Whereas Brood XIX cicadas are beginning to decelerate within the South, Brood XIII is nearing peak emergence within the Midwest. The Chicago space is seeing huge teams of bugs emerge, and native information stations and residents have been sharing movies on-line. This week, Illinois anglers began constantly catching fish on cicada flies and lures, particularly smallmouth bass and carp.
As has been the case within the South, the Midwest is experiencing nice carp fishing. However the higher area of this historic cicada hatch can be seeing river bronzebacks crush these large bugs on prime. We spoke with Jeremy Spaccapaniccia, proprietor of DuPage Fly Fishing Co. in Naperville, Illinois, about bug numbers and fish exercise. He and his guides are within the thick of the cicada motion, and he shared some ideas which were serving to him land fish this week.
Subject Report: Northeast Illinois
As floor temperatures lastly start to heat within the North, Brood XIII (a.okay.a. the Northern Illinois Brood) is rising all throughout the Midwest. Jeremy Spaccapaniccia, proprietor of DuPage Fly Fishing Co., says that the bugs are peaking proper now and that “the smallmouth are going nuts.” Spaccapaniccia and his staff began seeing bugs about two weeks in the past, however it took a while for the bass and carp to begin feeding on them. “This week, bass are lining up and down the center of the river, choosing off cicadas as they go by.” Spaccapaniccia describes it virtually as a trout river, with smallmouth bass heads rising to take cicada after cicada.
As a principally heat water fly store, Spaccapaniccia and his staff primarily focus their fishing efforts on smallmouth bass and carp. Much like the South, the carp fishing has been glorious as bugs proceed to hit the water. “Our diehard carp guys are having a ball proper now, and so they’re actively in search of lips popping out of the water to eat cicadas,” he says. It is extremely a lot a sight fishing sport in the case of chasing carp, and these fish are cruising close to the floor in search of fallen bugs.
Spaccapaniccia anticipates one other two weeks of hard-eating fish. As soon as bugs cease falling into the water, he believes anglers will nonetheless be capable of idiot bass with cicada patterns for about one other week or so. However for proper now, the motion is scorching. “I used to be fishing on Monday, and the smallmouth have been lined up in the course of the river with heads arising in every single place,” he says. “It took a few weeks for them to begin in search of the bugs, however proper now, the fish are consuming nothing however cicadas.”
Because the fly store identify implies, Spaccapaniccia and his staff fish the west and east branches of the DuPage River, in addition to the principle stem. In the course of the first week of June, the store began seeing bugs on the east department, however within the final week, the bugs have began to emerge extra west, and now all three our bodies of water are stuffed with cicadas. In line with Spaccapaniccia, peak emergence is going on proper now. “In case you’re driving down the road, you’re smashing them anytime you go underneath bushes,” he says. “It’s so noisy that you simply don’t wish to be outdoors.”
Cicada Ideas for Smallmouth Bass
Any overhanging brush is a good place to focus on bass and carp ready for bugs to fall into the water. Nonetheless, river smallmouth are a bit completely different for the reason that water acts as a conveyor belt, bringing the bugs proper to the fish. “Bass are all over proper now,” says Spaccapaniccia. “We noticed them lined up consuming in the course of the river, like trout consuming flies—that is what we name a feed line.” In case you aren’t fortunate sufficient to come back throughout a “feed line,” goal banks, areas with overhanging brush, and any submerged or pure construction the place smallies would possibly anticipate bugs to drift by. Throw a cicada fly or topwater lure upstream and let it drift by means of.
So far as bugs go, practical cicada patterns, just like the Mission Cicada, will work greatest. “You wish to splat the flies down on the water and simply give them a bit wiggle, Spaccapaniccia says. “The fly ought to barely disturb the floor of the water, you don’t need any popping motion.” He additionally says that you simply don’t need to be on the water tremendous early. It takes the bugs a bit bit to begin singing and shifting. Anglers ought to begin fishing round mid-morning or as soon as the bugs are within the air and begin falling into the water. Prime time for the DuPage store has been round midday to nightfall.
Regardless, the perfect time to fish is at any time when you will get on the water. However don’t wait too lengthy, Brood XIII cicadas will solely be rising for a pair extra weeks. Get in on the enjoyable now and go catch a large bronzeback.
