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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The Fly Fishing Shows 2023
It is a great event if you are looking for trips, rods, reels, flies, waders, tying materials, or any fly fishing gear. More importantly, in today's online world, it is the best way to get face-to-face with manufacturers, vendors, and industry experts.
Each of the shows is a multi-day event that includes a very large exhibit floor, fly tiers, retail shops, and plenty of educational programs. The outstanding classes are led by some of the best pros in the business. Many of your favorite celebrity authors are found teaching techniques and sharing some great ideas on how to improve your fly fishing. Some of my favorite classes are programs about fly fishing locations near and far.
For me, The Fly Fishing Shows are a great chance to catch up with some friends I don't often see. There is always plenty of members from Paflyfish wandering the exhibit floors or in the booths.
The Edison, NJ show is one of the biggest of the shows and the Lancaster event is clearly located close to home. I like going to both!
The local Fly Fishing Show Schedule
Edison, NJ: January 27-29
Lancaster, PA: March 4 & 5
You can find out more about times, entrance fees, and detailed locations here at the Fly Fishing website. For some more...
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...
EZ-P Wader Zipper
Check out this other review on Angling Trade.
Product Review: Do EZ-P installed wader zippers really work?
www.anglingtrade.com
A video with more details.
You can contact Bill Anderson here for more details: bjuniata@verizon.net
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...
Holiday Gift Guide 2022: The Best Fly-Fishing Gear Under $50
As fly fishing anglers, we have different needs than other anglers. While we eye up and even scrutinize bigger ticket items this doesn’t leave much for friends and family to pick up for us during the Holidays. Here are some of my favorite accessories and many I keep as doubles so I can easily move between my fly fishing hip bag and pack vest.
Headlamp - Black Diamond Sprint 225 Headlamp
This isn’t just for night fishing, but for when you are hiking back to your vehicle. No fun stumbling through the brush at dusk. $49.95 at Amazon
Wader Chains - Yaktrax Traction Chains for Walking on Ice and Snow
These were my favorite buy over the last year and a recommendation from @Bruno . They are easy on and off. Most importantly really help on those slippery rocks. $29.95 at Amazon
Clip on Magnifiers - Clip on Fly Tying Flip Focal 2.25X Magnification
Nothing wrong with having a couple of these on the ready. If you can’t see the fly you can’t tie it to your line. $19.95 at Orvis or your local fly shop
Fishing Thermometer
An excellent tool to know what the temps are when you fish. Most important when temps are getting warmer in the early summer. $14.95 at Precision or your local fly shop
Orvis Hy-Flote® Fly Dip
I was in my local Orvis shop last month and this was recommended. I like it even more than some of the powder products. $10.95 at Orvis or Orvis Dealer
Handy Pak Net - Plastic Handle Leather Pouch Made in Pennsylvania
The folding net is a great concept and works well when you want to travel light. There are some wooden handle models as well. The cons of this net...
Book Review of Tributaries by Lou Wentz
Tributaries is a wonderful collection of memories about fly fishing in the Pennsylvania and Catskills region. Lou Wentz provides a personal journey recalling his time growing up along fly fishing streams, sharing life accounts and reflections of over 40 years of angling experiences. An interesting, fun read for fly fishing anglers.
I was expecting a traditional kiss and tell book covering some new locations and even secret personal technics for some lesser known waters of the region. It was none of those things, it was better.
The chapters bounce from childhood stories to memorable fly fishing experiences that are often full of surprises. Wentz reflects on tragic floods and fishing along Neshaminy Creek with characters like Indian Joe, Deke and Old Man Burger. Later in the book, the author reflects choices of a chance encounter with hippy girl or pursuing trout on Shermans Creek. These are difficult decisions in a young anglers life.
The author shares many other fascinating accounts of his youth, the passage of time and experiences along streams like the Tulpehocken, Penns, Perkiomen, Lackawanna and more.
His stories brought back many memories of my youth and fishing. Growing up, our adventures range from the unremarkable to magical events. As we get older and look back, we realize the importance of them all.
While an fun read, it may feel a little eclectic at times threading together some of his accounts. The author connects pieces of life and fly fishing together in the book. Tributaries is a book for someone who appreciates what time and fly fishing can offer, no matter where they live.
Lou Wentz is a long-time member of the Paflyfish community and goes by the user name @Oregon_OwlII. The book is available now on Amazon here. - https://a.co/d/1qUD3p9
I was expecting a traditional kiss and tell book covering some new locations and even secret personal technics for some lesser known waters of the region. It was none of those things, it was better.
The chapters bounce from childhood stories to memorable fly fishing experiences that are often full of surprises. Wentz reflects on tragic floods and fishing along Neshaminy Creek with characters like Indian Joe, Deke and Old Man Burger. Later in the book, the author reflects choices of a chance encounter with hippy girl or pursuing trout on Shermans Creek. These are difficult decisions in a young anglers life.
The author shares many other fascinating accounts of his youth, the passage of time and experiences along streams like the Tulpehocken, Penns, Perkiomen, Lackawanna and more.
His stories brought back many memories of my youth and fishing. Growing up, our adventures range from the unremarkable to magical events. As we get older and look back, we realize the importance of them all.
While an fun read, it may feel a little eclectic at times threading together some of his accounts. The author connects pieces of life and fly fishing together in the book. Tributaries is a book for someone who appreciates what time and fly fishing can offer, no matter where they live.
Lou Wentz is a long-time member of the Paflyfish community and goes by the user name @Oregon_OwlII. The book is available now on Amazon here. - https://a.co/d/1qUD3p9
Penns Creek, Hatch Factory - Webinar on Nov. 17
It is no secret that Penns Creek is regarded as one of Pennsylvania’s premier wild trout waterways. This status comes out of respect for the challenge and intrigue this stream has for anglers. If you want to learn more about this fantastic trout stream, then you don’t want to miss Rick Nyles when he shares his 35 years of experience of fishing this exciting waterway in Central Pennsylvania. He will cover the prolific bug life, the seasons and the lay of the land. Dave Kile from Paflyfish will be moderating the webinar.
Rick is owner of Sky Blue Outfitters and has been guiding since 1999 on Penns. Rick is also an award-winning fly tyer. His Green Drake pattern placed 3rd in the Orvis Fly Tying Contest. Join in and learn from his experience on fishing Penns Creek.
Program Highlights:
Hatches
Different Seasons on the Stream
Gear ideas
Questions and Answers
Join us online Thursday, November 17, 2022, at 7:30 PM.
Limited registration so sign up today here - https://bit.ly/PennsCrWebinar
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.