Bodkin / Patterns

Massicada

Dry Fly · Trout · Smallmouth Bass · Intermediate · 1 version

Reference Recipe

  • Hook 2XL dry-fly hook, 2-6
  • Thread Black 140 denier

Materials

  • 2mm foam (extended abdomen) Black craft foam mm (2 strips)
  • 12mm foam (thorax/head) Black craft foam mm (1 chunk)
  • Elk hair (wing) Natural deer hair (1 clump)
  • Round rubber legs Black ostrich herl (2 pairs)
  • Foam (belly/sighter) Orange foam strip (1 tab)

How to tie it

  1. Start thread and run a base to the bend.
  2. Glue two strips of black 2mm foam together, then segment the extended abdomen with tight thread bands to imitate a cicada's ringed body; leave it extending one shank length past the bend.
  3. Bind the abdomen down along the shank to mid-hook.
  4. Stack elk hair and tie it in flat over the body as a tent wing reaching the end of the abdomen.
  5. Cap the front with a folded chunk of 12mm foam pulled back-to-front to build the fat, buoyant cicada head and thorax; bind at the 70% mark.
  6. Figure-8 black round-rubber legs on each side and add an orange foam tab on top as a sighter.
  7. Whip finish under the foam head and cement.

← All fly patterns