20th Anniversary of Paflyfish

[Chaz]

I joined very early, probably in '95, but maybe a little later. I know others on the board have been around at least the long.
Happy Anniversary Board!!!
Has anyone heard from Jeff F lately? How Pudie Paul, I know has been having some trouble. Early we had Paddy too, how's he?
Maurice was an early member so was BFD, and Tim Murphy. Dwight posted as Dwight until someone made some nasty remarks about something regarding a post.
How many members now?

 

[Chaz]

RLeep2 wrote:
I more or less remember when I first posted here. I say "more or less" because like a lot of my memories these days, it is more like one of the components of a soup than a stand alone entrée. But I'm pretty sure it was after I graduated from high school, but before I re-married in 1997. Somewhere in there....🙂

As these things (internet forums) go, it has been a very good place to hang out now and then. Dave is to be commended for the original notion as well as for sticking with it over the long haul. The same goes for the moderators over the years. This (online forums in general) is not an easy medium to manage. Many (perhaps a majority) get weird or crash and burn, but this site has been exceptional in the steadiness of the guiding hands on the rudder.

Congratulations and happy 20th to PAFF!

Bob,
I think you were a member when I joined.

 

[JackM]

Congratulations, Dave! I joined in the late 1990s. As noted, back then the format was wide open. There was one forum and the threads weren't threaded. When you posted it asked your name. We all had several aliases and ones made up to fit the post. The second Jamboree that arose while I was a member was at Hemlock Acres CG and I brought my son and two young nephews for protection. We slept on soggy ground in tents. I believe that was the last time I attended a Jamboree without securing a cabin until more recently, and that wasn't pretty either.

Maurice was the first user I met in person. Soon after, about a dozen who attended my first Jamboree.

Hard to believe it has been 20 years.

 

[DaveKile]

Finding a few old pictures from the 2001 Jamboree.

 

[djs12354]

I joined around the end of 2011. Read the forum a few times and then posted asking for casting help.

Had a very quick reply from the Heritage Angler and met up with Ed at McMichael's Creek. He spent 2 or 3 hours working with me and we met up a few times after for tune ups and fly fishing lessons.

He and Foxgap were my tutors and cheerleaders as I caught my first fish "on the fly" at the Little Lehigh.

There have been the Newbie Jams and the Fish and Chips events, Fly Tying Jams and the one Jamboree I was able to attend. Good times, every one.

I've been fortunate to meet a few members of the forum and look forward to getting together when I can.

So many great people. I'd like to name all of you, but it would take much too long!

Thanks to Dave K for this great little corner of the internet. And to all the members who make it a great place to be!

 

[The_Sasquatch]

20 years? Dang. Next year the site can start drinking legally.

 

[dryflyguy]

FarmerDave wrote:

McSneek wrote:

krayfish2 wrote:
Weird, nobody mentioned missing LJ. LOL.

NO REBUTTAL!!!!!!!

Funny.
I remember him from way back. He was a very decent guy. My understanding is that his change to the angry LJ was not his fault. I remember him fondly. Does anyone know if he is still around somewhere?

P.S. Dibs on his bamboo flyrods.

Little Juniata was still kicking as of last spring.
There is a certain section of the little j where I often run into him. ( a lot of his videos were shot there)
He really is a nice guy in person, despite the weird posts he had here before being asked to take a break.
He is getting up there in age - and I kinda attribute that to his crazy posts.
I really don't think he intended to offend anyone

 

[Fishidiot]

While not an old hand present at the creation, I followed Pcray over here from FFP sometime in late 05 or early 06. It's been a fun and enjoyable place where I've been fortunate to learn a lot and meet some terrific folks I'd otherwise never have met.

Although an experienced fly fisherman, I was also one of those new posters who came to this site, quite frankly, fairly naive and unfamiliar with internet social media and web forum culture, so it took me some time to get my footing and I made some rookie mistakes. Participation here on PAFF has helped me better relate to anonymous communication and develop a balancing act when it comes to what to share, what not to share, and how to respond (or not) to info that is edgy or downright incorrect. I'm still learning this game.

Nevertheless, however, the far and away best thing about our web community is just that - you folks who comprise this community and make it our favorite place out of the water.

Been a good run - here's hoping for another good couple decades.

 

[FarmerDave]

I think I found this site in the late 90s, and some of the regulars were already here.

First guy I ever fished with from this site was the guy I used to argue with the most (Jeff F). I've never taken the banter seriously.

I did leave for awhile, but not due to anything on the site.

Came back a few years after moving to the farm which is closer to PA. Based on the dates posted it was a few months after the new format.

 

[JF_]

I came across a few pics from maybe the 2005 Jam. Smaller group back then; we had the get-together at my cabin in Hemlock Acres. Jonas came up for a talk.

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Congratulations! Dave your site has become a second home for me. It gets me back to my roots as a fly fisherman.
Imet Acristic kid and Paul G through the site and came to my first Jam in 08,I think? Met Maurice at Paul's camp that year along with many others who made me feel welcome. Fished with Paul,John F ,Tony C ,Square tail, Jules, and others that year . Good memories.
GG

 

[DanL]

Congrats to the to Dave and all the moderating team as well. Wrapping up my 3rd year of fly fishing and the site and great people I've met have definitely made the experience memorable!

 

[CRB]

congratulations

 

[Oregon_Owl]

I organized (using the term loosely) the first Jamboree at the Woodward Cave Campground. I think it was a little too 'rustic' for a lot of the crowd, hence the move to Hemlock Acres.

The PAFF site was a good recruiting vehicle for the Perkiomen Valley TU stream restoration projects in the early years. We had people come form far and wide to help out.

Thanks Dave for keeping it going and improving it immensely. Hope we are all around for the next 20.

 

[JF_]

Oregon_Owl wrote:
I organized (using the term loosely) the first Jamboree at the Woodward Cave Campground. I think it was a little too 'rustic' for a lot of the crowd, hence the move to Hemlock Acres.

The PAFF site was a good recruiting vehicle for the Perkiomen Valley TU stream restoration projects in the early years. We had people come form far and wide to help out.

Thanks Dave for keeping it going and improving it immensely. Hope we are all around for the next 20.

Hello Lou, it's great to hear from you.
John

 

[greenghost]

FarmerDave wrote:

Maurice wrote:

Let's see; JeffF, John_F, BigDave, Chaz, CaveCurran, StreamNerd(troutbert), RLP, RRT, Tim Murphy, Padraic, PudiePaul

Don't foget Stan or Shrec (before the movie). I think JeffK was around back then as well.

Yep, FD. Proud to say been here since day one. Learned so much. Made many friends. Awesome site. Congrats, Dave!
Here's to 20 more. 😛int: (Years, not beers.)

Greenghost (a.k.a. Schrec)

 

[JackM]

Funny story, names withheld:

2nd or 3rd Jamboree I attended, afterwords, I exchanged correspondence with a casual poster who claimed he was there the whole weekend and never saw any of us. There was a very active firering Friday and Saturday and a smaller one Sunday. In addition, large-for-then coffee pow-wows, with at least a dozen of us Saturday and Sunday. It was more about fishing then, but we still enjoy social hours, throughout the weekend.

 

[Maurice]

OK do we gotta do a roll call Paul?

JeffF,
John_F,
BigDave,
Chaz,
CaveCurran,
Dwight aka,StreamNerd(troutbert),
RLP,
RRT,
Tim Murphy,
Padraic,
PudiePaul
CW
Tim B
Stan
Shrec
JeffK
LouW
Maurice

Are forgetting anyone?

 

[Maurice]

JackM wrote:
Funny story, names withheld:

2nd or 3rd Jamboree I attended, afterwords, I exchanged correspondence with a casual poster who claimed he was there the whole weekend and never saw any of us. There was a very active firering Friday and Saturday and a smaller one Sunday. In addition, large-for-then coffee pow-wows, with at least a dozen of us Saturday and Sunday. It was more about fishing then, but we still enjoy social hours, throughout the weekend.

Jack,

IIRC that was the same weekend of the "Ice" incident....and the night I lost my keys...and the stumble-drunk stranger was telling me that he is an expert at finding lost keys...his big secret to finding them was to remember where you left them.

Gamber got a kick outta that one.

 

[JackM]

That was much later 2-3 years when Rudy built the Amish Taj Mahals and then regretted the hundreds he made off the rental.