Paflyfish
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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Streams Were Up, Spirits Were Higher: A Look Back at the Annual Spring Jamboree 2025
Another Great Weekend at the Annual Paflyfish Spring Jamboree
Another fun year catching up with both longtime and newer members of the site at the Annual Paflyfish Spring Jamboree. The weekend was largely marked by high water and off-color streams, making fly fishing a bit more challenging than usual. But despite the conditions, the crew had a great time—and while the water was high, we mostly stayed dry.
Most folks rolled in Friday afternoon and hit some of the local waters. Spring Creek was a popular choice, and a few brave souls even ventured out to the Little Juniata for some wading. Friday night had a good mix of people still arriving, hanging out by the cabin, and catching up around one fire—or maybe two. I’m probably missing a few names, but among the crew were TimMurphy, Jackm, Bikerfish, dudemanspecial, Trapshooter, Tomgamber, Alby, Csoult, pcray1231, wgmiller, KMS and many more.
On Saturday, I teamed up with Afishinado, Dave Weaver, Swattie87, and Jifigz to search for some fishable water. Options were limited, but we made our way to a fly fishing-only project about an hour away. One of the best parts of these weekends is the streamside tailgating, and Swattie took the lead with his camp stove, cooking up brats, hot dogs, and some fried peppers and onions. Jiffy brought his famous cucumber salad and a special seasoning mix that hit the spot. The weather was nice—and the food was even better.
We fished the project water for a few hours...
Swattie87 joins the Paflyfish Moderating Team
Born in Harrisburg, Matt spent most of his childhood in western Pennsylvania, in suburban Pittsburgh. After graduating from college, he moved to eastern Pennsylvania, though he still proudly considers himself a “yinzer.” He currently lives just outside of Harrisburg with his wife and their son and daughter.
Matt’s journey into fly fishing was a bit unconventional. He first picked up a fly rod to fish warmwater streams in the summer. “I’d come home from work, and the house I was renting at the time—my grandmother’s old house—didn’t have central air conditioning. So I’d get home, and it would be like 95 degrees inside. I’d crank the window units and walk down to Swatara Creek many nights to wet wade and fish until it got dark. By then, the window units had cooled the house down, and I’d come back and have dinner.”
After honing his skills on warmwater species, Matt eventually caught the trout bug, specifically developing a passion for small-stream wild trout fishing. He loves exploring new waters and finding ways to access rugged, remote sections of streams on public land.
Moderating on the site requires a helpful attitude and a keen eye for detail. I’m grateful to have Matt as part of the team, and I know he’ll continue to make a positive impact on the Paflyfish community.
Welcome New Moderator Jifigz
Jifigz has been a strong contributor to the site since he joined in 2013. His knowledge, support, and patience with other members has always been appreciated. Here on Paflyfish, Jifigz has led the Warm Water Jamborees on the Juniata River in August for several years. It's a fun time for anglers looking to get into summer bass and meet up with other anglers from Paflyfish.
While not from a family of sportsmen, his journey into fly fishing began on his own as a kid and has been a passion his whole life. Jifigz shared, "I used to ride my bike from our rural home to farm ponds and catch bluegill and bass. I remember my cousin's husband took me to the Juniata River (the same place where the WW Jam is now held) and he taught me to catch stonecats with my hands and to drift them deep near the bottom for smallmouths. Smallmouths pull hard, and for a 10-year-old, they pull really hard. Experiences like this helped to further my addiction to chasing fish."
He moved to Florida for several years, and his passion grew through various encounters with different fish species across Florida and then back in Pennsylvania. In his early 20s, he transitioned from bass fishing to fly fishing, discovering a newfound appreciation for trout and wild streams. This shift opened his eyes to the intricacies of fly fishing, from tying flies to decoding hatches. Today, he primarily focuses on trout fishing in secluded streams, always eager to explore what lies around the next bend...
Join Us for the Paflyfish Spring Jamboree Weekend May 17-19, 2024
The heart of our weekend rendezvous lies at the pavilion, rented by Paflyfish, serving as our central hub for meet-ups, impromptu conversations, and fly-tying sessions. While we won't be organizing any formal speakers or activities this time around, rest assured, there's no shortage of spontaneous fly tying, casting pointers, and friendly guidance on where to cast your line. Whether you're a seasoned angler or new to the area, our community members are here to ensure you feel right at home and equipped to make the most of your fishing adventures.
Many of our fellow anglers opt to extend their stay, arriving early or lingering longer after the weekend festivities. Keep an eye on this thread for real-time updates or feel free to drop any questions you may have.
For accommodation arrangements, please reach out directly to Seven Mountains Campground. With a limited number of cabins, RV hook-ups, and campsites available, it's advisable to secure your reservations without delay.
Event Details:
- Dates: Friday, May 17 - Sunday, May 19, 2023
- Location...
Free Drawing | Fly Fishing Evolution Book, Dozen Flies and Fly Box from George Daniel
As a big fan of George and all the work he does for the sport this book is another fine addition to that contribution. You will be able to find George this winter presenting at the Fly Fishing Shows in Edison and Lancaster. You can sign up for his news letter at his website Livinonthefly.
I have been provided a brand new hard copy of "Fly Fishing Evolution: Advanced Strategies for Dry Fly, Nymph, and Streamer Fishing." I’m going to be offering the book and George is including a dozen of his favorite nymphs with a Fulling Mills box as part of the drawing.
If you don’t win the drawing, you still have an opportunity to order the book on Amazon here.
What you need to do to enter:
Simply reply to this thread with "Paflyfish I’m In" and nothing else. If you do not use only "Paflyfish I’m In", you will be disqualified. This thread will be closed Wednesday, December 20 at ~8:00 am and the drawing done that day.
Fine Print:
This is a free drawing...
The Annual Paflyfish Spring Jamboree is set for May 19-21, 2023
The pavilion at Seven Mountains Campground is rented by Paflyfish and is used as a meeting point during the weekend. Plenty of impromptu conversations, fly-tying, and meet-ups occur at the pavilion.
At this time, we will not be going to plan any special speakers or activities. That could change, but there is always plenty of impromptu fly tying, casting lessons, and support on where to fish. So if you are unsure about the area, do not worry there are plenty of members from the site that can help get you started.
Many anglers from the site come up early or stay later after the weekend. Follow this thread for the latest details or ask any questions.
Please contact Sevens Mountain Campground directly if you would like to stay there that weekend. They have a limited number of cabins, RV hook-ups and campsites. I encourage you to make your reservations now.
Dates: Friday – May 19th - Sunday, May 21, 2023
Use the code: PAFLYFISH for a 10% discount.
Sevens Mountain...
Seven Ideas For Cabin Fever This Winter
With the long winter season coming up ahead of us combined with virus restrictions many of us will be experiencing a little more cabin fever than usual this year. Rather than give in to the seasonal drag this is the time to really bolster that dry fly box and do all your typical winter activities. To help breathe some life into your yearly winter routine I’ve compiled a list of some challenges and activities to help get you through the cold season and defeat cabin fever.
1. Try New Tying Goals
While tying is the standard winter activity, maybe this is the year to change it up a little bit. The box expansion will in turn change up your selection while fishing and you just might find that new confidence pattern you’ve been looking for! The challenge is as follows: Tie 3 new patterns of each respective style (streamer, dry, nymph, etc.). This is the time to experiment and try some of the newer patterns coming from our younger tiers or some of the more out-of-the-box streamer patterns that seem to be invented every day! A couple of really awesome sources for new patterns with material lists and instructions are Fly Fish Food and their YouTube channel, AvidMax, and for streamers, Kelly Galloup is the guy. Instagram also has some extremely talented tiers that are always willing to lend a hand and have some wonderful videos too. Some of my favorites are SvendDiesel, Lucas Utrera, and hopperjuan_fly_fishing.
This is also the time to challenge yourself to pick up or master some tying skills you may be lacking such as spinning deer hair, Catskill-style dry fly wings, or nailing that perfect tapered nymph body. The list is really endless and I promise that it will pay off in the long run (especially if you’re constantly sacrificing to the bottom gods).
Lastly, spin up a box for your favorite charity with a selection of your best producers. A...
Infinity Bottle: Creating Your Home Bourbon Blending
Although I don't consider myself a bourbon expert, I have been a fan of this spirit since my college days. Back then, my friends and I would gather around to watch Saturday football games on TV, play cards, and sip on some Jim Beam mixed with ginger ale. It was a simpler time, and our tastes were less sophisticated, but those memories remain some of my fondest.In recent years, bourbon has gained a lot of popularity, resulting in the emergence of new distilleries. This, in turn, has given me the opportunity to explore many labels that have been around for decades.
I like to keep a decent collection of about ten to fifteen different bourbons on hand. This gives me plenty of options for mixing, on the rocks, or sipping neat. One of my inspirations for collecting bourbons is my friend Ed, who has an impressive collection of 62 different brands. We counted them last Thursday night. I don't have a bar big enough to accommodate that kind of hobby, but I'm glad to have him as a friend in many ways. I not only get to admire his stocked shelves, but I also get to taste a wide range of distillers' products. It's good to have friends.
Along with Ed’s collection, a few years ago, a trip to Louisville added to my bourbon background. Definitely worth the journey to explore the roots of the bourbon experience. The distillery tours are gaining a lot of attention and reservations are pretty much required anymore to get a tour or even a paid tasting. A designated driver is a must and helps make the experience that much easier to enjoy.
There is a lot to learn about the process of bourbon making. History has its own aura and you can see the passion for bourbon runs deep in the horse country of Kentucky. With stops at Makers Mark, Woodford Reserve, Four Roses...
Montana's Mother's Day Caddis Hatch on the Maddison and Yellowstone
By Brian McGeehanThe annual Mother’s Day Caddis hatch in early May is one of the most anticipated events here in Southwest Montana. While it may not be quite as famous as the Salmon Fly hatch, the fishing can be every bit as good, if not even better. The sheer number of bugs that take to the air during the peak of the hatch is astounding. The oscillating clouds of bugs over the water can be mesmerizing, but the splashy rises of trout will quickly snap you out of it. The Yellowstone and Madison Rivers have the premier Mother’s Day hatches in our area, so let’s take a look at when to expect the hatch and some strategies to maximize your success on these rivers.
Yellowstone River
Timing is everything with this hatch, and we need several variables to come together at once for productive fishing on the Yellowstone. The heaviest hatch on the ‘Stone will take place as the water temperature begins to creep above 50 degrees, which typically happens sometime around the first week of May. This is pushing right up on the start of runoff, so the water clarity will be the determining factor as to how good the fishing is during the hatch. The Yellowstone will come in and out of fishable shape multiple times each spring, so anglers cross their fingers that the hatch hits during an “in” period.
If water clarity is good, expect about a week of heavy hatch activity. This hatch can literally explode overnight, going from just a few bugs to a full scale caddis blizzard. Again, the first week of May is average but it all depends on water temperatures. There are several tributaries in and just below the town of Livingston, MT that dump mud in the spring, so the fishing is concentrated from town upstream into Paradise Valley. While there are a few spots to wade, the Yellowstone is a large river and...
Welcome to the Updated Paflyfish Website
The old Paflyfish forum was based on a platform called XOOPS and was a critical step for the website sixteen years ago. The XOOPS platform had not kept up with contemporary Internet protocols, security standards, SEO search engines, mobile user access and many other important features. I have migrated to a new forum platform based on Zenforo with the plan on improving our fly fishing community.
The new forum will provide all the new features that is needed as well as maintaining pretty much all the old features you have been familiar with over the years. The new forum will offer better community access and convenience to all the old information too.
If you are new to the site, new user registration is back on and available in the upper right corner of the site menu bar. We look forward to you joining our fly fishing community.
New Functionality
Mobile Access - designed to work with smartphones and tablets
Security - Secure SSL access, a secure certificate for the site, hChapta for new secure user registration, advance blocking for bots and spammers
Unlimited file storage - We can add more and larger images to posts
Pictures - easy to drag and drop images and no codes
Multimedia - simple YouTub video without adding codes
Intuitive authoring tools - what you see is what you get
Watched Content - Users can opt to receive email or on-site notifications
Conversations (formerly private messages) - Private messaging to one or more member
What’s new features
Alerts
Enhanced Search
What got Migrated
All the old forums, threads, posts and replies
User names, signature lines and avatars
Private messages - now Conversations
What didn’t make it
Embedded videos
Photo Album
Links referring to the old site
Old Polls
Coming soon and still under...
The Spring Jamboree is Back! May 20-22, 2022
The last couple of years has made it difficult to formally plan this event. With some good luck and modern science, we are planning for the Jam in 2022.
The pavilion at Seven Mountains Campground is rented by Paflyfish and is used as a meeting point during the weekend. Plenty of impromptu conversations, fly tying and meet-ups take place at the pavilion. The idea of the weekend is to provide a setting for a casual weekend of fly fishing in a great region of Pennsylvania. As with every year, we will be meeting up in the evenings at the pavilion to catch up on the day's fishing trips. Friday and Saturday mornings we meet for coffee and plan the day. Often plenty of opportunities for some fly tying and casting lessons being shared.
Please contact Sevens Mountain Campground directly if you would like to stay there that weekend. They have a limited number of cabins and campsites. I encourage...