Sparkle Wing Cicada   -   Originator : Marc Griffiths    |   Size: 8    

The sparkle wing cicada is designed to accurately imitate Amphipsalta zealandica, the largest of New Zealand's 30 cicada species and responsible for the "terrestrial hatch" in the native bush each summer - late January to early March.  This incredibly durable pattern floats all day, is easy to see and devastatingly effective on everything from flat calm pools to bouldery runs.        

 

Fishing tip:  Coat the deer hair thorax, the elk hair wing and the foam abdomen liberally with paste floatant at the beginning of the day, and that is all the attention it will require.  If the fly should by chance land upside down, preen the elk hair wing into a more vertical position.  

I have never managed to hold onto one of these flies for more than 7 fish, but can safely state that after 7 large trout and a whole day's fishing they are still perfectly fishable.  The hook does eventually pull out of the slot in the foam abdomen, but this in no way detracts from the fly's performance.