Cicada Apocalypse

[jlb6]

We’re supposed to experience some form of super cicada event this year in IL where the 13 and 17 year broods both emerge at the same time. Out of curiosity just wondering what you may think this could do to the fishing? There isn’t a ton of info out there and I don’t think I’ve personally experienced cicadas impacted a season….but it’s supposed to be a ridiculous amount of them this year. 

[padlin]

I read an article about this just a couple days ago, looks like IL is the place to be if you want to hear them. I imagine this will be a great year for birds and bass, maybe not so for bass fishermen, let us know.

[detroit1]

I don't remember who makes it, but i have a cicada surface lure that looks / acts like a jitterbug. The "bib" is clear and the body looks realish i guess. It's all hard plastic. Tested only - really don't fish crawlers.

[softwateronly]

I remember the 2007 hatch being incredibly noisy and remarkable.  I wasn't fishing nearly as much back then, but I remember other, lesser hatches, being a non stop feeding fest for nearly every living thing.  Cicadas are free dumb protein.   I'd expect the bass to be looking up more often.

 

scott

[A-Jay]

Stock up on windshield wash . . . . 

 

A-Jay

[Smells like fish]

3 hours ago, detroit1 said:

I don't remember who makes it, but i have a cicada surface lure that looks / acts like a jitterbug. The "bib" is clear and the body looks realish i guess. It's all hard plastic. Tested only - really don't fish crawlers.

Fred Arbogast Hocus Locust… I have a couple larger versions by another maker too

[WRB]

Megabass makes it $$

Tom

[GRiver]

I had the pleasure of witnessing a large cicada hatch one time. When I was running around in Central America, it was extremely loud. 

[scaleface]

Bass love cicadas. 

[Logan S]

We've had the big cicada hatches here in MD twice while I've been heavily bass fishing...about 19-20 years ago and again a couple years ago.  

 

Honestly, the fishing wasn't really any different.  I caught fish on topwater when there were some cicadas on the water....but in late May and June the topwater bite is pretty good anyway.  Those cicada crawler baits have the right look, but their movement and action doesn't really mimic what the cicadas do.  They just sit on the water and buzz their wings every so often... A small prop bait worked with very long pauses would be a more accurate presentation.  

 

Sorry to potentially burst a bubble... It's a pretty interesting thing to witness regardless.  

[Bird]

13 minutes ago, Logan S said:

We've had the big cicada hatches here in MD twice while I've been heavily bass fishing...about 19-20 years ago and again a couple years ago.  

 

Honestly, the fishing wasn't really any different.  I caught fish on topwater when there were some cicadas on the water....but in late May and June the topwater bite is pretty good anyway.  Those cicada crawler baits have the right look, but their movement and action doesn't really mimic what the cicadas do.  They just sit on the water and buzz their wings every so often... A small prop bait worked with very long pauses would be a more accurate presentation.  

 

Sorry to potentially burst a bubble... It's a pretty interesting thing to witness regardless.  

My experience as well.

Was fishing Jennings Randolph on the WV/MD line just a few years ago, biggest hatch I've ever seen.

[Choporoz]

I seem to recall one or both everythingthatswins brothers destroying the field in a tournament by focusing on a cicada bite.  Unfortunately, I do not remember what they were using.

[fin]

We had an event here a few years ago and I saw one cicada land in the water right in front of me. It was like an electric vibrator in the water, making a lot of noise and sending ripples out from it. I've never seen any lure come close to the amount of action that thing had, but it sat there in the water struggling for a long time and never got bit.

 

I also had a cicada zoom into my head and get caught in my hair. That was memorable. It'll wake you up better than a cup of coffee.

[scaleface]

Anybody remember those Chuck Woolery lures , that had a string ? When it landed on the water it would sit there and vibrate just like a cicada. I have one of those lures someplace, might have to dig it out for this years swarm.

[gim]

I have to imagine if you are able to fish right when the apocalypse is emerging that it would be pretty good.

 

After it has been going on for a while, the fish won’t eat much anymore because they’re stuffed with cicada buffet. Would you keep eating after you went to the buffet?

 

We have annual bug hatches up here every season and some of them are of biblical proportions. The fish gorge on them. Usually the bite is not very good. The truck and boat get nasty too with dead bugs.

[casts_by_fly]

We had a mega hatch when I was in college and working in a fly shop. Must have been 2004 or so. I wasn’t bass fishing at the time but I can tell you that every fish in every stream around was eating them. Trout were the biggie for us but carp and bass in the creeks would annihilate them. At first they would eat anything even close to one. A plain black foam chunk was close enough. After a week they got more selective and the other guy that worked there and I would tie up our best attempts. That’s all we’d do all day- tie up cicada patterns and sell them. 
 

a small black jitterbug will get you close for a start. A hula popper would too. If you find a tree with them around your lake, fish it. The fish will key in on them when the hatch is heavy. 

[TnRiver46]

I’ve lived thru 3-4 of these, the only thing that changes is carp actually bite 

[the reel ess]

Bass like them. Buzz a Torpedo or Jitterbug early and late.

[heavyduty]

4 hours ago, Choporoz said:

I seem to recall one or both everythingthatswins brothers destroying the field in a tournament by focusing on a cicada bite.  Unfortunately, I do not remember what they were using.

Daiwa Evergreen Gizmo Floating Jig. Was sold out everywhere after that video came out.

[A-Jay]

9 minutes ago, heavyduty said:

Daiwa Evergreen Gizmo Floating Jig. Was sold out everywhere after that video came out.

I managed to score some pink ones soon after that.

Turned them black with a sharpie.

During the local big fly hatch in June - they get a few.

A-Jay

[fin]

5 hours ago, scaleface said:

Anybody remember those Chuck Woolery lures , that had a string ? When it landed on the water it would sit there and vibrate just like a cicada.

 

Go to the 2 minute mark to hear the sound. That's exactly what a cicada in the water sounds like.

[FrnkNsteen]

16 hours ago, fin said:

 

Go to the 2 minute mark to hear the sound. That's exactly what a cicada in the water sounds like.

LOL! I had completely forgotten about those!

[detroit1]

A buddy of mine gave me 2 of those lures - the frog and that surface popper/minnow.  I have never taken them out of their packaging.

[Smells like fish]

On 1/27/2024 at 12:34 PM, scaleface said:

Anybody remember those Chuck Woolery lures , that had a string ? When it landed on the water it would sit there and vibrate just like a cicada. I have one of those lures someplace, might have to dig it out for this years swarm.

I bought 5-6 of those new in box at a yard sale few years back, yank the string and they get with it!!!

[FishTank]

Megabass Siglett and Nano Siglett.  Both were good baits for me last year.  Bad thing with this bait, bass can eat them whole. Definitely a fun bait to fish though.