The Annual Paflyfish Spring Jamboree is set for May 19-21, 2023

Friday, May 19 is the start of our meetup for the Paflyfish Spring Jamboree Weekend at the Seven Mountains Campground. This is our annual get-together for members of the site to fly fish, tie flies, camp, and share a few stories. We have a lot of fun fishing over some of Pennsylvania's finest streams including the Little J, Penns Creek, Spring Creek, Fishing Creek, and plenty more in the region.

The pavilion at Seven Mountains Campground is rented by Paflyfish and is used as a meeting point during the weekend. Plenty of impromptu conversations, fly-tying, and meet-ups occur at the pavilion.

The weekend is a casual event with fly fishing in a great region of Pennsylvania. As with every year, we will be meeting up in the evenings at the pavilion to catch up on the day's fishing trips. Friday and Saturday mornings we meet for coffee and plan the day. Often plenty of opportunities for some fly tying and casting lessons are shared.

At this time, we will not be going to plan any special speakers or activities. That could change, but there is always plenty of impromptu fly tying, casting lessons, and support on where to fish. So if you are unsure about the area, do not worry there are plenty of members from the site that can help get you started.

Many anglers from the site come up early or stay later after the weekend. Follow this thread for the latest details or ask any questions.

Please contact Sevens Mountain Campground directly if you would like to stay there that weekend. They have a limited number of cabins, RV hook-ups and campsites. I encourage you to make your reservations now.

Dates: Friday – May 19th - Sunday, May 21, 2023

Use the code: PAFLYFISH for a 10% discount.

Sevens Mountain Campground
101 Seven Mountains
Campground Rd.
Spring Mills, PA 16875
(814) 364-1910

 

I did not make it to the campground to formally participate in the Jam, however I did fish BFC Saturday night outside of the narrows. I had an incredible spinner fall, lots of sulfur duns on the water, big caddis laying eggs and green date duns made an appearance and spent long drifts splashing on the surface.

This enticed very little surface activity. I had one somewhat consistent riser tucked right against the far bank under an over hanging branch that made a drift free presentation nearly impossible. This is common for this section, but fish normally move out into the main channel during big hatches. I stayed well after dark and despite the spinners hitting the water, there was no significant surface activity to speak of.

Same stream, perhaps similar location, identical observations.

 

I had fun, got skunked, didn't care. I came to get away from work for a spell and meet old and new friends. I probably could have caught a fish or two if I had given it and effort.

 

I'll echo what others have said about the fishing - plenty of bugs with little topwater action. I caught plenty of browns in Spring, Penns, and another local stream below the surface. Nothing of size (opportunities were there though), but enough to keep my rod bent. I'll echo what pcray said about the social aspect of the event. It was nice to see familiar faces, but short of making a brief appearance at the pavilion Friday night I pretty much tucked in early to avoid the wraith of management. I'm not sure what the options are, but am open to exploring them with others. The social aspect of the Jam is as much as part of it as the fishing is, perhaps even more so. Overall it was a great couple days spent in the State College area spending time in streams with a fly rod in hand.

Penns in all its glory.

Tim Bennett working Honey Creek.

An afternoon in Bellefonte called for a stop at Axemann Brewery. Hard to beat a good Hefeweizen!

Caught a big "native" who provided a pretty good fight!

Friday night at the pavilion - where are the world's problems are solved!

A healthy Penns brown taken on a jigged streamer.

 

Great to see old friends again.

LJ treated me well Friday night. Penns on Saturday was a disappointment: as others have noted, plenty of bugs but few risers.
I hit my usual warm water spot on the way home and managed some big bluegills and small crappies.

 

I did not make it to the campground to formally participate in the Jam, however I did fish BFC Saturday night outside of the narrows. I had an incredible spinner fall, lots of sulfur duns on the water, big caddis laying eggs and green drake duns made an appearance and spent long drifts splashing on the surface.

This enticed very little surface activity. I had one somewhat consistent riser tucked right against the far bank under an over hanging branch that made a drift free presentation nearly impossible. This is common for this section, but fish normally move out into the main channel during big hatches. I stayed well after dark and despite the spinners hitting the water, there was no significant surface activity to speak of.

This was us to a T on lower BFC on Saturday. (I was with pcray.) Must not have been far from where you were. Was cool to see a few Drakes, and the Caddis might have been the biggest Caddis I’ve ever seen.

I caught a dink, and missed another dink (the same one) three or four times. Those were the only rises to my fly. Pat got two dinks, and one other guy in our group LDR’d a pretty good fish. All takes we got were on varying forms of Sulphur emergers, I think, FWIW.

Was good to see a few familiar faces around the CG during the day, though no one was at the pavilion while I was there late Sat morning, and I had to be home Sat night still. (3 month old baby and wife at home.)

I’m game for whatever as far as the CG goes. Seven Mountains under the old ownership was great, and the CG and location still is, but it’s kind of nice to be somewhere where you’re wanted and appreciated. Though admittedly, it’s a tough deal for CG owners, catering to the regulars who want quiet at 10 or 11 PM versus allowing some slack on the leash for large groups who bring in a healthy revenue for the weekend.

 

Fishing was great at the Jam! The catching, however, was not so great this year, at least not for me. But it didn't really matter. It was awesome to see all the familiar faces, have a few adult beverages, and hear Shakey's talent played out on steel guitar and harmonica.

 

We got there too late to get out Friday evening so I just wandered the camp and introduced myself. I cannot recall anyone specific except Turkey and Shakey though. the 1792 full proof may have had something to do with it. It was great to meet everyone in person and to finally set foot on Penn's on Saturday. So many bugs coming off it was hard to tell what they were taking and like others have mentioned with so much choice they were taking their time picking out their meal.

Really good to meet you Patchez. Hope to see you at future events.

 

I am still at seven mountains.
The management stopped by yesterday and we’re extremely nice.
Good times !!

 

Maybe next year those of us with campers should book up the row in front of the pavilion. That is my plan going forward.

 

Another good jam, man. Most of the good old faces were present. Some great new faces. My kids finally experienced the bug half of a huge hatch/fall. In spite of the fish not getting the bug memo, just being outside, up late and sleeping in was much enjoyed. Thanks to those stopped by the porch and pavilion. Always great to cat h up with Art, Jack, Bruno, DFG, Shakey, Murph...

I'm cool with the same location, but think a roadtrip would be cool before some of us get too old.

Just say where and when. It's one of few times I get out any more. Thanks all!

 

I can't overstate how fortunate we are to have such a great group of people gather year after year. And how good is Shakey? This campfire is what it's all about. Whatever next year may hold, we've been very blessed.

 

 

I was up Friday. Played a bit in Kish and picked up two wild brownies. My fishing partner took a stocked bow and caught a nice 16 inch brown that was probably the same fish I hit briefly and had it shake the hook. Partner took a fall (t's not a matter of if but when for this individual) and we decided to head back to the truck. Went to a nice little restaurant nearby (Stonefly café) that had phenomenal pizza and sangria.

We took a stroll into camp and did some casting in the lawn by the volleyball net. Some kind older gent was kind enough to let me play around with his own builds. My takeaway from that session was the I REALLY need an Epic 3wt 7ft!

After that we took a trip to Penns. I caught a small wild brown and also had a small one get off. Also had a substantial brown rip off my entire rig as soon as it grabbed my fly. My fishing partner caught a 15 inch native (fallfish), a fish that made me super jealous.

Yup I fall once a year. This year twice so far. 🤦🏻‍♀️ was happy to hit on fish. Was nice to meet a few folks. On our way home we hit the hatch along the big J and had to stop to clean the bugs off the wind shield. Wish we could have stayed😂

 

Yup I fall once a year. This year twice so far. 🤦🏻‍♀️ was happy to hit on fish. Was nice to meet a few folks. On our way home we hit the hatch along the big J and had to stop to clean the bugs off the wind shield. Wish we could have stayed😂

 

Really enjoyed seeing everyone there again this year
And the great music too!

As for the campground, yeah they do seem like they're out to make every last buck they can.
When I reserved my site, a week before the jam, the fella tried to charge me "holiday weekend" rates.
And I had to tell him - again - that I was staying the weekend before Memorial Day.
He said Oh, sorry

But - at least for now anyway - they're tolerating the late night stuff.

 

My Jam ended yesterday. Thanks for the good time everyone.