17 Year Brood II Cicada

[Thursthouse]

I was just reading an article about a 17 year cicada hatch that will be occuring May/June in our area. The article (see below) notes that there can be 1 billion of these bugs per square mile.

Waiting in the wings this spring: Cicadas!

This obviously got me thinking about fly patterns.

Anyone ever tie up cicada flies? If so, can you suggest any patterns?

As a kid I used to use cicadas on my spin rod for large mouth and they LOVED them. I would assume trout would do the same? Afterall, they're not much bigger than crayfish. Thoughts?

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Maybe 8 or 10 years ago we had a big hatch year. All you read in the FFing mags were about these bugs and patterns, often foam, to imitate them. While they did hatch in good numbers that year, I don't recall even one fish take one off the surface. I'm sure they do, but I wouldn't over-think this hatch. An ant will do just fine.

 

[MACFLY]

Maybe 8 or 10 years ago we had a big hatch year. All you read in the FFing mags were about these bugs and patterns, often foam, to imitate them. While they did hatch in good numbers that year, I don't recall even one fish take one off the surface. I'm sure they do, but I wouldn't over-think this hatch. An ant will do just fine.

It's a decent search pattern when nothing else is going on at that time of year. Out west the green gets a fairly frequent cycle of these bugs. The fish definitely key on them but back east it's a bit different.

 

[Thursthouse]

Sounds good.

Thanks guys.

Probably actually a good thing for me as most of the patterns I looked up for cicadas were way above my skill level. :crap:

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Sounds good.

Thanks guys.

Probably actually a good thing for me as most of the patterns I looked up for cicadas were way above my skill level. :crap:

Google it for past Fly Rod & Reel and the like issues. I recall some not too tough foam patterns that tied up easily. I'm thinking some black and some orange foam and silly legs tied to a shark hook and a big splat on the water is all that's called for...

 

[Thursthouse]

Google it for past Fly Rod & Reel and the like issues. I recall some not too tough foam patterns that tied up easily. I'm thinking some black and some orange foam and silly legs tied to a shark hook and a big splat on the water is all that's called for...

I think I found the pattern you were referring to.. Stupid question - what type of foam do you use? Is it something you buy from the fly shop or from a craft store? I was going to try and start experimenting with foam after I saw a ton of these guys all over the Ramapo when I scouted it out Sunday, but Mr. Utah never replied to my PM (I don't blame him I wouldn't reply to me either)

 

[Trout Nazi]

I think I found the pattern you were referring to.. Stupid question - what type of foam do you use? Is it something you buy from the fly shop or from a craft store? I was going to try and start experimenting with foam after I saw a ton of these guys all over the Ramapo when I scouted it out Sunday, but Mr. Utah never replied to my PM (I don't blame him I wouldn't reply to me either)

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Don't overthink that one either. Elk hair caddis on a 2x long hook, thin wing and black body. BTW, I find fishing this hatch to be a waste of time. I watch these things flutter along all day long without a single fish taking them. Usually you'll find an olive hatch happening at some point during the same time period, better luck with that or nymphs.

 

[Rusty Spinner]

Stupid question - what type of foam do you use? Is it something you buy from the fly shop or from a craft store?

Foam is cheap, so wherever you find it. Craft stores are great for things like foam, beads, etc. My wife laughs when I head into the local Michaels for tying stuff.

 

[Philthy Phil]

Don't overthink that one either. Elk hair caddis on a 2x long hook, thin wing and black body. BTW, I find fishing this hatch to be a waste of time. I watch these things flutter along all day long without a single fish taking them. Usually you'll find an olive hatch happening at some point during the same time period, better luck with that or nymphs.

Agreed...except for where I go on opening day the stockies are dumb enough to take them. When the water is low like this year the LBS hatch gets pretty heavy. I use a black EHC...it's fun catching fish on dries when everyone else has powerbait and minnow buckets...

 

[Philthy Phil]

Google it for past Fly Rod & Reel and the like issues. I recall some not too tough foam patterns that tied up easily. I'm thinking some black and some orange foam and silly legs tied to a shark hook and a big splat on the water is all that's called for...

I think I still have print outs of a lot of those articles, but never got around to doing anything for it...
Supposedly the carp get into the cicadas and catching them on dries must be a blast. I remember reading a report of someone doing well on a small lake in Pa on top but most people didn't see anything coming up elsewhere

 

[trico mike]

I think you guys are missing the boat on this one. These cicadas are not your dog day cicadas that are around every year. I hit the 17 year cicada on the little j in 08. It was the best trout fishing I ever had in my life. They would start singing around 10 in the morning and shortly after they would start trying to fly and falling in the water. It was like shooting fish in a barrel.I had 2 or 3 20 inch plus fish chasing my pattern thru riffles at the same time.In five days of fishing I landed over 30 fish that were 18 plus inches and several were in the mid 20's. Plus a bunch of smaller guys.The shear numbers of these bugs was insane. People were using snow shovels to clear them off the side walks. I was looking at the brood maps and it looks like the farmington may see them as well as parts of the big d and east branch.If it does happen near a river you will know pretty fast.Thes cicadas hatch in pockets of areas so it may be hit or miss.I hope it does happen though,the amount of big fish that come to the surface for these thing is amazing.As far as patterns,use black foam pulled over a orange dubbed body then tie in some elk hair and orange crystal flash for the wing then pull the foam back over and trim. Use size 4 and 6 hooks and no less then 3x tippet.Toss your pattern out and hold on. One more trick is don't cast to a fish that just ate a natural these bugs are so big he may not come up for a little while.Just fish it like you would a beetle plopping it down in likely areas.The little j has alot of over hanging trees and thats were the fish were stacked up. Lets hope this happens on a few rivers in ct or ny.it will be insane.

 

[Thursthouse]

I think you guys are missing the boat on this one. These cicadas are not your dog day cicadas that are around every year. I hit the 17 year cicada on the little j in 08. It was the best trout fishing I ever had in my life. They would start singing around 10 in the morning and shortly after they would start trying to fly and falling in the water. It was like shooting fish in a barrel.I had 2 or 3 20 inch plus fish chasing my pattern thru riffles at the same time.In five days of fishing I landed over 30 fish that were 18 plus inches and several were in the mid 20's. Plus a bunch of smaller guys.The shear numbers of these bugs was insane. People were using snow shovels to clear them off the side walks. I was looking at the brood maps and it looks like the farmington may see them as well as parts of the big d and east branch.If it does happen near a river you will know pretty fast.Thes cicadas hatch in pockets of areas so it may be hit or miss.I hope it does happen though,the amount of big fish that come to the surface for these thing is amazing.As far as patterns,use black foam pulled over a orange dubbed body then tie in some elk hair and orange crystal flash for the wing then pull the foam back over and trim. Use size 4 and 6 hooks and no less then 3x tippet.Toss your pattern out and hold on. One more trick is don't cast to a fish that just ate a natural these bugs are so big he may not come up for a little while.Just fish it like you would a beetle plopping it down in likely areas.The little j has alot of over hanging trees and thats were the fish were stacked up. Lets hope this happens on a few rivers in ct or ny.it will be insane.

Hi TM,

Thanks for the post, do you have a picture of the pattern you use or something similar - not asking to steal your patterns - just new to fly tying and I do better seeing a pattern and making a variation.

 

[weirdnjfly]

If this goes down were gonna fish for a week or how ever long it lasts f***K work.

I think you guys are missing the boat on this one. These cicadas are not your dog day cicadas that are around every year. I hit the 17 year cicada on the little j in 08. It was the best trout fishing I ever had in my life. They would start singing around 10 in the morning and shortly after they would start trying to fly and falling in the water. It was like shooting fish in a barrel.I had 2 or 3 20 inch plus fish chasing my pattern thru riffles at the same time.In five days of fishing I landed over 30 fish that were 18 plus inches and several were in the mid 20's. Plus a bunch of smaller guys.The shear numbers of these bugs was insane. People were using snow shovels to clear them off the side walks. I was looking at the brood maps and it looks like the farmington may see them as well as parts of the big d and east branch.If it does happen near a river you will know pretty fast.Thes cicadas hatch in pockets of areas so it may be hit or miss.I hope it does happen though,the amount of big fish that come to the surface for these thing is amazing.As far as patterns,use black foam pulled over a orange dubbed body then tie in some elk hair and orange crystal flash for the wing then pull the foam back over and trim. Use size 4 and 6 hooks and no less then 3x tippet.Toss your pattern out and hold on. One more trick is don't cast to a fish that just ate a natural these bugs are so big he may not come up for a little while.Just fish it like you would a beetle plopping it down in likely areas.The little j has alot of over hanging trees and thats were the fish were stacked up. Lets hope this happens on a few rivers in ct or ny.it will be insane.

 

[trico mike]

Here you goes

 

[trico mike]

Side viewof the cicada

 

[BrownChickenBrownTrout]

I was talking to a guy at a fly fishing show. He said the cicada hatch of '08 was the most epic fishing week of his life.

If this is happening near me I will definitely call out for this one.

 

[trico mike]

The cool thing is that they hatch in may when the soil teacher 52 degrees Nd they are around until they are done mating in July.