17 Year Cicada. Brood 14.....

Gonna be some tubby fish after all is said and done.

Just checked out a couple websites on the emergence. Looks like south central PA will be right in the heart of the emergence. If it is anything like the emergence from 2004 of a different variety, it will mean some great fishing! I remember catching smallmouths who were bursting with cicadas. Might have to buy a few lures to imitate the things for this years hatch!

Anyone seeing any yet?

Saw a few on saturday....

I was in SCPA i talked with some guys on friday who showed me a few pics of MONSTER cicada from that day...

Any links to tieing these imitations or what a good imitation fly to tie would be...?

gentlemen,
     From my limited experience I'd advise fishing big wooly surface bugs close to shore and overhanging brush, especially over a deep hole.  I don't have a reference for the fly but a western circada tie should work well.  I used to use a large muddler and dress it so it stayed on the surface, till a friend gave me some special circada ties.  Wish I was there to try the "J" or the Bald Eagle at/below Port Matilda.  Good luck, , ,  post pix please.

They are here!! 
 
I was out on the Little J last evening and saw probably close to 20 of the buggers.  I didn't see any on the water though.  From everything I understand, they get very active in hot weather, the next week here might be pretty good.  I think tomorrow I may give them a shot finally, just start tossing them to the banks and see what happens.

They are hatching lightly here in Stafford, VA. Not sure if they will be a big enough hatch to make the fishing any better though. I hear they are supposed to hatch heavily in south central PA. When I am up there next week, I hope they are thick! I will be ready...

Even though they damage trees with their egg laying and tree sap sucking, many biologists feel that trees have adapted to this and the burrowing habits of their nyphms help ariate the soil and their sap sucking habits may actually help the trees. I do know smallies love them as well as trout. I have seen everything from turkeys to grey squirrels stuffing themselves on them. In 2004 when the last big hatch came off here in VA, a friend of mine found a copperhead that had eaten so many it actually killed itself. All I know is, the birds, mammals and fish all have full bellies for a month or two. In the end, when they all die, their rotting carcasses help to fertilize the forest floor...

I was working in a fly shop when the 2002 batch hit around Indiana.  There were some big fish caught that summer let me tell you.
 
One gentleman was buying flies every other night as he was loosing them to big fish (24"+ browns).  After a few days of constant tying for him, I tied a few for myself and took a ride up.  I had a good night or two.  ;o)
 
For the pattern, go with a 3xl, 1x heavy hook, tie in a piece of black foam for the butt, wrap up a body of yarn or chenille that has been treted with waterproofing, pull over the back and tie down to make an amdomen.  Tie in one set of rubber legs (half an X on either side, wrap some chenille, then another X of rubber legs, fold over back and tie in for thorax.  Next tie in 4 duck feathers, 2 each side, for wings.  If you have them dyed orange all the better.  I was using orange permanent marker.  Tie in one orange and one white per side with orange on top.  Lastly make a little bulge of the foam back for the head and tie off.  They work great as they sit flush in the film (the chenille and hook pull down but the foam holds it up).  If it floats high in the film the fish get selective and won't take.  They are easier to tie than der hair, but if you like deer hair you could do some damage with a spun black bug.
 
thanks
rick

I checked Spring Creek out this morning around 10:00. When a cicada would hit the water it was eaten in no time.So I grabed my fly rod and changed my leader to a 2x tipit.Tied on a foam black and orange Cicada and begand to catch fish left and right.I got one rainbow about 18" and the rest were smaller browns. Fishing was good for about 2 hrs. Going to try it after 6:00 to see if they are working again.
 
Bill from up on the hill

I fished the Cicada on Saturday for about 1/2 hour while at a family reunion. I caught a few Chubs, missed a Trout & caught a monster of 16" in a slow pool with a deadfall. Before that I was feeding live ones to Trout in a different stretch. Jeebus- I never saw such explosive rises.
All of this was on a stream where a real trophy is 12". That 16" fish was a nice treat. Sadly my wife had walked off with the camera about 2 minutes before the big dude took.
It was fabulous fishing & I may just do it again this week for a whole day if I can break away. See if that big dude will rise again.

has anyone fished spring creek this week & if you did
are the cicadas still there, I am thinking about going to camp
tomorrow & was wondering if I should fish the little j on the way
to camp or just go to camp. I have fished the  little j twice this
week & did fair but lots of people & the fish are getting a little
spooky