Cicadas on the Green

Having just returned from the Green in Utah I would have to say the emergence of the cicadas has begun. We were there for 4 days and noticed significantly more cicadas the last day than the first, not yet close to full swing. The flows were at 4200 cfs and this kept some fish close to the banks, yet most seemed to be on the bottom or suspended deep. We found the terrestrial fishing to be steady but on the slower side so we gave flashy streamers a try. The river had come up on the 25th and the higher volume displaces smaller fish rendering them easy prey. Fishing large flashy streamers close to the surface was some of the best visual streamer fishing I had ever had. Twice we saw 20 inch browns come completely out of the water to slam our fly. Watching fish trail and track your streamer is a lot of fun andkeeps you in the game.

There were midges and olives hatching pretty thick; later in the for the olives, and earlier for the midges. With warmer weather one can only expect the cicada emergence to pick up. The flows may come down in as soon as 1 to 2 weeks and that will help to bring fish to the top. As for now, a guy can catch as many fish in a day as he cares to nymphing. Using san juans and bright mayfly nymphs we caght fish fast and hard: even two big browns at one time. If you are headed to the green in the next few weeks make sure to give terrestrials a try; but if the don't provide the success you are looking for, be prepared to try other methods and patters for more success.