jlb6 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padlin Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 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. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detroit1 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
softwateronly Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 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 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User A-Jay Posted January 27 Super User Share Posted January 27 Stock up on windshield wash . . . . A-Jay 5 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smells like fish Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 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 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User WRB Posted January 27 Super User Share Posted January 27 Megabass makes it $$ Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GRiver Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 I had the pleasure of witnessing a large cicada hatch one time. When I was running around in Central America, it was extremely loud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User scaleface Posted January 27 Super User Share Posted January 27 Bass love cicadas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan S Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 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. 7 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Bird Posted January 27 Super User Share Posted January 27 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. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Choporoz Posted January 27 Super User Share Posted January 27 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 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. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User scaleface Posted January 27 Super User Share Posted January 27 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. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User gimruis Posted January 27 Super User Share Posted January 27 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User casts_by_fly Posted January 27 Super User Share Posted January 27 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. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted January 27 Global Moderator Share Posted January 27 I’ve lived thru 3-4 of these, the only thing that changes is carp actually bite 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User the reel ess Posted January 27 Super User Share Posted January 27 Bass like them. Buzz a Torpedo or Jitterbug early and late. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heavyduty Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 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. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User A-Jay Posted January 27 Super User Share Posted January 27 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 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fin Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 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. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrnkNsteen Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 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! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
detroit1 Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smells like fish Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 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!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User FishTank Posted January 29 Super User Share Posted January 29 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. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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