Periodical Cicada

[dc410]

Found this pattern on line. It is a periodical cicada by Loren Williams. I kind of liked the look of the fly. It has a fairly small materials list and is very easy to tie. I tied up a few on a size 10
2XL dry fly hook. I'm hoping to get a chance to smash some smallies on top using this pattern this year. For you southeastern PA guys ...... not sure if the Cicada hatch will happen or not but I'm figuring on having some with me just in case.

 

[McSneek]

I was thinking of having a few ready just in case they are in our area too. And like you, I was thinking smallies, not trout.

 

[FrequentTyer]

I saw this pattern last night. I am NOT tying these: Louie's NZ Caddis
I am tying these: Cicada-13
Mike.

 

[Sabot]

The last time there was a periodic cicada hatch in SE PA the big carp came into the shallows on lake Nockamixen and you could catch them on the surface. They'd examine the floating bug, suck it in and at the set take off like a locomotive. I don't think I've ever gotten into my backing as often as I did that day. It was a hoot until I finally lost all of my cicada imitations. Definitely tie some up just in case.

 

[dc410]

Yeah! Big carp would be cool. I would love to take one of those big bruisers on the top. I never had given carp a thought in regard to Cicadas. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[troutbert]

dc410 wrote:
Yeah! Big carp would be cool. I would love to take one of those big bruisers on the top. I never had given carp a thought in regard to Cicadas. Thanks for the heads up.

In 2008 carp were taking cicadas on the surface very actively on creeks too. They got right out in the current, near the surface, swimming around, searching for cicadas. And when a cicada came down they would swerve far over to the left or right to get them. If one floated past them they would wheel around and chase it downstream and hit it. We tend to think of carp as being sluggish bottom feeders, but they can move pretty fast when they want to.

 

[lv2nymph]

FrequentTyer wrote:
I saw this pattern last night. I am NOT tying these: Louie's NZ Caddis
I am tying these: Cicada-13
Mike.

I really like the looks of the c-13 pattern too. I'd love to get some carp on top, that would be a blast. Trout as well of course...

 

[Fishidiot]

Here's a few of mine. These periodical cicadas are smaller than the typical green "dog day" cicadas. They're black with orange legs and orange abdominal segments. Their eyes are bright red.

 

[lv2nymph]

So what size are we talking about here pray tell. Nice ties btw.

 

[Fishidiot]

These periodical cicadas have a body length of roughly about an inch to an inch and a quarter - with a width of about half an inch. If you measure from their nose to the tip of the wings (when the wings are folded flat back over their backs like a caddis) their total length would be roughly about two inches.

 

[lv2nymph]

Thank you Dave.

 

[troutbert]

Regarding hook size, during the 2008 cicada madness, I started out with size 8 hooks, but was getting a lot of missed fish because the foam was partly closing off the gape of the hook.

I guess I could have figured out a way to tie a neater foam body, but instead I just a bigger hook, i.e. size 6.

I just used black foam with ginger hackle to imitate legs, and orangish tan deer hair wings. That worked well.

The fish aren't very fussy when they are gorging on cicadas.

 

[jeremymcon]

Anybody willing to tie and sell me some cicada patterns? I don't tie flies, but I want to be prepared. Can't seem to find any on the online fly shops I use. I really like the looks of the foam patterns.

 

[dc410]

jeremymcon,

PM sent.

 

[wgmiller]

I hooked him up with some freebies yesterday chief. Four should get him started!

 

[jay348]

Since cicadas are all the rage, I had to tie a few up.

 

[Pontus]

Tried my hand at some cicadas today. They've started emerging down here in Virginia. I haven't seen them yet, but you can see the holes and hear em at night sometimes. Hopefully I'll have to tie enough of these this spring that they actually start to look good. I also only had brown foam instead of black, so they're gonna need a thorough sharpieing before hitting the water.

 

[MattM]

is the foam a single piece or a few glued together to get the correct thickness?

 

[ryguyfi]

Here's Mine that I tied up last year. Just snapped a quick pic yesterday with my phone.

 

[afishinado]

dc410 wrote:
Found this pattern on line. It is a periodical cicada by Loren Williams. I kind of liked the look of the fly. It has a fairly small materials list and is very easy to tie. I tied up a few on a size 10
2XL dry fly hook. I'm hoping to get a chance to smash some smallies on top using this pattern this year. For you southeastern PA guys ...... not sure if the Cicada hatch will happen or not but I'm figuring on having some with me just in case.

http://hatchesmagazine.com/blogs/Hatches/2011/05/18/periodical-cicada-by-loren-williams/