# 17 year locus bait forcatish in the River?



## nlcatfish (Mar 21, 2005)

This summer we are going have the 17 year *Locus* swarming. I know they are great bait for bluegills, just wondering *if they are good catfish bait in a river.*

Can they be frozen then thawed out and stay on a hook? Thanks in advance for any information.


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## katfish ken (Feb 5, 2010)

Last time we had the locust swarm had a blast using them for carp bait. The carp was feeding on top water like bluegill . Would never dreamed of ever seeing carp feeding on top water like they were. as for freezing them and using them later, I have no clue if one could.


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## Pooka (Jan 30, 2012)

katfish ken said:


> Last time we had the locust swarm had a blast using them for carp bait. The carp was feeding on top water like bluegill . Would never dreamed of ever seeing carp feeding on top water like they were. as for freezing them and using them later, I have no clue if one could.


As kids fishing the creek, top water was often our go-to for summer Carp. We would toss out some white bread to get them feeding and then slip a small hook into a piece and float it with the rest.


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## Pooka (Jan 30, 2012)

nlcatfish said:


> This summer we are going have the 17 year *Locus* swarming. I know they are great bait for bluegills, just wondering *if they are good catfish bait in a river.*
> 
> Can they be frozen then thawed out and stay on a hook? Thanks in advance for any information.


The last time I fished a hatch I had quite a time keeping them on the hook. I was getting hits but they would strip the Cicada right off. 

I have no idea if they can be frozen and used.


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## Bent Rod (Apr 14, 2006)

i've been working on a stash of hardbaits to try. Rebel bumble bugs, and arbogast hocus locusts. 
I've seen some decent renditions for a fly rod as well.

Those things creep me out.


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## bbsoup (Apr 3, 2008)

Last time they hatched I caught carp incidentally as I was bass fishing with topwaters. The fish will hang out under overhanging trees waiting for the cicadas to fall. Seemed like the carp really liked the good ol' (smaller sized) Jitterbug.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Most any thing floated on the top during the cicada hatch will catch catfish and most any other species in the area.
Not cicadas but every spring I look for falling mulberrys around the edge of a lake I fish. If fish are swirling on the Berry's I'll toss in a floating crank bait and just barely move it on top. And hang on. It's almost always big channel cats,but have got carp an bass as well.....


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## BMustang (Jul 27, 2004)

My suggestion for catfish bait would to get them just as they are emerging from the ground, when they are still soft and pliable.
No, freezing them will cause them to deteriorate and fall apart.


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## Daveo76 (Apr 14, 2004)

I've caught a few channels on smaller waters on topwater, but I don't know if it would be worth trying on the big O unless you are in very still water.


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## Flatty01 (Aug 9, 2008)

Looks like the hatch will be on the southern wv/ohio areas. A couple years ago when it hit the ohio in the northern panhandle the topwater carp bite was amazing.


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## BuckeyeFishinNut (Feb 8, 2005)

When it hit here a couple years back, when they first started to hatch the fishing was amazing. After a couple weeks once they had their fill, the fishing got a lot tougher


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## Snyd (May 5, 2004)

I fish a lot of surface baits in ponds and have caught Carp, Catfish, Bluegill and my favorite Crappie .


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

Didn't they hatch a year or so ago ?


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## DHower08 (Nov 20, 2015)

Whaler said:


> Didn't they hatch a year or so ago ?


It was a few years ago but yes we had a huge hatch.


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## Treble (Mar 27, 2017)

Spring 2021 is the really big hatch in the Cincinnati Tri State area :

https://www.wlwt.com/article/billions-of-cicadas-expected-in-spring-of-2021/32206934


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

I tie up some crude deer hair Cicada bugs for smallmouth in creek. The carp will drive you nuts. I never used live ones and don’t think I’ve caught catfish on cicada bug. I did catch a couple walleye on them in 80s at the tail water at Senecaville Lake dam. Caught tons of crappie and bass on them. The fish eat them up in first of hatch. Then there is more than fish can eat and you can’t buy a bite.


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## thedudeabides (Apr 13, 2009)

Hemiptera (true bugs) ,sub order Auchenorrhyncha, Cicada. Spring 2021 in the Ohio River Valley. Locust is a misnomer. Locusts are grasshoppers belonging to the order Orthoptera. Magicicada belongs to the cicada tribe Lamotialnini.


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## Drm50 (Dec 26, 2014)

thedudeabides said:


> Hemiptera (true bugs) ,sub order Auchenorrhyncha, Cicada. Spring 2021 in the Ohio River Valley. Locust is a misnomer. Locusts are grasshoppers belonging to the order Orthoptera. Magicicada belongs to the cicada tribe Lamotialnini.


Sounds like they ought to come with bread sticks. Thank you Mr. Wizard.


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## Hatchetman (Apr 13, 2004)

thedudeabides said:


> Hemiptera (true bugs) ,sub order Auchenorrhyncha, Cicada. Spring 2021 in the Ohio River Valley. Locust is a misnomer. Locusts are grasshoppers belonging to the order Orthoptera. Magicicada belongs to the cicada tribe Lamotialnini.



That makes feel so much better....


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