| TPFR helps you get ready for fishing the Brood X Cicada event! May/June Newsletter Powered by Fly Fishers International They're Here… There is a great scene in Poltergeist (80's horror movie) where the little girl looks back from the buzzing TV to anounce the dem They're Here…There is a great scene in Poltergeist (80's horror movie) where the little girl looks back from the buzzing TV to anounce the demons are here. Very soon we will be hearing that same familiar buzzing. Not from from your television but from your backyard. It is cicada time. Not the annual variety that we see later in the summer but the brood X cicada that appears in the local area every 17 years. The event is now so popular Maryland's Governor Larry Hogan has proclaimed May and June Magicicada months. In addition, some local Virginia chefs have created special recipies for preparing cicadas. Bottom line, it is going to be awesome! Nearly every regional gamefish will be feasting on these tasty insects, so head out to your favorite waters and splat down those cicada flies. In fact, bring along your friends or family to give fly fishing a try. Catching fish smacking surface flies is a great way to spread the fly fishing addiction. So read on fellow TPFR's to get ready to witness and take part in one of natures amazing displays. And as always, if you have questions, reach out to us through the TPFR forum, contact us via social media or even ask us at our monthly TPFR casting church. Don't be shy, we want you to succeed. Stay healthy and listen for the buzz! Your friends at Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders | Where to Find Cicadas (In trees and nearby waterways) | | Once ground termperatures reach 64F, pretty much everywhere! In our local area, the nymphs will emerge from the ground, molt one last time and within hours, they will be at full color. They will be able to fly within a few days. Once they can fly, they will head for the tree tops to feed and look for mates. After mating, the male cicadas will die while the female cicadas will move to the tips of the tree branches to lay eggs. Cicadas live for two to four weeks and experts expect the bulk of the cicadas to be out in force in the last two weeks in May. For the angler, focus on current seams in streams and rivers that will concentrate cicadas falling from the nearby trees. In lakes, focus on tree-lined shorelines. To find out more about cicadas and fishing the brood x cicada mania, sign-up for the Potomac Riverkeeper Network Water Wednesday: Brood X Cicada Mania on May 12th at 7:00pm to 8:30pm. | What Gear to Use for Casting Cicada FliesSince most fish will eat cicadas, this one is easy - use what gear you already have. If you are out trout fishing, use your trout rod. If you are bass or carp fishing, use your bass or carp rod. However, a 6wt to a 8wt rod with a floating line and a standard leader with a 1x tippet will work well when conditions are windier or you need to make longer casts. The heavier tippet will also help turnover the wind resistant cicada flies so they splat on the water. | Tying BenchEffective cicada flies have black bodies, orange wing veins, red eyes and six legs. They also have antennae and are typically 1 to 1 1/2 inches long. Flies need to float or drift partially submerged and incorporate fibers that quiver or undulate underwater, especially when twitched or dead drifted. Flies are typically tied on #6 to 1/0 sized hooks. Currently Beer Ties at Whitlow's are on hold, so we can't meet, share a beer and tie some effective cicada patterns. However, here are some useful videos to help you tie your very own cicada flies. Need tying materials to create that killer fly? Your local fly shops carry a great selection of materials to help you put more fish in your boat. They also carry several great patterns in case you are in a hurry to get to the water. | Casting Corner – Useful Casts for Cicada FliesJoin us for the next Casting Church on Sunday, May 9th with modifications to maintain social distancing. All skill levels are welcome! As always, we will have casting instructors available to help you if you are just starting out, refining your casting stroke, and even review casts, or talk gear that will help you cast cicada flies to any fish that swims. Until then, here are some good videos to help you accurately cast moderate sized, surface flies, up close or at distance, to that structure your target gamefish prefer. These are both important tools to add to your fly casting tacklebox to help you reach any fish that swims. | Taking the Fly Casting Skills ChallengeTwo of our fellow TPFR members, Owen Williams and Brook Rolter, met all the requirements to meet the bronze level FFI Casting Skills Challenge award! In order to achieve this award, both Owen and Brook had to pass a series of casting challenges that included accuracy, distance, and roll casting. Mastery of these skills will allow them to better meet casting challenges wherever they may fish. Job well done! Next up, they will go for the Silver level award. Good luck! This FFI Casting Skills Challenge is open to all at any level and is a great way to assess and improve your casting skills. The skills are based on situations you would face on the water and include accuracy, roll casts, distance, loop control, etc. If you are interested, just let us know at the next Casting Church. The Casting Skills Challenge is open to all TPFR members. Don't worry if you can't make all the casts the first time. Our TPFR casting instructors are always ready to help you tune-up your casting skills. Remeber, the better you can cast, the more fish you will catch and more fun you will have! | | Editors Note: Had a great fly fishing trip that you would like to share with TPFR members? Please send us your pictures from your recent trips at contact@tpfr.org. We would love to highlight them on TPFR social media. | Conservation Corner Stop the spread of the invasive water chestnut - Learn more. DC Water project will help improve the health of the Potomac River - Learn more. Eating invasive species - Learn more. | Potomac River and Fly Fishing News Rare Sturgeon caught at Fletcher's on the Potomac - Learn more. Parting is such sweet sorrow, raising trout in the classroom - Learn more. Teaching kids to fly fish - Learn more. | Fresh is best…Some people say that fishing gear must be replaced every 17 years or when the cicadas hatch. They also say that ignoring this advice will prevent you from catching any fish. We aren't absolutely sure if this is true but why take chances! To make sure your fishing gear doesn't suffer from the cicada curse, consider purchasing your new gear from these local businesses which have supported you with top quality gear and helpful advice to make your fishing trips a success. These local stores are open for in-person shopping, or web-based orders. | | | | |
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