Cicada Pattern
- Thread starter MD_Gene
- Start date
falcon
Well-known member
I used a pattern ftom George Daniel and a pattern from Paul Weamers book Pocket Guide for New York Hatches which is a Greg Hoover pattern. I dont recall where I saw Daniel's pattern. They both are similar and seem to work. The few times I used cicadas when they were around the fish went on a feeding spree. I doubt they were selective to pattern.
You can tie a cicada pattern that's basically like a Letort Cricket but tied entirely with deer hair.
The body is spun and clipped deer hair. I use mostly black deer hair, with a small amount of the wings tied with orange-brown deer hair.
It floats very well and is durable.
The body is spun and clipped deer hair. I use mostly black deer hair, with a small amount of the wings tied with orange-brown deer hair.
It floats very well and is durable.
Bocianka1
Active member
I recommend picking up a copy of Cicada Madness by Dave Zielinski. It has around 60 cicada patterns in it. Good info all around on fishing with cicadas. Very informative book. The pattern he fishes and ties the most is the 17 Year Itch Cicada Pattern. His book contains a step by step with pictures. i can't find a tying video online.
You can hear Tom Rosenbaur interview Dave on a recent Orvis Podcast here.
You can hear Tom Rosenbaur interview Dave on a recent Orvis Podcast here.
Bamboozle
Well-known member
I tie a simple pattern (for good reasons) that consists of a body made of folded over black sheet foam, red plastic bead chain eyes and orange Krystal Flash for a wing. It takes about a minute or two to tie, floats great and is durable.
I keep it simple because the fish are not particularly selective when they are on them. Another reason is the hype and "emergence" maps can be very misleading and you can spend way too much time tying an imitation of a bug that won't show up where you are fishing...
I keep it simple because the fish are not particularly selective when they are on them. Another reason is the hype and "emergence" maps can be very misleading and you can spend way too much time tying an imitation of a bug that won't show up where you are fishing...
nymphingmaniac
Well-known member
lol, yeah. I'm hearing from people tying a dozen of these already. I still have one of the three I tied last time (darn trees). I never lost one on a fish. Remember, you only use them every 17 years. Any leftover this year I'll try on smallmouth. They will hit anything.
back to the topic, I tie a slightly modified version of the Hoover caddis
Tigereye
Well-known member
albatross
Well-known member
Professor Daniels has a relatively simple pattern he's featured recently. I like it a lot!
Kms
Well-known member
That’s excellent, and here’s the original Greg Hoover pattern that George based his upon:
Bamboozle
Well-known member
True story... I had models for my one & only cicada pattern:
During 2004 Brood X emergence there were no cicada around my (previous) home but a gazillion about 9 miles away. I drove down, grabbed two from the top of a car in an Enterprise car rental lot and headed back home with them on the front passenger seat.
They were well behaved on the ride back to my house. When I moved them indoors, they sat pretty much motionless on a shelf behind my fly tying desk while I came up with a pattern to imitate them detailed in post #5 above.
After the modeling session, I released them in the back yard although I assume they were pi$$ed because I probably screwed up their pleasures in pursuit of my own... 😉
During 2004 Brood X emergence there were no cicada around my (previous) home but a gazillion about 9 miles away. I drove down, grabbed two from the top of a car in an Enterprise car rental lot and headed back home with them on the front passenger seat.
They were well behaved on the ride back to my house. When I moved them indoors, they sat pretty much motionless on a shelf behind my fly tying desk while I came up with a pattern to imitate them detailed in post #5 above.
After the modeling session, I released them in the back yard although I assume they were pi$$ed because I probably screwed up their pleasures in pursuit of my own... 😉
Tabasco-Joe
Member
You get extra credit if you post a picture.
laurelrun
Active member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2014
- Messages
- 325
From my experience a few years ago, a big beetle or chubby chernobyl tied in black with red eyes will do it. I used black estaz as the underbody. A big zylon wing to make it looked crippled. Banded Sililegs too.
If they are in the trees and on the water, a ploppy cast near the shore or overhanging limb got any fish nearby's attention. My mistake was tying them up on a #4 hook, intended for carp. The small trout sometimes couldn't eat em, and the bluegills just tried to pull it under and tear it apart. Hooked every bigger trout and largemouth that got to it first, and it was often a race between multiple fish. The hard part wasn't matching the hatch. It was finding the bugs. My advice, drive around until you hear them and then try to find a body of water nearby. It was maybe teh most fun I've ever had dryfly fishing.
If they are in the trees and on the water, a ploppy cast near the shore or overhanging limb got any fish nearby's attention. My mistake was tying them up on a #4 hook, intended for carp. The small trout sometimes couldn't eat em, and the bluegills just tried to pull it under and tear it apart. Hooked every bigger trout and largemouth that got to it first, and it was often a race between multiple fish. The hard part wasn't matching the hatch. It was finding the bugs. My advice, drive around until you hear them and then try to find a body of water nearby. It was maybe teh most fun I've ever had dryfly fishing.
