It has begun

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Will Bock

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May 19, 2021, 8:29:02 AM5/19/21
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Daniel Henkelman

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May 20, 2021, 9:22:56 AM5/20/21
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Does anyone have any tips or techniques for fishing the brood X hatch from previous experience? Timing, locations, best target species, etc.? 

I have a handful of cicada patterns tied up and am waiting for the right time to put them to use. I'd imagine smallmouth and largemouth bass would be the best target species once the hatch really starts getting going, maybe in the Tidal Basin, Seneca Creek or the C&O Canal? I'm also thinking a hopper-dropper-type rig would be effective. 

Just looking for some advice, since I'm still new to fishing in the area. 

On Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at 8:29:02 AM UTC-4 TinyTrout wrote:

Fly Fish

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May 20, 2021, 9:39:40 AM5/20/21
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https://youtu.be/LFiNJuVAYyU

The Shenandoah River Keeper just hosted a talk on brood x fishing .  It was informative. 

Everyone on this TPFR listserve should join/donate to the Potomac/Shenandoah River Keeper- it's one organization focused on protecting your home water.

Charlie 

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Jamie Gold

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May 20, 2021, 10:11:48 AM5/20/21
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Charlie

Thanks for posting that link. I attended that talk and it was excellent.

Jamie



Rob Snowhite

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May 20, 2021, 2:52:50 PM5/20/21
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Just walked in the door from fishing a cicada for the first time. Haven't fished them in the past. Plants along the shore were covered in bugs and shells but very few flying and none ending up in the water. Bugs were louder near denser woods. Water was low and kinda gross. Shallows had sunfishes on beds. 

Bluegill would bump it, chase it, and bite it t but nothing got hooked. One largemouth swam up to the fly, opened its mouth, and turned away. The first two snakeheads didn't acknowledge the fly. 

The third snakehead was the highlight of the day. The fish was swimming at the surface (thought it was a grass carp at first) about 10 feet off shore. I would run ahead and land my fly in front or to the side of where the fish was headed. My eyes focused on the fish I nearly rolled my ankle and back cast into several trees. 

I continued this for several hundred feet-running ahead to an opening, casting, run etc. The fish would stop and pause when the fly landed and turned once to look at it and would start swimming again. After several attempts at this the fish finally stopped and inspected the fly up close. A few bubbles came out of its mouth when it bumped the fly. I wobbled the fly and the fish looked at it for a moment then kept going. Thought I was going to have a heart attack. Then I lost view of the fish under a sunken tree. That may have been one of the coolest fishing experiences I've had. 

Adam Harris

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May 20, 2021, 3:21:59 PM5/20/21
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Very interesting.  I'm not sure enough cicadas have emerged yet to really get the action going.  They're out in our neighborhood, but not the crazy numbers so far.  Was thinking of trying out Dyke Marsh this weekend with one of your fine cicada flies.  

Jeff Cook

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May 20, 2021, 3:45:32 PM5/20/21
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FYI, I just learned the new park concessionaire at Belle Haven has decided to lock the bathrooms near the boat launch to non-paying “customers”, so Dyke Marsh would be affected.


MOn May 20, 2021, at 3:22 PM, Adam Harris <adaml...@gmail.com> wrote:

Very interesting.  I'm not sure enough cicadas have emerged yet to really get the action going.  They're out in our neighborhood, but not the crazy numbers so far.  Was thinking of trying out Dyke Marsh this weekend with one of your fine cicada flies.  

brad dreisbach

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May 21, 2021, 1:03:39 PM5/21/21
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i fished dyke marsh this morning(first time). wow there was ALOT of what i assume to be snakehead action. they seemed to be everywhere. i didnt get one but i did get a nice bass on a diver. what are some good snakehead flies?



On May 20, 2021, at 15:45, 'Jeff Cook' via Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

FYI, I just learned the new park concessionaire at Belle Haven has decided to lock the bathrooms near the boat launch to non-paying “customers”, so Dyke Marsh would be affected.

Jamie Gold

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May 23, 2021, 10:40:44 AM5/23/21
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To all:

I live in Sterling, VA, and the cicadas are finally out in big numbers out here.  When I went out my door this morning, I was surprised at just how loud it is.  And there are plenty flying around in their clumsy fashion.  So my plan is to try for bass and carp on the Potomac River this week after work.  I'm thinking of checking out Riverbend Park and/or Algonkian (although I'm worried about possibly low water levels at Algonkian).  There are plenty of places where the trees overhang the water.

My plan is to use a 9wt rod with a floating line with a 60lbs. butt section, 30lbs mid-section and 20lbs tippet.  While that's probably over-gunned for smallies, I'm hoping to hook up with some big carp.  I have some Chuck Kraft cicada bugs I got from William Heresniak that I plan on using.  Plus some others that friends of mine tied up.

Good luck and let us know how folks do.  This will be a learning experience for me.

Jamie

tperkins

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May 24, 2021, 7:42:38 AM5/24/21
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On Saturday I explored a section of the canal, and while you could hear plenty of cicadas, none were visible on the canal itself, let alone falling in the water. Hoping that changes soon! 

Alec Hicks

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May 25, 2021, 8:13:02 PM5/25/21
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I went down to the canal on Sunday to see if Cicadas are actually the Magical bug that everyone is hyping up.   Feel free to see my results & don't judge....  I put live cicadas on a hook to see if they actually did attract fish & I actually feel slightly liberated by doing so.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/aa5a0942-b415-41c9-8675-661a093d2bf3n%40googlegroups.com.

Collin Tatusko

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May 26, 2021, 11:19:28 AM5/26/21
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Tidal Basin this past Saturday morning.  In my other thread you can read I was skunked...fish were interested in other things.  A few Cicadas fell in the water.  First one the ducks munched down, second the birds swooped in and plucked them from the water....then I just sat there with my coffee and fly rod put away...floating down the basin wall....for a long time before some little fish started pecking at it, then finally took it down for good.  Not many fell from the trees the entire time I was there.

Collin

Williard, David

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May 26, 2021, 11:29:08 AM5/26/21
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I believe the life cycle plays into it. They emerge and climb skyward to meet and mate. During this time there are some casualties - a few fall on their backs and can’t get up, some fly into a puddle, birds hunt them down, and eventually even the squirrels get in the act.  But it’s after mating that the mass dying spree occurs. It’s likely that is when the fish get clued into the great buffet. I do remember when I was a kid, we floated down the Conodoquinet Creek in Pennsylvania and caught smallmouth bass, cast after cast, non-stop for hours, using cicadas.

 

From: tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Collin Tatusko
Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2021 11:19 AM
To: Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: It has begun

 

EXTERNAL EMAIL: Stop and use caution before clicking on links or opening attachments.

Tidal Basin this past Saturday morning.  In my other thread you can read I was skunked...fish were interested in other things.  A few Cicadas fell in the water.  First one the ducks munched down, second the birds swooped in and plucked them from the water....then I just sat there with my coffee and fly rod put away...floating down the basin wall....for a long time before some little fish started pecking at it, then finally took it down for good.  Not many fell from the trees the entire time I was there.

 

Collin

On Tuesday, May 25, 2021 at 8:13:02 PM UTC-4 meat...@gmail.com wrote:

I went down to the canal on Sunday to see if Cicadas are actually the Magical bug that everyone is hyping up.   Feel free to see my results & don't judge....  I put live cicadas on a hook to see if they actually did attract fish & I actually feel slightly liberated by doing so.

 

On Mon, May 24, 2021 at 7:42 AM tperkins <thomas....@gmail.com> wrote:

On Saturday I explored a section of the canal, and while you could hear plenty of cicadas, none were visible on the canal itself, let alone falling in the water. Hoping that changes soon! 

On Sunday, May 23, 2021 at 10:40:44 AM UTC-4 jkg...@gmail.com wrote:

To all:

 

I live in Sterling, VA, and the cicadas are finally out in big numbers out here.  When I went out my door this morning, I was surprised at just how loud it is.  And there are plenty flying around in their clumsy fashion.  So my plan is to try for bass and carp on the Potomac River this week after work.  I'm thinking of checking out Riverbend Park and/or Algonkian (although I'm worried about possibly low water levels at Algonkian).  There are plenty of places where the trees overhang the water.

 

My plan is to use a 9wt rod with a floating line with a 60lbs. butt section, 30lbs mid-section and 20lbs tippet.  While that's probably over-gunned for smallies, I'm hoping to hook up with some big carp.  I have some Chuck Kraft cicada bugs I got from William Heresniak that I plan on using.  Plus some others that friends of mine tied up.

 

Good luck and let us know how folks do.  This will be a learning experience for me.

 

Jamie

 

On Friday, May 21, 2021 at 1:03:39 PM UTC-4 brad dreisbach wrote:

i fished dyke marsh this morning(first time). wow there was ALOT of what i assume to be snakehead action. they seemed to be everywhere. i didnt get one but i did get a nice bass on a diver. what are some good snakehead flies?

 



On May 20, 2021, at 15:45, 'Jeff Cook' via Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders <tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

FYI, I just learned the new park concessionaire at Belle Haven has decided to lock the bathrooms near the boat launch to non-paying “customers”, so Dyke Marsh would be affected.



MOn May 20, 2021, at 3:22 PM, Adam Harris <adaml...@gmail.com> wrote:

Very interesting.  I'm not sure enough cicadas have emerged yet to really get the action going.  They're out in our neighborhood, but not the crazy numbers so far.  Was thinking of trying out Dyke Marsh this weekend with one of your fine cicada flies.  

On Thursday, May 20, 2021 at 2:52:50 PM UTC-4 r...@robsnowhite.com wrote:

peter odell

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May 26, 2021, 4:42:23 PM5/26/21
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I hit one of the small, tree lined lakes this morning early  for 2 hours.  Used my 4wt and a big bug about the size of a cicada.  13 bass (8-14 inches) and then 1 more on my 1 wt bluegill rod.  seemed like hundreds of bluegills taking a swipe at the fly and somehow a couple hooked themselves up.  quite a few cicadas in the water and flying around, and seemed like a larger number of boils/rises.   Could be it would happen any warm May day, cicadas or not, but I'm chalking it up to the big bugs.

R H

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May 26, 2021, 5:36:15 PM5/26/21
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Will the big storms rolling through today speed up the cycle? I've heard a big storm can wipe them all out....

Alec Hicks

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May 26, 2021, 5:36:15 PM5/26/21
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I'm going to go out and give it another whirl in the canoe this weekend.  I'm thinking some fish will be more aggressive on them than others.  Were you catching largies or smallies Peter?

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tidal-potomac-fly-rodders/c7adcadb-7596-4b04-8252-853ef89839cen%40googlegroups.com.

peter odell

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May 27, 2021, 7:14:00 AM5/27/21
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I caught all largemouths...right at daybreak.  

Dalton Terrell

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May 31, 2021, 8:03:05 AM5/31/21
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I’ve given it a go in my neighborhood the last couple days, Campo has trained our fish but the bluegills are certainly taking naturals and artificials now. All fish caught had bulging stomachs.

Dalton


Carl Z.

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May 31, 2021, 9:07:52 AM5/31/21
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Cicadas or not, this is the best time for bass and bluegill fishing. 
 spawn, post-spawn.  The water is warm enough for them to be active,  
All the bugs are out, giving them a good food supply, and the water is cool enough that they still have a lot of oxygen.

 
Carl

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Doug Graebner

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May 31, 2021, 10:55:14 PM5/31/21
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(puts on trout bum hat) so it's like they basically only key in on the spinner fall?

On Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at 11:29:08 AM UTC-4 Electriclight wrote:

Carl Z.

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Jun 1, 2021, 10:20:56 AM6/1/21
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On Mon, May 31, 2021 at 10:55 PM Doug Graebner <dgrae...@gmail.com> wrote:
(puts on trout bum hat) so it's like they basically only key in on the spinner fall?

If you call a multi-week event a spinner fall :)
 
Carl

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