Web maps

[Chaz]

I’d like to know what map websites you are all usings to find your fishing places and why you use them?

 

[Swattie87]

Google Maps, and the mapping interface on the PGC website. Online State Forest, State Park, and individual SGL maps (recently updated and very good) sometimes too.

Why: I generally try to fish on public land as to not have to worry about land ownership issues when fishing. The combination of these mapping sites are more than enough to determine public land boundaries and access points, and they're all free and easily available on the internet.

On my phone in the field I use Topo Maps+ ($10). A little better detailing than Google Maps, but not that much better. Big advantage is I can download and store map tiles in advance for when I don't have cell service and am just using the GPS signal to navigate. (In theory you can do this with Google Maps too, but I find the interface to do this difficult to use and download specifically what I want at each zoom level. Was well worth the one time $10 charge for the Topo app...It downloads each map tile as one file, and includes all zoom levels for that tile.)

 

[afishinado]

Chaz wrote:
I’d like to know what map websites you are all usings to find your fishing places and why you use them?

I use Google maps quite a bit. You toggle from a typical road map view to topo as well as satellite view in 2D as well as 3D to see details on your search area.

At times there is a street view where you can search and virtually "drive" along a road to search for parking places as well as seeing posted signs or not.

You can pin an exact spot, get in your vehicle and use your phone to give driving directions to that exact spot.

I save places on Google maps by placing a pin on it, save notes about it and am able to return to places I have visited.

I have all kind of paper maps stored under the seat of my truck and I can't even remember the last time I pulled any of them out to use for directions.

 

[Swattie87]

afishinado wrote:
At times there is a street view where you can search and virtually "drive" along a road to search for parking places as well as seeing posted signs or not.

I do this too!

 

[k-bob]

Pennsylvania bedrock arcgis map: displays bedrock geology over wide set of base maps. Measurement tools you can use for drainage area and elevation change/ gradient of tiny streams.

Pasda: lidar and leaf off imagery. To get coordinates of tiny roads to enter on gps for hike in.

 

[kb3lms]

Likewise, I use Google maps and the street view to try and identify property that is or isn't posted. Very disappointing to identify a promising looking site onlt to get there and find everything within 5 miles of it is posted solid.

I have also been using county parcel maps to find who the landowners are. This does help to identify land owned by counties and townships that aren't necessarily public parks. Also, there is some land owned by utilities and such that probably don't care too much if you fish (especially on a weekend) and stay well away from their works. For instance, along an access road to an otherwise landlocked piece of property where the substation, etc, is located.

 

[drakeking412]

Thanks for the app tip swattie. I'll have to check that out

 

[GeneBeam]

My brother-in-law uses an app called X Hunt on his iPhone to identify landowners.
here is the link https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt-app?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvc6Bqfjq5wIVBp6fCh16eA9ZEAAYASAAEgLr3PD_BwE

He says it works great, and he uses here in Pennsylvania and in southern Illinois. I have not tried X Hunt as I installed the Fishing Pennsylvania (GPS Fishing Guide to Pennsylvania) app that was shown on the Pennsylvania Fishing Apps link on this site. As I just installed it, I have not had a change to use the Fishing Pennsylvania app yet.

Their web site states that it has layers for private & public lands, wilderness area and weather (temp & wind direction), offline maps, map tools. Like I stated I have not used it just a FYI.

 

[kb3lms]

The Fishing Pennsylvania looks interesting, although there isn't a trial shown and I'm not too keen on $10 for an app where i don't know what I'm getting. OnX Hunt works OK and identifies most of the public land in my area (even some of the obscure ones) which makes me think it might be trustworthy but it likewise gets a little expensive. I decided to wait a little closer to April and see if I still wanted to spend money for it. OnX Hunt has essentially nothing in it for fishing though. It would be nice to add the PFBC layers for Class A's for example. You can do all this on Google Earth, although it is essentially non portable.

 

[Bamboozle]

kb3lms wrote:
Also, there is some land owned by utilities and such that probably don't care too much if you fish (especially on a weekend) and stay well away from their works. For instance, along an access road to an otherwise landlocked piece of property where the substation, etc, is located.

I wouldn't be so sure about that, especially with substations and especially the way liability is exploited.

There is a reason Met-Ed posted a ton of their property along a couple of streams in Southern Lehigh County, they don't want anyone in there anymore...

...even on weekends!!

However, I once called the infamous Aqua to ask about gaining access and hiking up a service road and fishing on one of their Pocono properties (non reservoir).

Amazingly they were totally fine with it so I fished without looking over my shoulder all day so anything is possible. I just don't assume anything and always ask, EVERYBODY!!

You could also try asking a utility some time, even if you don't plan on actually fishing and see what the response is...

 

[troutbert]

I like AcmeMapper.com.

Highly recommended by Wily Coyote.

Seriously, though, give it a try. It has road map, satellite imagery, and topo maps.

 

[wildtrout2]

Swattie87 wrote:
On my phone in the field I use Topo Maps+ ($10). Big advantage is I can download and store map tiles in advance for when I don't have cell service and am just using the GPS signal to navigate.

I use this app as well. The $10 is what gives you the extra detail. I love it on the remote streams for the reason you mention. Wouldn't be without it!

 

[Oregon_OwlII]

Use Google Maps at home to do initial scouting, then break out the old DeLorme if I need it when I get there. Cell coverage is spotty in a lot of places I want to check out here in Oregon.

 

[silverfox]

kb3lms wrote:
The Fishing Pennsylvania looks interesting, although there isn't a trial shown and I'm not too keen on $10 for an app where i don't know what I'm getting. OnX Hunt works OK and identifies most of the public land in my area (even some of the obscure ones) which makes me think it might be trustworthy but it likewise gets a little expensive. I decided to wait a little closer to April and see if I still wanted to spend money for it. OnX Hunt has essentially nothing in it for fishing though. It would be nice to add the PFBC layers for Class A's for example. You can do all this on Google Earth, although it is essentially non portable.

While OnX Hunt doesn't necessarily have anything fishing related, there is one thing that I've found that it does have that is very useful. It shows springs as blue dots and usually says spring. This can be very useful for identifying coldwater refuge areas on streams.

I use OnX for property information, Google maps for general scouting w/ the satellite and or terrain info displayed. I'll check bing maps aerial images as it has different data usually. Then I use the PA geology maps to identify what kind of substrate a potential blue line might have etc. The PA fish and boat GIS mapping tool is extremely useful.

Lastly, specifically for brook trout, I use TU's Brook Trout Conservation Portfolio and Range-wide Assessment tool. It's built on the same GIS platform as the state trout map, but has a lot of useful information about brook trout density. Word of warning though, it's essentially all algorithmically generated. They derive values for density or probability of occurrence from a bunch of underlying data values. Sometimes it will suggest a low probability when in reality it is very high. Still another useful tool.

 

[k-bob]

For carrying in, I have garmin huntview on an etrex 30x. The topo map detail is great, birdseye satellite image is low detail and usually leaf on, but still good for powerline pipeline cabin etc view .. etrex runs slow, so I crank maps down to only topo then seems ok for fishing. Have not yet benefited from parcel land owner info but may help some time later.

 

[dryflyguy]

troutbert wrote:
I like AcmeMapper.com.

Highly recommended by Wily Coyote.

Seriously, though, give it a try. It has road map, satellite imagery, and topo maps.

But he never caught the roadrunner...........

 

[ExploreBackcountry]

We use Gaia GPS for mapping, tracking access points and plotting specific locations on a stream where we found trouts. My buddies and I also share our Gaia waypoint data with each other to build out our recon information.