, but I’ll be reviewing the $6.99 annual paid version.
Key features include: favorites, state selection, map view, latest data overview, discharge in CFS, discharge in feet, average annual discharge, various time views, weather forecasts, alerts, temperatures (station-dependent), turbidity (station-dependent), and other data specific to each gauge.
I found the app very easy to set up on my Mac. Once configured, all my favorites and alerts synced automatically to my iPhone. You don’t need both devices—an iPhone alone works just fine. I especially liked navigating between the state, favorites, and map views. It’s fast and intuitive. Most views display the key information I’m looking for, including directional arrows indicating whether water levels are rising or falling.
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Where to Fly Fish in Montana? A DIY Trip Guide - Part 1
As a Montana fly fishing outfitter – the majority of my time from November through April is spent helping our guests plan trips for the following season. Montana is a very large target with a huge variety of fisheries so it can be a daunting challenge to folks visiting for the first time. When Dave Kile asked me to put together a guide for planning a trip our way I decided to break it into two parts do to the breadth and diversity of what Montana has to offer and what different people want out of their trip.
One of the aspects of trip planning in the Big Sky state is that we have such a huge variety of different rivers, streams, still waters and spring creeks. Each type of fishery has different peak seasons, different characters and different tactics that are best used. This post will focus on anglers that want to do the majority of their fishing unguided. Montana is arguably the best state in the west for planning a DIY trip for several reasons. Thanks to the stream access law, anglers in Montana have access to private land along streams and rivers. This means that as long as an angler gets to the river corridor from a bridge or other public access point you can fish on private property without trespassing. Secondly, we have a lot of public land in Montana and surrounding areas like Yellowstone Park so finding water to access legally is pretty easy. Finally, the huge variety of fisheries means that there are a lot of smaller waters that are ideal for wade fishing.
Where to fish?
Pick up any coffee table fly fishing book that showcases famous waters around the world and Montana rivers will be heavily represented. Anglers from around the world are familiar with the Yellowstone, Madison, Missouri, Bighorn, Beaverhead, Gallatin and many others. Where do you...
Dressing for Cold Weather Fly Fishing
Temperature, sun and wind can make huge variables when gearing for some winter fly fishing. Standing in 45-degree water can set you back pretty quickly too. You've heard it before, but I'll offer it again: layers, layers, and more layers. The most important way to keep yourself prepared is with the proper layers.
Headwear
I like wearing a ball cap for fishing because the visor helps me with my visibility while I’m looking at the water. But I’ll always have a wool cap to switch on if I find myself cold. One of the best and fastest ways to regulate your body temperature is what you are wearing on your head. I recently found a decent billed cap with earflaps that can be pulled down. Certainly, the Elmer Fudd look has its own calling, but I’m not a slave to fashion while on the stream.
Alright Captain Obvious we know cotton socks don't work, so the best bet is a two-layer approach with your feet. I first put on a thin polyester-wicking sock. Overtop of the polyester sock I use a classic ragg merino wool sock. Bigger can be better, but make sure you can still get into your boots comfortably. If your socks are too thick and your feet are too tight your feet will be constricted in your boots and make your feet cold. What you are trying to accomplish...
Try Some Winter Fly Fishing
With colder weather, many give up on angling, but with the fall clean-up finished it can be a good time to explore new fly fishing opportunities. December is the time to get a new fishing license and break out a map.
Where
No secrets, but there are plenty of streams across the region that are open year-round that are often stocked in the fall or have naturally reproducing trout. Some really good opportunities can be found in the limestone spring feed streams too. They generally hold good water temperatures and some of the more challenging fly fishing opportunities. Take a little time and do some research for something new there are plenty of places to explore here in the forums!
When
Any day works as compared to moving your old soccer trophies in the basement. No sense waiting for that late evening sulphur hatch because that ain't gonna happen. On mild winter days, your best bet is late morning through mid-day. Trout are going to be the most active when they get a chance to warm up a little (whatever that means when the water is 47 degrees). Certainly, it will not be at the crack of dawn so a little sun on the water often helps, but not required.
Flies
If you are lucky on a warm day you may find a BWO hatch or some stoneflies coming off. This is rare and will only happen on the warmest of days. So most of your time you spend chucking some lead. Everybody has their favorites and truly it depends on the stream. My approach to each stream is a little different. I often start with some streamers or woolly buggers. For stocked streams, I like San Juan worms, bead head nymphs and dare I say the dreaded green weenie when I get desperate (after standing in cold water that happens [IMG align="right"...
Multi Species in the Autumn Transition Zone
Below Ramcat Run (acrylic on canvas)
article and images by
Dave Weaver (Dave_W)
Large Pennsylvania streams and rivers in October and November can provide an interesting grab bag of fish that might munch our flies, and big weedless streamers are the way to go. For many Pennsylvania fly fishermen, October and November are months when they return to stream trout fishing, if they ever left. In particular, years such as this one magnify this effect as we have spent what seems like many months waiting for rain and cooler temperatures and are especially eager to get back out for trout. Some fly fishers gave the river bass game a go-round during summer, but soon are back on trout streams as the days get shorter and colder. Few die hard fly fishers stick with bass by late October. Try checking out a mid- sized or larger bass river in late October: a fly fisher is a rare sight.
Spin fishers, by contrast, know that late autumn fishes well on the big rivers. Bass are still active and walleyes, pike, and muskies are on the prowl. In addition, many of the larger streams and mid-sized rivers have transient populations of large, wild brown trout in the “transition zone” – that is to say the lower reaches of what normally passes for trout water (or where it is stocked) that transitions into a warm water fishery. These fish drop back downriver during the autumn, or migrate out into rivers from colder tributaries. To be sure, these trout are hard to find, cagy, often nocturnal even in colder periods, and are a specialized game. Nevertheless, they are part of the mix. Some very large browns fall to spin guys fishing tubes and swimming plugs for bass and walleyes during the colder months here in Pennsylvania every year.
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Something a little wild in the water
Wild Trout Streams are a secret treasure for many fly fisherman in Pennsylvania. Many anglers hold a certain reverence for the quiet and often secluded opportunity they provide. With over 500 wild trout streams and well over 1,000 miles of water these hidden gems are a different kind of stream for fly-fishing. Some of these streams are unnamed or are tributaries of lesser waters. Rarely mentioned by name or found on many maps, this intimate experience also comes with greater stewardship and responsibility for those that take on these waters.
The fly fishing experience in these backwoods areas are often regarded as one of self reliance and stealth. These small streams can provide a surprising opportunity to explore and uncover trout in a more wilderness environment. Much of the experience is not only finding these streams, but then learning the secrets of what makes these wild trout so illusive.
The Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) defines Class A Wild Trout Streams as: "Streams that support a population of naturally produced trout of sufficient size and abundance to support a long‐term and rewarding sport fishery." The PFBC’s manages these stream sections for the the growth of the wild trout fishery with natural reproduction and no stocking. These streams can hold brook trout, brown trout or both species.
The PFBC is considering changes to its list of Class A Wild Trout Streams. At the next Commission meeting on April 19 and 20, 2010, the Commission will consider changes to its list of wild trout streams. Specifically, the Commission will consider the addition of over 80 new streams or changes to current watts of streams to the list.
So if you want to get a little wild try something new, it may be in your backyard.
The Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) defines Class A Wild Trout Streams as: "Streams that support a population of naturally produced trout of sufficient size and abundance to support a long‐term and rewarding sport fishery." The PFBC’s manages these stream sections for the the growth of the wild trout fishery with natural reproduction and no stocking. These streams can hold brook trout, brown trout or both species.
The PFBC is considering changes to its list of Class A Wild Trout Streams. At the next Commission meeting on April 19 and 20, 2010, the Commission will consider changes to its list of wild trout streams. Specifically, the Commission will consider the addition of over 80 new streams or changes to current watts of streams to the list.
So if you want to get a little wild try something new, it may be in your backyard.