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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After the Hatch at the Snitz Creek Brewery
Anytime you are fly fishing over at the Swatara or Quitty in Lebanon Valley a stop to the Snitz Creek Brewery is a must after packing up your gear. Proprietors, Patrick Freer and Adam Szajda opened the brewpub in January with a little something special for all us fly fishing anglers in mind. Anyone who has thrown a dry fly will love the attraction of getting a Brown Trout Stout draft beer from a tap handle made from a fly rod and reel.
The brewery goes all in with the fly fishing theme by not only taking their name from the local Snitz Creek waters, but adds a whole selection of crafted beers, food and even a logo that is a hop fly.
The Saturday afternoon I dropped in the place was already way crowded. Kim was kind enough to find me a spot to test the waters.
I enjoyed a sampling of the Opening Day IPA, Brown Trout Stout, Woolly Bugger IPA and Explorer Ale. The Explorer Ale is a season ale that offers nice combination of malt and hops. I'm an ale guy so it hit the spot. The Woolly Bugger was of course a lot bolder as an IPA with big body with a dark roasted punch. The Brown Trout Stout had a great mix of some roasted flavors including chocolates. The Opening Day IPA delivered a lighter color with some tasty hops.
The brewpub provides a great feel as a...
The brewery goes all in with the fly fishing theme by not only taking their name from the local Snitz Creek waters, but adds a whole selection of crafted beers, food and even a logo that is a hop fly.
The Saturday afternoon I dropped in the place was already way crowded. Kim was kind enough to find me a spot to test the waters.
I enjoyed a sampling of the Opening Day IPA, Brown Trout Stout, Woolly Bugger IPA and Explorer Ale. The Explorer Ale is a season ale that offers nice combination of malt and hops. I'm an ale guy so it hit the spot. The Woolly Bugger was of course a lot bolder as an IPA with big body with a dark roasted punch. The Brown Trout Stout had a great mix of some roasted flavors including chocolates. The Opening Day IPA delivered a lighter color with some tasty hops.
The brewpub provides a great feel as a...
The Fly Rod Chronicles at the Harman's North Fork Invitational 2013
The Fly Rod Chronicles is a program I have been enjoying on the Outdoor Channel for a number of years. Curtis Fleming and crew travel the country sharing their fly fishing pursuits like no others. In early May of 2013 the show made it's way back home to West Virginia for the Harman's North Fork Invitational 2013. The event offers two-man fly fishing teams a chance to compete for first place on the North Fork of the South Branch River in West Virginia.
Some really top notch anglers get together for this event and Todd Harman was on me for a couple of years about getting a Paflyfish team going for the Invitational. Since Paflyfish has some pretty darn good anglers I figured it wouldn't be too hard to get a competitive team in place. With all the talent I see at a Paflyfish Jamboree I was more concerned about just fielding a team that could wake up for the first session.
As it turned out the short straws went to Shane "Sbecker" Becker and Phil "PhilC" Chadbourn to represent Team Paflyfish at the competition Shane had been to Harman's the year before, which offered him some advantage for the team. Before leaving I asked the guys to just have fun and do their best. I felt like I was sending my kids off to college and almost digressed into warning them about not getting into any trouble.
The North Fork does not support naturally reproducing trout and Todd Harman, Harman's Invitational host, makes sure the stream is always stocked with some awesome looking trout.
Not having been in any fly fishing competitions myself, I had to get...
The Fly Rod Chronicles at the Harman's North Fork Invitational 2013
Some really top notch anglers get together for this event and Todd Harman was on me for a couple of years about getting a Paflyfish team going for the Invitational. Since Paflyfish has some pretty darn good anglers I figured it wouldn't be too hard to get a competitive team in place. With all the talent I see at a Paflyfish Jamboree I was more concerned about just fielding a team that could wake up for the first session.
As it turned out the short straws went to Shane "Sbecker" Becker and Phil "PhilC" Chadbourn to represent Team Paflyfish at the competition Shane had been to Harman's the year before, which offered him some advantage for the team. Before leaving I asked the guys to just have fun and do their best. I felt like I was sending my kids off to college and almost digressed into warning them about not getting into any trouble.
The North Fork does not support naturally reproducing trout and Todd Harman, Harman's Invitational host, makes sure the stream is always stocked with some awesome looking trout.
Not having been in any fly fishing competitions myself, I had to get...
Season's Greetings and Merry Christmas
Sincerely,
Paflyfish
Paflyfish Spring Jamboree May 16-18, 2014
The Paflyfish Spring Jamboree is the annual spring meet-up when members from the site get together to fly fish, tie flies, camp and share a few stories. We have folks coming from Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Florida. We have a lot of fun fishing over some of Pennsylvania's finest streams including Penns Creek, Spring Creek, Little Juniata River (Little J), Fishing Creek and plenty more in the region.
Csoult and BikerFish hanging at Penns Creek
This year is no exception and members from the forum are making plans to meet the weekend of May 16-18, 2014 at Seven Mountains Campground in Spring Mills, Pennsylvania. Please contact them if you would like to stay there that weekend. They have a limited number of cabins and campsites.
I am hoping to plan more activities specific to new fly fishing anglers. I am working on casting lessons, fly tying and even a few trips out on to some of the waters in the area. There are a lot of members on the site that will informally help folks out not familiar with the area. Just check the forums and don't be afraid to ask for some help.
The pavilion is rented by Paflyfish and is used as a meeting point during the weekend. Plenty of impromptu conversations, fly tying and meet-ups all take place.
Friday, May 16th
Jam attendees often start arriving throughout the day if they haven't arrived earlier in the week. Stop by after 3:00PM to help or meet others trying to get back out on the water before dark.
Saturday, May 17th
Coffee 6-9am...
Csoult and BikerFish hanging at Penns Creek
This year is no exception and members from the forum are making plans to meet the weekend of May 16-18, 2014 at Seven Mountains Campground in Spring Mills, Pennsylvania. Please contact them if you would like to stay there that weekend. They have a limited number of cabins and campsites.
I am hoping to plan more activities specific to new fly fishing anglers. I am working on casting lessons, fly tying and even a few trips out on to some of the waters in the area. There are a lot of members on the site that will informally help folks out not familiar with the area. Just check the forums and don't be afraid to ask for some help.
The pavilion is rented by Paflyfish and is used as a meeting point during the weekend. Plenty of impromptu conversations, fly tying and meet-ups all take place.
Friday, May 16th
Jam attendees often start arriving throughout the day if they haven't arrived earlier in the week. Stop by after 3:00PM to help or meet others trying to get back out on the water before dark.
Saturday, May 17th
Coffee 6-9am...
Paflyfish Jamboree and Meetup 2013 Recap - Part 1
The 2013 Paflyfish Jamboree and Meetup was marked by some of the best weather and hatches we have had in years. The crew that made it up starting mid-week took advantage of the great conditions hitting many of the central Pennsylvania streams like Penns Creek, Spring Creek and the Little Juanita (Little J).
The good dry fly fishing conditions dominated the weekend with pretty typical mid-May hatches. The colder weather that lasted into March and April did push the hatches back in general. Sporadic March Browns and sulfurs were the common mayflies every day. The evening crush hit just after 8:00 pm with spinners, March Browns and sulfurs hitting hard with a quick evening flurry of activity the trout went nuts on. Everyone seemed to do pretty well, but you had to be quick to take advantage of the evening party.
Along with he good weather and fishing many PAFFers took advantage of catching up with friends from across the country.
I ended up starting out on Thursday at Penns Creek with Bikerfish, Wgmiller, Csoult. Fun evening with Csoult who crushed it with a big night and Wgmiller catching a chain pickerel. I headed back to Penns on Friday with Afish and Frederick for a repeat. Plenty of guys enjoying the weather most of the afternoon and evening waiting for the evening hatch. Saturday was a little overcast and headed over the Little J. Fishidiot, Maurice and I put an assault on the the Little J. Glad to catch up on the stream with so many guys.
Much of the non-fishing time was centered around the Seven Mountains Campground. As usual Friday evening was a good gathering of campers catching up from the evening fly fishing. Saturday morning was marked with some morning coffee before everyone went of for the day. Saturday night was our raffle and will be covered in our part 2 of the blog post. Phish_On...
Along with he good weather and fishing many PAFFers took advantage of catching up with friends from across the country.
I ended up starting out on Thursday at Penns Creek with Bikerfish, Wgmiller, Csoult. Fun evening with Csoult who crushed it with a big night and Wgmiller catching a chain pickerel. I headed back to Penns on Friday with Afish and Frederick for a repeat. Plenty of guys enjoying the weather most of the afternoon and evening waiting for the evening hatch. Saturday was a little overcast and headed over the Little J. Fishidiot, Maurice and I put an assault on the the Little J. Glad to catch up on the stream with so many guys.