John Gillio Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 If you are in one of the 7 counties in Illinois that will have an emergence of the 17 year cicada, you may be in for some good topwater action. The last I saw this in LaSalle county it caused the grass carp in the river to go nuts on black poppers that were drifted to them like dry flies to trout. It was one of the best times I had on the river with the fly rod. I don't know if smallies feel the same way about cicadas as grass carp do, but it could be fun this summer for those who have the opportunity to fish the hatch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev-mo Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 You made me do a double take on this as we had the 17 year cicadas like 6 or so years ago up in this area and out towards Rockford. Must be different groups of them on alternate schedules. Don't recall what the effect on fishing was though. I'm sure somebody does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gillio Posted June 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 You made me do a double take on this as we had the 17 year cicadas like 6 or so years ago up in this area and out towards Rockford. Must be different groups of them on alternate schedules. Don't recall what the effect on fishing was though. I'm sure somebody does. We had it here in 2007. I'll have to look into how that works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gillio Posted June 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 According to the U of I extension there are either three or six species of periodical cicadas, depending on the expert you talk to. These are divided further into different broods, so every year there is an emergence somewhere in Illinois. Henderson and Warren counties will see the majority of them this weekend. Those emerging in the northern counties will appear again in 2024, and is the largest emergence of cicadas anywhere. They say that fish will gorge themselves with them and be hard to catch because of this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev-mo Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 We had it here in 2007. I'll have to look into how that works. That was it! I remember it well as I was camping with my boys (8 & 9 at the time) and they were fascinated! The cicadas were deafening. I had my first encounter at about the same age as them over at Schiller Woods. When the 1990 brood emerged I started calculating how many 17 year cycles I might be able to witness. Kind of weird the stuff you think about and how things bunny trail in your head... "emergence" just got me thinking about The Matrix. The line is something like "calculating from the emergence of one integral anomoly to the next" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dodge Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 They say that fish will gorge themselves with them and be hard to catch because of this. That statement is true. I remember it well. I thought the bite would be HOT but it turned out to be a BAD thing. I suppose if you can be on the river the first couple days of the hatch, then you'll probable experience a magical time. Those damn bugs were so thick that year. I remember standing in the middle of the river fly casting top waters and one of those evil sounding bastages landed on my ear. I through my fly rod in the air and stated smacking myself in the side of the head until I realized that "I THROUGH MY FLY ROD"!!! I ended up finding it a few feet down stream. Luckily at the time the water was low and clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy C Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 Is is a downright fantastic bite for a day or two then it gets really tough. Black and red sneaky Pete's work very well during a hatch. Had a couple of great days drifting big bugs to browns in Missouri a couple of years ago during a 17 year emergence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Gillio Posted June 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 I remember standing in the middle of the river fly casting top waters and one of those evil sounding bastages landed on my ear. I through my fly rod in the air and stated smacking myself in the side of the head until I realized that "I THROUGH MY FLY ROD"!!! I ended up finding it a few feet down stream. Luckily at the time the water was low and clear. You have drawn quite a picture in my mind Terry. That brings back memories of them bouncing off of me and my fly rod. That was not a pleasant experience. Off the subject of insects, I just got back from the weekly Friday evening veranda party at Starved Rock Lodge. The band was The Lizzie Neal Blues Band, from the Rockford area. They were phenomenal. That was a pleasant experience. If you are a music lover and haven't seen them, check them out if you get a chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Buric Posted June 7, 2014 Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 "I through my fly rod in the air and stated smacking myself in the side of the head" That explains a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dodge Posted June 7, 2014 Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 "I through my fly rod in the air and stated smacking myself in the side of the head" That explains a lot You got that right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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