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Cicada Fly 2004
By Gerri Seager, Maryland

I couldn't find a fly which resembled the Cicadas we have here in Maryland, so I worked this one up. We have been fishing it with great success! The Cicadas may already be over where you live - but - try this one anyway! You may find your local fish have a good memory.

Materials for the Cicada Fly

    Hook: TMC 5262 or Mustad 7958 size 6 or 4.

    Thread: UTC-70-Dark Brown/ Uni-thread - 3/0 orange.

    Eyes: Orvis Rattle Eyes, or 3mm and stick on Spirit River, 3-D molded eyes-pearl/orange 2.0 or red plastic beads on melted mono.

    Legs: Black round rubber and orange round rubber.

    Butt: Orange yarn.

    Body: Craft foam black or dark brown.

    Ribbing: Larva Lace midge ribbing black.

    1st Underwing: Black or brown craft foam.

    2nd Underwing: Fluorescent orange bucktail mounted to flair to sides.

    3rd Underwing Golden brown deer body hair.

    4th Underwing WhiteRiver Midge flash - rootbeer.

    Overwing and head: Dark brown or black craft foam.

Instructions for the Cicada Fly:

1. Crush barb on hook and mount in vise.

2. Tie in orange thread about 1/3 back on shank from eye.

3. Tie in rattle eyes or beads on melted mono using figure 8 wraps and place drop of glue or cement. If using the rattle eyes attach stick on eyes to the rattle eyes. Coat with Sally Hansen Hard As Nails.

4. Continue thread wrap down to bend of shank.

5. Tie in Larva lace midge ribbing.

6. Tie in about a 2 inch length of orange yarn and wrap about ¼ inch to form butt. Tie off orange thread and tie on black or brown thread. Palmer thread forward to the back of eyes.

7. Tie in about 2 inch length of black foam and palmer thread so foam engulfs front 2/3 of shank. Leave about ¾ inch length of black foam as an underwing to give body bulk.

8. Palmer larva lace over the orange foam so that butt has narrow orange bands showing and then tie off at beginning of black foam body.

9. Turn hook over in vise and tie in about 2 inch length of dark brown or black craft foam (under eyes).

10. Take about 6 inches of black rubber and orange rubber and cut into 2 sets of legs (each set having one orange piece and one black piece) place small knots in each end of rubber lengths about ½ inch from each end to look like joints.

11. Tie in rubber legs along body/hook shank evenly spacing from about hook point to back of eyes (this should be under the foam underwing).

12. Clean, stack and tie in small bundle of orange bucktail in back of eyes with main portions off to each side (pull deer hair over the eyes and tie off in back of hook eye. This will give the head bulk).

13. Clean , stack and tie in small stack of golden brown deer body hair in back of eyes and pull over the eyes to tie off in back of hook eye same as above.

14. Tie in similar stack of root beer midge flash in back of eyes.

15. Pull dark brown craft foam tightly up and over hook eye and rattle eyes/bead eyes to form head. Make a small slit in foam for hook eye to pass through.

16. Tie dark brown foam down in back of eyes, whip finish in back of eyes and place cement on wraps.


~ Gerri

For more great flies, check out: Beginning Fly Tying, Intermediate Fly Tying and Advanced Fly Tying.