2017 PAFF Jam: Seven Mountains Campground, 19-21 May

[JackM]

Thursday Mostly Cloudy Precipitation: 0%0% 86°64°
Friday Partly Cloudy Precipitation: 10%10% 78°60°
Saturday Mostly Cloudy Precipitation: 5%5% 69°50°
Sunday Cloudy Precipitation: 20%20% 72°53°
Monday Showers Precipitation: 50%50% 69°58°
Tuesday Mostly Cloudy Precipitation: 5%5% 73°50°

The Feathered Hook says:

5/17/17……Near perfect conditions!

The water levels are amazing!
The hatches are amazing!
The weather is amazing!
March Browns. Sulphurs. Grey Fox. Tan Caddis. Blue Wing Olives. Blue Quills. Crane flies.

 

[bikerfish]

hitting the road in 15 min, breakfast somewhere on I80, then to the campground to set up, hopefully by late morning, then out to FEEEESH!

 

[Swattie87]

1/2 day at work today, then heading up. Should be at the cg by around 3:00, then hopefully nuts deep in one of central PA's finest limestoners by 5:00 or so. With wild Browns sipping sulphurs left and right like crazy. That's the plan anyway. See you jags back at the cg tonight.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

I have had a couple of people back out on me....So I will have some extra room in a cabin. PM me if interested. Preferred non-smoker. looking to split the cost. You can also call me at 267-338-8753. I plan on heading up tomorrow late morning and leaving Sunday morning.

 

[chuckyblack09]

Mooney, I'm heading out to Spring Creek. Call me 7two4-eighteight4-5onesix5 if you want to meet me down there and then stay to mouse.

 

[pcray1231]

Penn's is higher than it's been in a few years. Good color. But tough wading and not a ton of rising fish. Still enough to play with, especially along edges/tailouts and shallower areas in general. We did ok.

Brookie streams are on the low side.

 

[FlyForFun]

Can't wait! We will be up mid morning tomorrow

 

[Bruno]

Safe driving gentlemen

 

[TigerTrout4wt]

So is everyone meeting at the pavilion tonight at all? I didn't see anyone there last night. Didn't know if we were going to have anyone talk or meeting like last year?

 

[pro4mance]

It will happen after dark and the hatches

 

[Dave_W]

Despite the ideal conditions, fishing was generally tough.

Few bugs and no rising trout where I was on Penns both Fri and Sat evening and I couldn't buy a strike either evening. Others had some mixed to good fishing reports at various places, but it was not as good as some years (at least the rain was light and brief).

Anyway, nice seeing so many of you again and thanks for the support during the evening raffle. It's much appreciated.

 

[pcray1231]

Was great seeing everyone. Fishing was decent. Not great, not terrible either. But the company is always top notch.

 

[paparise]

For my first time fishing in Centre County it was pretty good. Despite the conditions and the uncooperative trout i'll definitely be back. Need to see what all of the hype is about. I didn't get to meet all of you but I enjoyed the company of the folks I did meet and I'm looking forward to next year.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

From the humorous side of the house....Always bring an additional set of shoes. Friday night I was walking around with two pair of sox on until PCray returned since I left my only pair of shoes in his car. And If I'm going to fall asleep on a Saturday evening - it needs to be at the Pavillian. That way when the action starts I can wake up.

 

[Swattie87]

Good to see everyone and hear everyone's fishing tales from the last 365 days. Thanks again to the mods for organizing.

Overall I'd say the fishing was decent. Both Brookie streams I hit fished well. Probably the best Brookie fishing I've had at a Jam in the 6 years I've gone. It's usually been too much or too little water, but this year was just about right. The big warm-up mid week probably helped on that front too.

The big streams generally disappointed, given the flows and expectations going in. Perhaps the big temp extremes were to blame, or maybe somebody tipped the fish off that PAFF was in town. For me, the fishing got progressively worse as the weekend went on IMO on the big streams. Thursday night was halfway decent, Friday was slow but fish were caught, and Saturday was rough. Took my first skunk from Spring during Sulphur season ever on Saturday night. I didn't see any Sulphurs hatch. There were a handful of spinners around 7:00, but not enough to get the fish going. The dozen or so rises I saw all night I think were to some BWO's that were coming off, but I couldn't get myself to tie on a BWO when I was expecting Sulphurs. Probably should have in hindsight. I know a few guys switched to BWO's and were able to get a couple.

 

[bikerfish]

Another great weekend, awesome to see everyone and meet some new folks. Just need to beat Swattie to a certain stream next year! ;-)
Hit spring on the way home and the fish were a lot more willing than earlier in the weekend, got quite a few on Sulphur dries in the paradise section, nice just to walk along making casts without putting on waders and such!

 

[pcray1231]

Big streams IMO were overall ok. Not good. Not terrible. Just ok.

Saturday was the worst of the 4 days I fished. Wednesday was best I think, but lack of crowds is a major reason for that.

 

[acesedgley]

Had a great time at my first jam despite the tough conditions (heat then cold and uncooperative insects).
The camaraderie was awesome in our camp with 4 guys who never met before, and the pavilion get-togethers were outta site....so nice to put some faces with names and avatars, though memory may fade by the next one.
Many thanks to all who help organize this event.
An aside...
couldn't resist stopping at Clarks Creek on the way home. I'll just say that it kinda made up for the tough wading and low catch rate on Penns as I found silly stocked brookies willing to take almost anything as long as it was not on top, once I figured out that imparting motion to the fly was they key. With that shallow clear water I could see the reactions to my twitching or lifting the fly, so it was like fishing dries sight wise. I'm a visual guy!!

 

[TigerTrout4wt]

It was really good to see everyone again. I had such a great time and always learn so much from all of you. I will make sure to post more this year about my progress with this sport. I couldn't find time to post a stream report every time I got out fishing last year or even post about flies I was tying. I hope to change that this year. tight lines guys!

 

[skybay]

Few pics from the jam. Saturday and Sunday.
I took two nice trouts on Spring Creek in ten minutes on Ginger Caddis, than nothing for a long time.
Fish extremely selective, many rise around on Penns and Spring but no takes.
Sudden drop in temps from Friday to Sat significantly change the nature and trout behavior. Great Jam.
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