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. Conditions there were much better—lower water and more clarity than most places. Everyone managed to hook into a few trout. Later, we moved the group over to Spring Creek, hoping to catch a sulphur hatch and shake off the tough spring fishing. No real luck with the mayflies or spinner fall, but as always, it was great to catch up and trade fly fishing tips and ideas.
Photo by Turkey
Back at Seven Mountains Campground that evening, folks regrouped to share how their day had gone. Some did okay, but most had a tough time fishing—just like us. Even the guys floating the Little J struggled to move fish with streamers along the banks. But tough days on the water are quickly forgotten when you’re surrounded by people you usually only chat with on the forum. Saturday night wrapped up with more good company at the Pavilion, where Shakey and a few others played some tunes. A few more guys arrived that night who couldn’t make it until Saturday.
Most people packed up and headed home Sunday morning, but a small group stuck around for the week, hoping for better conditions and a few more chances at fish.
Looking ahead to next year, we’re planning a more formal set of Saturday morning activities at the Pavilion. Some ideas being tossed around include a casting clinic, gear swap, fly sale, and more. If you have thoughts or suggestions, drop me a line—we’d love your input.
Thanks to everyone who made it out, and a special shoutout to the moderators who joined me on Saturday. I’m already looking forward to next year, and with a little luck, the streams will be in better shape.
P.S. – About That Weather…
People love to say it always rains during the Jamboree—and sure, May can be a wet month in Pennsylvania. But the real issue isn’t the rain itself, it’s the condition of the streams. Water level and clarity have the biggest impact on trout activity and wading safety.
I did a small, informal review of stream conditions on Penns Creek during the past 15 Jamborees, using USGS gauge data for each Saturday. I added a 600 CFS line as a general benchmark for wadable levels. In that time, we’ve had three years with really high water, but more than half the years had wadable conditions. So, despite the concerns, Penns has actually been fishable much of the time.
Of course, this isn’t a scientific study—so don’t get your waders in a twist if you disagree. It’s just some general info to chew on while much of the state continues to deal with high water this May.
Hang in there—fishing will improve. Tight lines, everyone!
I have never been able to attend this event due to coaching committments but that part of life has finally come to an end and I hope to be part of this next year. It's amazing that it has become such a tradition and kudos to everyone that makes it happen.
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. Conditions there were much better—lower water and more clarity than most places. Everyone managed to hook into a few trout. Later, we moved the group over to Spring Creek, hoping to catch a sulphur hatch and shake off the tough spring fishing. No real luck with the mayflies or spinner fall, but as always, it was great to catch up and trade fly fishing tips and ideas.
Back at Seven Mountains Campground that evening, folks regrouped to share how their day had gone. Some did okay, but most had a tough time fishing—just like us. Even the guys floating the Little J struggled to move fish with streamers along the banks. But tough days on the water are quickly forgotten when you’re surrounded by people you usually only chat with on the forum. Saturday night wrapped up with more good company at the Pavilion, where Shakey and a few others played some tunes. A few more guys arrived that night who couldn’t make it until Saturday.
Most people packed up and headed home Sunday morning, but a small group stuck around for the week, hoping for better conditions and a few more chances at fish.
Looking ahead to next year, we’re planning a more formal set of Saturday morning activities at the Pavilion. Some ideas being tossed around include a casting clinic, gear swap, fly sale, and more. If you have thoughts or suggestions, drop me a line—we’d love your input.
Thanks to everyone who made it out, and a special shoutout to the moderators who joined me on Saturday. I’m already looking forward to next year, and with a little luck, the streams will be in better shape.
P.S. – About That Weather…
People love to say it always rains during the Jamboree—and sure, May can be a wet month in Pennsylvania. But the real issue isn’t the rain itself, it’s the condition of the streams. Water level and clarity have the biggest impact on trout activity and wading safety.
I did a small, informal review of stream conditions on Penns Creek during the past 15 Jamborees, using USGS gauge data for each Saturday. I added a 600 CFS line as a general benchmark for wadable levels. In that time, we’ve had three years with really high water, but more than half the years had wadable conditions. So, despite the concerns, Penns has actually been fishable much of the time.
Of course, this isn’t a scientific study—so don’t get your waders in a twist if you disagree. It’s just some general info to chew on while much of the state continues to deal with high water this May.
Hang in there—fishing will improve. Tight lines, everyone!
