Effects of cicadas on fishing ?

[Bird]

I'm in WV for a week fishing a 2500 acre lake " Jennings Randolph " and never in my life have I've seen cicadas this dense. 

They are flopping all over the surface of this deep clear lake. 

 

It's got me wondering what kind of week to expect with this abundant food source. 

Maybe I should use the cicada for bait or replicate them.....buzzbait, WP. ?

Any experience fishing amongst the HORDES of these critters ?

[HaydenS]

@Bluebasser86 said the topwater bite when the last big cicada hatch happened, was unreal.  Something with a little bit of chop, plopper, buzzbait, jitterbug.  

[WVU-SCPA]

17 years ago I had some outings I hope to match again another time in life fly fishing for trout.  100+ fish a day when they were dropping in the stream.

 

I don't see why bass wouldn't have the same mentality of reckless abandonment the trout did 17 years ago.  

 

Funny thing is they haven't made an appearance in the same locations.......yet.

[fin]

I used to have a cicada jitterbug, but I don't think that's the right action. Something like a tiny torpedo is probably closer.

 

I had a cicada land on my head when I was fishing. I didn't realize it was there. I felt something crawling on my head. I reached up there and felt that big ol' thing and it freaked me out. I swiped it off my head and it landed in the water and buzzed around on the surface for a minute or so before flying off. It looked great in the water. If it had stayed there much longer, I'm sure something would have hit it.

[Maico1]

Been using Megabass Siglett and Grand Siglett they are bass candy.....

[CountryboyinDC]

I've been out a few places around here and I've seen one member of Brood X after another fall into the water, do the terminal backstroke, and generate no interest from fish of any species.  It's a huge letdown.  I had high hopes.  Especially since you can't walk down a sidewalk without hearing a crunch, crunch underfoot.  

[georgeyew]

I pulled cicadas slowly across the top of the water a few weeks back and got a couple of nice sized bass. But overall, I think that all the bass and panfish are stuffing themselves with the easy meals. If you have a small lure that looks similar to a cicada, I am sure it will do well.

[TOXIC]

Trout feast on the mayfly hatch, smallmouth in Michigan are now feasting on the “fish fly” hatch on St Clair (which are actually mayflies I think) but the difference might be that those are annual events and I’m sure the fish are conditioned to feed.  The Brood X event is a 17 year event which would make me think that no bass swimming today was around when the last event happened and they would hit anything on the surface that was buzzing but not be in a feeding frenzy.  I’m sure they naturally feed on cicadas that happen to fall in the water. 

[flyfisher]

I am just outside of the major hatch but i have buddies who are absolutely killing it on cicada flies and the biggest culprit...huge carp.  I might drive a few hours west next week and see if i can get in on the action.

[Bird]

Did well this morning on WP 90, mostly smallmouth. 

Thanks for the replies. 

[moguy1973]

The problem I see with the brood hatches of cicadas is the fish eat like kings so they have no interest in anything you throw mimicking a cicada that has fallen into the water because they are full.  Years with normal cicadas would be better I think because it would be more of a random occurrence of one falling in the water.

 

[flyfisher]

1 hour ago, moguy1973 said:

The problem I see with the brood hatches of cicadas is the fish eat like kings so they have no interest in anything you throw mimicking a cicada that has fallen into the water because they are full.  Years with normal cicadas would be better I think because it would be more of a random occurrence of one falling in the water.

 

you would think but i have been out when they are all over and the fish are absolutely gorging themselves.  They aren't picky, they look for the splat and attack.  Carp on the other hand will take a look at the fly for what seems like an eternity and then, slurp and the fight is on.....man this really makes me want to head out there.

[Smells like fish]

22 hours ago, Maico1 said:

Been using Megabass Siglett and Grand Siglett they are bass candy.....

That’s a great looking box! Even @Jim Sutter would be envious lol. By any chance how do you compare these in action and quality to Heddon crazy crawler? I imagine these are half the size of a Jackall Pompadour? 

[Smells like fish]

For those interested Cabelas has a couple colors of Sigletts on clearance from $17 down to $10.88