An Epic Cicada Hatch

I’m not sure how things are in your neighborhood but in certain spots there is an explosion going on…the cicadas are on the loose and in those areas where fish are hiding, lying in wait…well, let’s just say that the result is epic!

If you were with me last week then you came along as I had a great day fly fishing for carp. Well, just when you thought it was safe to go back on the water; carp II. Actually carp was the main course but for sure any fish swimming and feeding has now switched gears and cicada is now the only thing on the menu. The fishing was so good that one day wasn’t enough…I went down on Friday, June 12 and then took Frank along on Saturday the 13^th; I wanted to share some of the ‘epic-ness’ with one of the guys who would really enjoy it.

Frank and I started our day out at 5:18am as we pulled up and out of my driveway on our way to Black Cat which is one of my favorite lakes located in the West Dugger Unit, just west of Greene-Sullivan State Forest about halfway between Dugger and Sullivan. At 6:45am I was casting, shore to my left, 10 weight rod in hand and looking for a big fish. Frank was doing his ‘left-handed’ thing on the eastern edge of the lake and we met an hour later, about halfway around the lake. While neither of us caught a giant, we did catch fish and the lake and Mother-Nature were on their A game as quail whistled their ‘bob-white’ notes, kingfishers were busy making a living on the many small baitfish scurrying around the edges and various ducks came and went from the lake.

By 10am Frank and I quickly and easily packed up our float tubes; we moved about 5 miles east to Graveyard Lake. Graveyard is a long, narrow lake that I used to fish as a teen. As we neared the lake, driving south on highway 159 towards Pleasantville it was clear that the cicada hatch was in full bloom as the noise from the trees along with the bugs hitting my windshield was all I needed to know that once again, in a very short time…we would be stripping any number of fish that were looking for an easy meal of locusts.

We parked the truck, readied our gear, grabbed our smaller rods; I would be fishing my Winston 3-weight and Frank would be fishing a 4-weight rod…both with floating lines and a replica of a cicada tied on to some strong 0X tippet. We both shoved off backwards across the 100 yards towards the other side where I had had much success the day before. I stripped of about 25 foot of line and made one accurate cast under an over-hanging limb and right on cue a 3 pound carp came out and smashed my fly. If you haven’t caught a carp then you don’t know what you are missing…but to do so on a fly-rod, and a small 3-weight rod…well, that is a very sporting proposition.

I bid Frank adieu and made my way on around the outside of the lake where I picked off a 16 inch bass, a 20 plus inch drum, several bluegill and so many carp that at times I felt a little gluttonous? I had honed my technique; an accurate cast placed directly below an overhanging limb…was exactly what the various species were looking for. Speaking of species, the day before, as I was leaving, I decided to make one last cast. What happened next was a mystery that wouldn’t be solved until I drove the few miles north to the Greene-Sullivan State Forest office (located just south of Dugger on highway 159) and showed Forest Manager, Steve Siscoe, a photo. I asked Steve if he had ever had a report of a snake-head being caught in these waters….I then showed him a photo and he correctly identified my mystery fish as a bowfin. If you don’t know (and I didn’t) a bowfin is a long fish that has a dorsal fin that runs almost the entire of its length. Oh, one other thing, it has a big set of nasty teeth.

You can watch a video of my day on the water, here.

About an hour later I made my way to the other side and could see Frank who was locked up in his own battle with a carp. It was a great scene as the fish would rip out line…Frank would quickly reel it back in, then the fish would make another run. This was in fact the pattern with fishing these sticks of dynamite. Freshwater bone-fish are what those who fish for them call them…and while I haven’t yet had the opportunity to fly fish for a bone-fish, at times these odd looking fish (carp) were as good as I could ask for, pound for pound they have to be as strong as any fish that swims in our waters.

“Hey Frank, Chinese food is calling my name”, I hollered from about a hundred yards away. That was all it took…we were both arm-sore from stripping, holding and catching many, many fish in our three hours on Graveyard. We headed our float tubes back towards the boat ramp and in harmony kicked and fluttered along while we discussed our day. Yes, it was epic! Most days are when you get to fish with a great friend…oh, and catching fish is always good. What a day; what a great day…get out there and get going and you too can and will Enjoy the Great Outdoors.