Penns and Cicadas
 

This year is the year of the 17 year cicada brood XIV. Why do I
care? Well, it just so happens one of the core areas of brood XIV is
CENTER COUNTY PA!!! http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/fa.../BroodXIV.html

And guess what? They're starting to emerge right now so by the time
Penns rolls around, it should be cicada heaven. Big fish going after
big orange and black bugs to big for the tiddlers to gulp down. This
should be like the green drake hatch on steroids, lasting all day. No
sitting around for the evening spinner fall. So bring your cicada
patterns and be ready and forwarned.
Frank Reid

Penns and Cicadas
 

This year is the year of the 17 year cicada brood XIV. *Why do I
care? *Well, it just so happens one of the core areas of brood XIV is
CENTER COUNTY PA!!! *http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/fa...s/Periodical/B...

By the way, anyone know where I can buy some cicada patterns? Looked
at all of the usual suspects and couldn't find much.
Frank Reid

Penns and Cicadas
 

On May 5, 1:27 pm, Frank Reid wrote:
This year is the year of the 17 year cicada brood XIV. Why do I
care? Well, it just so happens one of the core areas of brood XIV is
CENTER COUNTY PA!!! http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/fa...s/Periodical/B...

By the way, anyone know where I can buy some cicada patterns? Looked
at all of the usual suspects and couldn't find much.
Frank Reid


At the big hatch in 2004, I was having fine luck with carp using a big
black popper with legs, like a #2. Make a huge splash when you cast
them, and creep them slowly rather than chug them. Even the normally-
skittish monsters were coming up to take a bite. Easiest fishing for
five and ten pound fish I've ever seen.

Penns and Cicadas
 

Frank Reid wrote:
This year is the year of the 17 year cicada brood XIV. Why do I
care? Well, it just so happens one of the core areas of brood XIV is
CENTER COUNTY PA!!! http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/fa.../BroodXIV.html

And guess what? They're starting to emerge right now so by the time
Penns rolls around, it should be cicada heaven. Big fish going after
big orange and black bugs to big for the tiddlers to gulp down. This
should be like the green drake hatch on steroids, lasting all day. No
sitting around for the evening spinner fall. So bring your cicada
patterns and be ready and forwarned.
Frank Reid

and, speaking of bringing things to penns...have y'all done away with
the raffle or do i need to scurry about for my pitiful contribution?

jeff (wondering where the pig hat sits now)

Penns and Cicadas
 

and, speaking of bringing things to penns...have y'all done away with
the raffle or do i need to scurry about for my pitiful contribution?

jeff (wondering where the pig hat sits now)

Well, it's too far for me to haul the gear for my unlamented barley
stew. Don't think there's a raffle either.
Frank Reid

Penns and Cicadas
 

On Mon, 5 May 2008 09:56:25 -0700 (PDT), Frank Reid
wrote:

And guess what? They're starting to emerge right now so by the time
Penns rolls around, it should be cicada heaven. Big fish going after
big orange and black bugs to big for the tiddlers to gulp down. This
should be like the green drake hatch on steroids, lasting all day. No
sitting around for the evening spinner fall. So bring your cicada
patterns and be ready and forwarned.

No waiting. No line. So sitting on the grass looking for the first
bug to come off. NYMPH the f&%$#~$!

Dave

Penns and Cicadas
 

Frank Reid wrote:

And guess what? They're starting to emerge right now so by the time
Penns rolls around, it should be cicada heaven. Big fish going after
big orange and black bugs to big for the tiddlers to gulp down. This
should be like the green drake hatch on steroids, lasting all day. No
sitting around for the evening spinner fall. So bring your cicada
patterns and be ready and forwarned.
Frank Reid

I'm not intending to rain on your parade, but just to offer some
perspective:

A massive hatch, especially of huge bugs, has a downside. While it can
be furious action for awhile, the fish quickly get stuffed and stop
feeding. They'll eventually start up again, but it takes patience to
wait them out.

There's also the problem of getting them to pay attention to your
artificial in an abundance of naturals. (This is somewhat ironic with
respect to cicadas, because it's believed that the 17-year and 13-year
life cycle of some cicadas is meant to overwhelm predators with so many
bugs at once that they can't keep up, and that the prime numbers -- 17
and 13 -- enhance this effect by keeping the hatch "out of phase" with
the predator life cycles.)

I've seen this phenomenon with spinner falls of brown drakes (at Silver
Creek) and caddis (on the Middle Fork of the Salmon). I've seen
millions of spent bugs in the water, collecting in dense mats in the
eddies, and not a fish to be had.

If you wait until evening, well after the spinner fall, you can get good
action, but flogging the water covered with dead and dying bugs while
the fish are digesting is futile.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

Penns and Cicadas
 

"rw" wrote


be furious action for awhile, the fish quickly get stuffed and stop
feeding. They'll eventually start up again, but it takes patience to wait
them out.



I've seen this with Green Drakes on the HFork and Salmon flies on a couple
rivers ... bugs on the water everywhere but no fish to be seen, they're
simply stuffed ... I would think ( spelled g-u-e-s-s ) that with cicadas it
might not be as likely as with aquatic insects ... there may be billions of
them around, but how many on the water ?

Penns and Cicadas
 

be furious action for awhile, the fish quickly get stuffed and stop
feeding. They'll eventually start up again, but it takes patience to wait
them out.

I've seen this with Green Drakes on the HFork * and Salmon flies on a couple
rivers ... bugs on the water everywhere but no fish to be seen, they're
simply stuffed ... I would think ( spelled g-u-e-s-s ) that with cicadas it
might not be as likely as with aquatic insects ... there may be billions of
them around, but how many on the water ?


The action I saw in Maryland in 2004 was pretty awesome. One bug
would float down the river evey 10 minutes or so and the fish in the
pools would go nuts till a big fish came up to chomp on it. By then,
its legs and wings were gone, eaten by the smaller fish. I should
make a fly that has hooks instead of legs. I could haul fish out all
day long, just like the spin fishermen. Then again, it would be
illegal in most places.
Frank Reid

Penns and Cicadas
 

"rw" wrote





life cycle of some cicadas is meant to overwhelm predators with so many
bugs at once that they can't keep up, and


It appears (we humans love to force 'reason' onto things, don't we ? ) that
bugs have two main tactics ... cicada, salmon fly, style huge hatches over a
short time period "designed" to overwhelm predator appetites and the baetis,
pmd, most caddis type moderate daily hatches spread over long periods
'designed" to avoid the dangers of bad weather that might be in effect on
any given day the two types tied to 'big' and 'little' bugs to a
degree, it being harder for a few 'big' bugs to avoid being noticed each day


As a hatch hunting fly fisher I far prefer the latter type bug survival
strategy and the types of hatches they provide ... PMDs every day for a
couple months being, to my mind. far better than Salmon Flies 4 days ( on a
given section of water ) a year

IME, most of the big name, big bug, big crowd drawing, hatches are overrated
.... unless social event is the main reason to go fishing ( not that there's
anything wrong with that ;-)

Penns and Cicadas
 

"Frank Reid" wrote

would float down the river evey 10 minutes or so and the fish in the
pools




that sounds close to 'perfect' ... enough bugs to get everyone "looking up"
and bugs big enough to interest B.B. Brown, but without too many bugs and
the resulting post-Thanksgiving-dinner-like feeling in Mr Brown's tummy ..

Penns and Cicadas
 

I fished the one in 2004 and never saw a trout rise to one, on the other
hand carp and bass liked them..


--
sandfly

sandfly/bob
flyfishing instructor, tying and shop owner
http://tinyurl.com/3x53lq
N.J.B.B.A.2215
formally bucks now tioga co. pa.
there's a fine between sane and Insane !

I did not escape----They gave me a day pass !!
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Penns and Cicadas
 

"Frank Reid" wrote in message
...

By the way, anyone know where I can buy some cicada patterns? Looked
at all of the usual suspects and couldn't find much.
Frank Reid

possibly, because no specific pattern is really necessary.
The fish feed on cicadas opportunistically, never seeing enough of them to
get the details locked in, I suspect.
Anyhow, fussing over patterns will not result in anything more successful
than a large cricket or other chunky, dark floating fly that can land with
an obvious "plop".
Tom

Penns and Cicadas
 

IME, most of the big name, big bug, big crowd drawing, hatches are overrated
... unless social event is the main reason to go fishing ( *not that there's
anything wrong with that ;-)

One advantage of the salmonfly hatch on the Madison is finding a bunch
of guys from Maryland, one of which was an excellent home brewer.
Ended up taking an extended nap in my car because of him.
Frank Reid

Penns and Cicadas
 

Tom Littleton wrote:
"Frank Reid" wrote in message
...

By the way, anyone know where I can buy some cicada patterns? Looked
at all of the usual suspects and couldn't find much.
Frank Reid

possibly, because no specific pattern is really necessary.
The fish feed on cicadas opportunistically, never seeing enough of them to
get the details locked in, I suspect.
Anyhow, fussing over patterns will not result in anything more successful
than a large cricket or other chunky, dark floating fly that can land with
an obvious "plop".
Tom



so, i should bring some western salmonfly patterns just for sport?

Penns and Cicadas
 

On May 6, 5:51*am, jeff miller wrote:
Tom Littleton wrote:
"Frank Reid" wrote in message
...

By the way, anyone know where I can buy some cicada patterns? *Looked
at all of the usual suspects and couldn't find much.
Frank Reid

possibly, because no specific pattern is really necessary.
The fish feed on cicadas opportunistically, never seeing enough of them to
get the details locked in, I suspect.
Anyhow, fussing over patterns will not result in anything more successful
than a large cricket or other chunky, dark floating fly that can land with
an obvious "plop".
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Tom

so, i should bring some western salmonfly patterns just for sport?- Hide quoted text -

That's what I'm doing. I've got some salmonfly patterns that I will
hit with a magic marker to give it the black and orange banding on the
cicada abdomen.
Frank Reid

Penns and Cicadas
 

I don't think there are going to be enough of them on the water to
interest the fish that much........Don't over look the march brown
grey fox sulphurs and caddis along with a couple bwo
variantes........Thats what you will be fishing 99 percent of the time
unless of course the drake happens...............

Penns and Cicadas
 

On May 6, 8:36*am, Mike wrote:
I don't think there are going to be enough of them on the water to
interest the fish that much........Don't over look the march brown
grey fox sulphurs and caddis along with a couple bwo
variantes........Thats what you will be fishing 99 percent of the time
unless of course the drake happens...............

Good point. I did email Jonas to find out if he had any cicada
patterns. He does. He also mentioned that he misses my wallet.
Frank Reid

Penns and Cicadas
 

On May 6, 9:43*am, Frank Reid wrote:
On May 6, 8:36*am, Mike wrote:

I don't think there are going to be enough of them on the water to
interest the fish that much........Don't over look the march brown
grey fox sulphurs and caddis along with a couple bwo
variantes........Thats what you will be fishing 99 percent of the time
unless of course the drake happens...............

Good point. *I did email Jonas to find out if he had any cicada
patterns. *He does. *He also mentioned that he misses my wallet.
Frank Reid

Frank fear not the hatch wont happen until early to mid June according
to the older guys I've talked to over the past few weeks. Ps: "You
should have been here yesterday" the March Brown spinner fall was
great! I think I will do it again tonight, I just have to run up to
Coburn for some flies ;

Penns and Cicadas
 

I guess he would from 4 or 5 times a year to once a years.........Saw
some cicadas when we stopped in in april.......When you popping in to
clave central........Hell I done forgot when anyone was showing
up........

Penns and Cicadas
 

I don't think there are going to be enough of them on the water to
interest the fish that much........Don't over look the march brown
grey fox sulphurs and caddis along with a couple bwo
variantes........Thats what you will be fishing 99 percent of the time
unless of course the drake happens...............

Good point. *I did email Jonas to find out if he had any cicada
patterns. *He does. *He also mentioned that he misses my wallet.
Frank Reid

Frank fear not the hatch wont happen until early to mid June according
to the older guys I've talked to over the past few weeks. Ps: "You
should have been here yesterday" the March Brown spinner fall was
great! I think I will do it again tonight, I just have to run up to
Coburn for some flies ;

Check your friggen answering machine ya idjit. Called you first.
By the way, when I left for Penns in 2004, they were all over the
place in Maryland. On the way back, I had to roll up the windows and
put the radio on high to drown 'em out going done 95.
Frank Reid

Penns and Cicadas
 

On May 6, 7:12*pm, Mike wrote:
I guess he would from 4 or 5 times a year to once a years.........Saw
some cicadas when we stopped in in april.......When you popping in to
clave central........Hell I done forgot when anyone was showing
up........

Will be there sometime on Saturday the 17th.
Frank Reid

Penns and Cicadas
 

and, speaking of bringing things to penns...have y'all done away with
the raffle or do i need to scurry about for my pitiful contribution?

jeff (wondering where the pig hat sits now)

I think we've done away with the raffle.
Joel

Penns and Cicadas
 

Mike wrote:
.Hell I done forgot when anyone was showing
up........


mark and i are doing our annual camping trip the end of next week...i'll
get there either sunday (18) or monday (19) afternoon. y'all go easy on
miller's run til i get there...

jeff

Penns and Cicadas
 

Joel *DFD* wrote:

and, speaking of bringing things to penns...have y'all done away with
the raffle or do i need to scurry about for my pitiful contribution?

jeff (wondering where the pig hat sits now)


I think we've done away with the raffle.
Joel


good enough...i trust we'll still have the pub crawl? ...and the amish
or penn state ecdysiast tour?

jeff

Penns and Cicadas
 

Frank, I know you called thanks... I was just busting your stones
about getting the patterns someplace other than my shop. A friend who
has lived on the creek for many years said this "Be prepared in every
way this is a once in a life time event for anyone over 55". Ps: the
March Brown hatch is in full swing right now on the lower water.
See you when you get here.
Later

Penns and Cicadas
 

On May 7, 10:55*am, Softhackle wrote:
Frank, I know you called thanks... I was just busting your stones
about getting the patterns someplace other than my shop. A friend who
has lived on the creek for many years said this "Be prepared in every
way this is a once in a life time event for anyone over 55". *Ps: the
March Brown hatch is in full swing right now on the lower water.
See you when you get here.
Later

Well, since your shop opened and I moved away, Jonas is hurtin' for
cash... :-0
Frank Reid

Penns and Cicadas
 

"jeff miller" wrote in message
. ..
Mike wrote:
.Hell I done forgot when anyone was showing
up........


mark and i are doing our annual camping trip the end of next week...i'll
get there either sunday (18) or monday (19) afternoon. y'all go easy on
miller's run til i get there...

jeff

Miller's Run, What's that? Something to do with eating at the Milheim every
night? I seem to remember a tale about running off in the woods and using a
T-Shirt to clean up something. Any connections?

I'm not sure what the parking lot hole is called these days, you know, the
one above the Cherry Run cabin (or at least last I remember before losing
the feeling in my legs mid-hatch)? I'll be sure to save all of my fishing
there until you arrive LOL....and no Rum and Coke's in the hot sun (a
lesson well learned that day, at least to dilute them a little bit more than
50/50). I actually may take the boys there the few days leading up into
the Clave so hopefully Daniel's & Matthew's Run will be appropriate.

BTW I tried to get the Cherry Run Cabin this Spring, but it's all booked up.
I do have it for July 4th week, but the fishing will be a bit more
challenging by then.

The Finn

Penns and Cicadas
 

"Dave LaCourse" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 5 May 2008 09:56:25 -0700 (PDT), Frank Reid
wrote:

And guess what? They're starting to emerge right now so by the time
Penns rolls around, it should be cicada heaven. Big fish going after
big orange and black bugs to big for the tiddlers to gulp down. This
should be like the green drake hatch on steroids, lasting all day. No
sitting around for the evening spinner fall. So bring your cicada
patterns and be ready and forwarned.

No waiting. No line. So sitting on the grass looking for the first
bug to come off. NYMPH the f&%$#~$!

Dave



Ahh yes....a Penn's professional for sure. At least Nymph it until your
shoulder is tired of catching fish, then take it easy for the hatch...

Penns and Cicadas
 

"Frank Reid" wrote in message
...
This year is the year of the 17 year cicada brood XIV. Why do I
care? Well, it just so happens one of the core areas of brood XIV is
CENTER COUNTY PA!!!
http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/fa.../BroodXIV.html

And guess what? They're starting to emerge right now so by the time
Penns rolls around, it should be cicada heaven. Big fish going after
big orange and black bugs to big for the tiddlers to gulp down. This
should be like the green drake hatch on steroids, lasting all day. No
sitting around for the evening spinner fall. So bring your cicada
patterns and be ready and forwarned.
Frank Reid

I think that late June was the timeline for the most activity around here in
2004. I had quite a collection of the loud a#% bugs in the woods behind the
house. They did emerge from the ground right before the May Clave that year
but there were not mature enough to fly, or do much at all, besides hang in
the treetops, until Mid June. Then one day, like turning on a light, or,
maybe more appropriately, like turning on a chainsaw, it turned into a type
of Cicada Madness. The loud, piercing sounds of their song in unison from
about 9:00 a.m. into the evening was a bit un-nerving. If you dared to walk
around the yard during that time you were bound to have a few bounce off of
your body, almost in mockery of anything that dared invade their territory.

If it's anything like that on Penn's, it will be a rare lifetime event. I'm
hoping the blitz holds out until early July when I return with the family.
Terrestrial fishing is always best that time of year, but I suspect it will
be a bit more fun this summer. We used to tie up flies with a coffee bean
and a hook for the local catch release section that was located right next
to a hatchery. They would take them for Fish Chow and work the water into a
churning frenzy. I suspect Penn's may be similar on a good breezy day.

It should also be a great year for fat trout in the fall......

Regardless it will be good to see one and all yet again at this year's
clave. Expect the Drake, it will happen.

Mike