Original, natural Jitterbug

[Mark B.]

Anyone using cicadas as bait?

https://youtu.be/vBJPIi4ON24?t=434

[acabtp]

Is Brood X going full swing now? Haven't heard or seen any around here, surprised. Didn't get much in 2013 either.

[Mark B.]

The sound is deafening here in Delaware Township, Hunterdon County. Ground Zero. Birds are feasting on them.

Few in Frenchtown. Guess it is very localized.

[Little_Shucker]

Is Brood X going full swing now? Haven't heard or seen any around here, surprised. Didn't get much in 2013 either.

We heard them in Clinton today

[Mark B.]

Very clever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03X_oCyza1o

[NJ219bands]

They arrived at Carnegie Lake this evening.

[sneakypete]

They are screaming here in Kingwood Twp, Hunterdon County. I've been seeing them floating down some of the smaller streams that dump into the Delaware river. Haven't used them as bait yet but plan to give it a try.

[FASTEDDIE29]

They were screaming in Flemington today. It’s a sound I can appreciate. I have a few of those baits somewhere. :D

[Hookmanski]

Haven't seen a single one up here in Vernon! The bears are all over the place though :D The jitterbug was the lure I was using when I got on my first true topwater bite - a rainy May day back in 2017. So much fun! I'll have to throw one on a hook if I see one! :D

[Mark B.]

Near the end of my bicycle ride this morning, about 1 mile from my house, the cicadas were flying everywhere. I got hit several times. One lodged in my shoe. Another hit me square in the mouth,...I had to spit it out! This has got to be the peak of the outbreak.

[thmyorke1]

Another hit me square in the mouth,...I had to spit it out!

Hey, save some for the bass! :D

[bulletbob]

None at all here in NY state.. Haven't seen or heard even one....

[MudCat08]

Northern NJ is just beginning to hear them now. (NY should soon.) Next two months I expect tons to come up. It is their year after all!

For where I live in Bergen County, July and August are prime cicada months.

[Mark B.]

For where I live in Bergen County, July and August are prime cicada months.

Those are annual cicadas, emerging every year late July - August, during the Dog Days of summer. Hence, the name of one species: Dog Day Harvest Fly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annual_cicada

[Chrisper4694]

haven't heard or seen a single one in sussex

[acabtp]

i was down in DE and MD on Tuesday and yeah, if they are around you can't miss them. you literally can't miss them, i had to use a pressure washer to clear the windshield when i got home. louder than all the traffic going 80 on I-95

still nothing up here though. maybe they don't like the super rocky soil in this area... around here it's all just glacial till with a few leaves sprinkled on top.

[MudCat08]

Those are annual cicadas, emerging every year late July - August, during the Dog Days of summer. Hence, the name of one species: Dog Day Harvest Fly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annual_cicada
Thanks for the confirmation Mark. Cool to know!

[Mark B.]

They are still screaming here. In the late afternoon I had to wear earplugs so I could enjoy a cold one on my deck.

On a morning walk, I collected several and threw them onto the surface of a pond. Yum, yum eat em up! Bass & sunnies feasted.

[yumasdad]

Found a box of JETTERBUGS from late 60's which were my grandfather's.

All are BALSA, one is the split bug in pristine shape. I remember using them when I was kid it hooked me on night fishing on the PT VIEW RESEVIOR. water bite on a bug at night is a surreal experience.
GLUG, GLUG,GLUG...BAM!

Do I fish them and frame them? Afraid a muskie or mud snake (pickerel) will bite off even with a thick mono leader.

[Esox Luciano]

I can't say I've heard one yet up in Bergen, Passiac, or Sussex. While trying to find some river smallies with my popper I made, noticed that carp were trying to catch up to it as well. Sure enough when I slowed it down a bit they actually hit it like prey. Strange as hell to see the carp act this way. I did try a different smaller popper and jitterbug to no avail. Switched back to my popper and they were nailing it one after another.