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Reading the Walnut gauge - 11/7/2008 8:16:05 AM   
John 3:16


Posts: 230
Joined: 10/25/2007
Status: offline 		Planning on hitting the creeks this weekend despite the rains on the way.  Don't want to be an idiot and fish the unfishable though.  Can someone explain to me the most accurate way of reading the gauges as to whether fishing conditions have deteriorated?

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RE: Reading the Walnut gauge - 11/7/2008 10:49:53 AM   
Cold


Posts: 995
Joined: 3/27/2008
From: Latrobe, PA
Status: online 		In my experience, those gauges are tough to use to predict fishability, especially considering how fast the tribs can rise and fall.  A 400% spike might mean a blowout, or possibly a temporary flow that last for a few hours.  The only places where I use such data are dam outflows, where the gauge gives you an accurate idea of how wide open a given dam may be.  Primarily, I use the USGS charts for relative measurements.  "I was up there a few days ago when measurements were at X level.  They're now at Y level, so conditions will change accordingly." rather than absolutes, "I see that level is at X feet with a Y cfs flow, this will mean Z fishing conditions."

Make any sense?

(in reply to John 3:16)
Post #: 2
RE: Reading the Walnut gauge - 11/7/2008 11:26:22 AM   
rsquared

 

Posts: 486
Status: offline 		John -

I remember about two weeks ago, someone posted up some pretty good info on the Walnut guage.  Think it was mikeg.  Probably can find it with a quick search.

(in reply to Cold)
Post #: 3
RE: Reading the Walnut gauge - 11/7/2008 1:07:47 PM   
John 3:16


Posts: 230
Joined: 10/25/2007
Status: offline 		Hey your right!  Gotta search before I post, huh!  thanks 


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RE: Reading the Walnut gauge - 11/7/2008 6:53:05 PM   
swinger

 

Posts: 384
Joined: 11/11/2006
Status: online 		The best way to read the gauge is look at it and then go take a look for yourself. Remember the number and remember the condition and repeat. Now you are actually learning something all on your own and not having info given to you on a silver platter. Kind of rewarding huh?

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RE: Reading the Walnut gauge - 11/7/2008 7:06:18 PM   
2dog

 

Posts: 837
Status: offline 		With that gage just put in this past summer Swinger has it right. Going to have to see what the creek is like then check the web site or the other way round. Better yet would be check the web then the creek then the web again. That way you know for sure what the creek did during the day while you were there. I've fished four different spots on Elk and only knew once that the creek was rising while there. When I say fished a spot it usually means about a half mile of stream. When you walka creek like that it's hard to tell if it's coming up or going down or the same unless you mark the waters edge some how where you started out at.

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Post #: 6
RE: Reading the Walnut gauge - 11/7/2008 7:12:28 PM   
MackJ


Posts: 348
Joined: 10/25/2007
Status: offline 		Seems to me 4.75 is a good height on the Walnut Gage.

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Post #: 7
RE: Reading the Walnut gauge - 11/7/2008 7:32:11 PM   
2dog

 

Posts: 837
Status: offline 		That's the depth of the hole that the gage is in. At 6:30 PM Nov 7 it was 4.41. The big question is what is the water depth above entering the hole and below exiting the hole. Fish aren't moving if it is only a few inches.

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Post #: 8
RE: Reading the Walnut gauge - 11/7/2008 7:50:15 PM   
MackJ


Posts: 348
Joined: 10/25/2007
Status: offline 		Just a wild guess, but I'm thinking the depth of the water against the gage rises and falls with the water in the creek.  But I could be way wrong.  Anyhow, all the other helpful advice the poster received should carry him without my input.  Thanks for straightening us both out.

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Post #: 9
RE: Reading the Walnut gauge - 11/10/2008 6:46:53 AM   
John 3:16


Posts: 230
Joined: 10/25/2007
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: swinger

The best way to read the gauge is look at it and then go take a look for yourself. Remember the number and remember the condition and repeat. Now you are actually learning something all on your own and not having info given to you on a silver platter. Kind of rewarding huh?


What's with the negativity?  I live 4 hours away and for reasons I won't get into, this will be my only trip up this year.  Next time before firing off, know all the details. I understand what your saying, but I do not have the ability. 
Thanks

Oh, and for the record, this thread was pretty much over before you jumped in with your smart comments.  Thanks for adding your 2 cents.

< Message edited by John 3:16 -- 11/10/2008 7:40:57 AM >

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RE: Reading the Walnut gauge - 11/11/2008 8:10:14 AM   
Cold


Posts: 995
Joined: 3/27/2008
From: Latrobe, PA
Status: online 		Try not to let him get under your skin.  His sole purpose in any of his posts is to stroke his own ego by ridiculing others.  If he does happen to include any useful info, its by accident.

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Post #: 11
RE: Reading the Walnut gauge - 11/11/2008 8:33:53 AM   
Wally Cat

 

Posts: 1080
Joined: 3/27/2002
From: Scottdale, PA
Status: offline 		I live about 40 miles south of Pittsburgh and make about 8-10 two or three day trips to the tribs and I rely a lot on the stream gauges particularly if they are indicating rising water. My main concern after checking local, regional and national weather is just "are the streams going to be fishable". Don't want to waste the time and money to drive 170 miles one way to find blown out streams. If the streams are low they are still fishable - you just might have to work harder at catching a few fish.

I also look for comments on water condition on the fishing reports and discussion boards. Then I try to make an educated guess as to weather I should make the trip or stay home. Do some homework and you'll usually find your results  productive and personally satisfying. It also helps to know that the streams go up and down like a yo-yo, especially Walnut. Elk takes a little longer to reach fishable condition after it's been blown out because of the larger drainage area and what's happening a few miles south of Erie.

You can track this information right up to the time you plan on leaving for your trip and then make your final decision - if you are that flexable in your planning.

Hope some of this input helps you.


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Enjoy Life, Be Happy, Go Fish - Often!

"God has blessed America - may He continue to do so, even though we are not worthy of it".
Author..... Wally Cat

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Post #: 12
RE: Reading the Walnut gauge - 11/11/2008 10:31:44 AM   
go-n-fishn


Posts: 339
Joined: 1/14/2002
Status: offline 		It takes awhile to develop a log. I keep a log on all the streams I fish that are posted on the US Army Corps of Engineers web site. This site will give me all the information on the Pa. streams and the New York streams that I fish.  The gage height tells me how high the water is and the cfs tells me how fast the water flowing. I also keep a log on the outflow of all the tail waters I fish. To start you can write down the info. when you know its low then write the info. down when you know its high (after a hard rain). I'm talking about Walnut where it has no history yet. Most of the streams have a history and will give you a average for the time of year your checking.

I know just a quick check has saved me a lot of miles on the truck.

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There will be days when fishing is better than ones optimistic forecast, others when it is far worse. Either is a gain over just staying home.
**Roderick Haig-Brown

(in reply to Wally Cat)
Post #: 13
RE: Reading the Walnut gauge - 11/11/2008 7:33:21 PM   
swinger

 

Posts: 384
Joined: 11/11/2006
Status: online
quote:

ORIGINAL: Cold

Try not to let him get under your skin.  His sole purpose in any of his posts is to stroke his own ego by ridiculing others.  If he does happen to include any useful info, its by accident.


All of my posts have useful info in them and it is done on purpose.  Nice to see many out there doing things for themselves and learning something by experiencing it.

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Quality over quantity


(in reply to Cold)
Post #: 14
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