I get asked the question all of the time what’s my favorite place to fly fish?
Some may find it weird but I always have a hard time answering that question. I’ve had the opportunity to fly fish so many unique and beautiful places in my life that there’s no way I could settle on one place as my sole favorite. If you’re wanting a quick answer, a much better question to ask me would what’s my favorite hatch to fly fish. I’d have no problem giving you a straight answer on this question. If I could spend all my time traveling around and planning out my fly fishing for one specific hatch it would be for the periodic cicada hatches that occur along the Eastern United States.
In 2000, I got to experience fly fishing the periodic cicada hatch for the first time in my life. The hatch happened to occur around my home waters and for one and a half months straight, I got to experience the heavenliness of strictly fishing giant foam cicada patterns on the surface. I’d never seen a hatch have so much effect on my resident fish and I’d never witnessed such epic dry fly fishing. Day after day, my buddies and I landed trophy after trophy on cicadas. We also were educated on just how many big resident fish we really had swimming around in our home waters (cicadas get all fish to come out and feed). The amount of food that a periodic cicada hatch provides an ecosystem is insane. Some scholars claim that the food value of a periodic cicada hatch is equivalent to an Alaskan salmon run. Have no doubts, the cicada has the power to convince the smartest and biggest fish to drop their guard and come out and feed for several weeks with total recklessness 24 hours a day.
You don’t have to be an expert fly fisherman to find success fishing a cicada hatch. It’s probably the least technical hatch I’ve ever fished. All you need to do is get yourself a good cicada fly pattern and fish it on waters where the hatch is occurring. The only thing you really need to know is go big with your tippet (2X-3X) and don’t be too quick on your hook sets. Below are some of my favorite cicada patterns.
Cicada Fly Patterns – My Favorites
If I could only have one cicada in my fly box this is the one it would be. It’s super durable, floats like a cork and has a unique popper style head that gives you the ability to call the fish in from long distances. I give props to the creator of this fly who hit the center of the bulls eye. Yeager’s Neversink Cicada Popper
Looking for a cicada pattern that has a strong wide gap hook suitable for tackling a wide range fish species? Brasso’s Babygirl Cicada fits the bill and would be my number two choice among all the cicada patterns out there.
This super realistic cicada pattern from Montana Fly Company is just too cool not to have in your fly box. If you do happen to find yourself in a situation where the fish are being really picky, this pattern is sure to get the job done for you. Try fishing it on the calmer sections of water where the fish have the luxury of time to examine your cicada pattern to the real thing. I like to hit mine with a black sharpie marker to match it to the naturals better.
I couldn’t round out my cicada pattern list without providing at least on Dave Whitlock recipe. He’s a personal hero of mine, and his periodic cicada caught me a lot of big fish during the year of 2000 on my home waters. This spent cicada pattern is dynamite. You will get some twist from the spent wings so make sure you go heavy with your tippet and limit false casting.
That’s my fly list to get you ready if you’re planning on fishing a periodic cicada hatch. This year, the “Brood II” cicadas will be hatching by the billions from Georgia to New York. I’ve already heard reports of the hatch occurring in some areas. Take advantage of this rare hatch if you can. Several years go by in between hatches. There’s lots of maps and information out there to help you figure out where the cicadas will be hatching. The hatch is triggered by soil temperature. Most scientists agree that when soil temperatures reach 64 degrees (approximately 8 inches below the ground surface) that’s when the cicada larva will emerge from their dens. We hope to see you on the water during the amazing fishing and rare hatch.
Keep it Reel,
Kent Klewein Gink & Gasoline www.ginkandgasoline.com hookups@ginkandgasoline.com Sign Up For Our Weekly Newsletter!
I have a simpler, proven patter than slayed fish during the 2008 Brood XIV emergence in central PA.
check yer email.
Dave,
Thanks for the pattern suggestion. I will have to tie some of these bad boys out. Thanks man.
Kent
What type of cicada hatch action do you think we will see in GA – as I’m not sure how far down South they arrive… said as I would love to toss some of those fatty cicada flys… fingers crossed.
Kristian,
It’s still up in the air. If they show up it should be very high numbers. Sometimes however, they will show up in pockets not widespread across the state. I will talk about it if they show up.
Kent
Curious if you’ve heard or heard of any buzzing up in N.GA yet? I noticed reports from Unicoi State Park and from Cleveland, GA but this info is hard to come by…
Thanks,
Mark
Mark,
Nothing by me in Blue Ridge or Ellijay yet. It’s a little warmer there so they may have started there. I’ve mostly heard they are on in VA.
Keep praying they show up by us.
Kent
If only they would show up when they’re supposed to!!! I hate being teased!
Justin,
You said it. If they don’t show up around here I will be heart broken.
Kent
Great blog with a lot of interesting information.
I just started with my blog – about shore fishing in Norway – check if anyone interested!
http://norwayshorefishing.com/
Cheers
Mario
Thanks for the great article Kent. Any suggestions on where I can buy some of these patters?
Gary,
Try google searching the specific fly name. Also, I would also try calling a couple big fly shops across the country (ex. The Fly Shop) and see if you can buy from them and they can ship to you. Let me know if there’s a specific pattern you are looking for and I will try to find it for you.
Kent
Thanks very much Kent. I am particularly interested in Yeager’s Neversink Cicada Popper. I’ve scoured the web but can’t find anyone selling them. I see them under Idylwilde. I’ll start looking for some of their dealers.
Contact them and they could probably tell you some retailers they sold those to.
Kent
Have an email into them. Will follow up here in case anyone else is interested. Thanks again.
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Great blog…I have followed them as well since 1999 when I got into my first hatch and have been into 4 major swarms since them. Doesn’t get any better. I tie my own pattern but would be interrested Gary if you do locate the Yeagers Neversink…Thanks….Rick Heim
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I reside in the PNW but will be visiting in Hagerstown, MD which is far western MD along the Patomac R. on the W. VA line and not far from PA either. Will these bugs be still in abundance in Mid June to early July when I will be there? And if so, where are these patterns available for sale? Thanks, James
Cicadas are all over central Virginia right now and everything is going nuts over them!