Bodkin / Patterns

Card's Cicada

Terrestrial · Trout · Smallmouth Bass · Intermediate · 2 versions

Reference Recipe

  • Hook 2XL dry/terrestrial hook, 8-10
  • Thread Black 6/0

Materials

  • Underbody Black ostrich herl (One 2mm foam strip)
  • Overbody Black ostrich herl (One 2mm foam strip stacked on top)
  • Wing Dun/smoke material (Small clump Zelon or organza)
  • Legs Black barred with ginger (Medium round rubber, 2 pairs)
  • Indicator Orange permanent marker (Small 2mm foam tab)

How to tie it

  1. Mount the hook and lay a thread base from the eye back to the bend.
  2. Bind the two stacked black foam strips on top of the shank at the bend so the tail overhangs about half a shank; trim the underside wider than tall so it sits bulbous from below but slim from the side.
  3. Advance the thread and cinch the foam down at the 60% mark to form the rear body segment.
  4. Tie in a sparse dun Zelon wing flat over the body, extending to the end of the foam tail, and snip the butts.
  5. Figure-8 one pair of barred rubber legs on each side at the tie-down point so they splay out and back.
  6. Fold the foam forward, bind it just behind the eye to form the head, and add a small orange foam tab on top as a sighter.
  7. Whip finish under the head.

Other versions

1 more in the app: Fly Fish Food Tie.

Tying videos

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