How to Handle the Bugs

[UncleTom]

What is the best defense against the battle of the bugs? Sprays or Suits? What are your suggestions.

[Red Ruffandsore]

Stay away from the sprays and get the suits. When your back at the dock you can take the suit off easy. The spray stays there until you hit the shower...if you have one. You won't get cancer from the suit.



Stay off the pipe...and don't forget to wipe.

Red

[lobo1]

We had a trip from he11 several years ago. At any one time there would literally be thousands of black flies and/or skeeters crawling on you; more of one or the other depending on what the terrain was like. Pretty creepy..seemed like your clothes were moving.
We tried everything from 100% deet, deep woods off, bug and sun, natural items with peppermint oil/cedar oil, garlic oil etc and nothing worked.
The head nets kept most of them off of your face but there were still a few that would work their way in and nail you several times.
Personally, I had to take time off of work when we got back just to let some of NUMEROUS welts go down.
We now go when there are relatively few bugs. I only take the sunscreen that has the repellant in it and rarely use that.
If you are going when there is a good chance of feeding hordes, or plan on being in the marshy areas, I would invest in the bug suit - no doubt about it. Also will want duct tape or rubber bands for around ankles/wrists. Mosquito netting for sleeping is not a bad idea either.


lobo

[pfg1]

I use a thin layer of the old fashioned Absorbeen Junior rub. It does a great job of keeping of bugs. The bug suit is the way to go though if you don't have a camp shower.

[RoyC]

I found that those mosquito coils that you burn work wonders in the cabin. It seems like we usually get a surge of mosquitos following us in the door, so we just light a couple of coils for about 15 minutes, then are good until someone opens the door again. One coil lasts about a week this way. The first time I used these in Canada, I was quite amazed--we had to cover our drinks to keep the dead mosquitos from falling in them.

Unfortunately, I doubt if these coils would do any good in the boat, unless you have a screen-in pontoon. Then casting might be difficult. ;-)

[Big Tim]

Don't laugh, it don't cost much & it may work for you. Last year I read on this forum to take vitamin B1 pills. Start 1 week before you go & take 1 every day while you are in mosquito territory. 4 of us did & were amazed to see the other guests at the lodge swatting away. We just looked at each other & said "I guess these pills DO work!". Get 'em at wal-mart for about $5 I think it was about 1000usp. I kept up all summer & every time we were outside with a group, I was the only one not getting bit up. Who Knows?? If nothing else , you'll be a tab bit healthier!

[RoyC]

Was there a noticeable odor from those of you taking the pills? Did it affect your fishing too?

Thought I heard of everything!

[Big Tim]

Nope & Nope

[AL]

I also saw the B1 post last year and tried it. It was amazing! My doctor did advise not to make it a habit to consume 1000mg for too long, but that a week wouldn't hurt.

[Nate E.]

I went on a trip last year in CA during June and the best thing you can buy for the bugs is a head net. I bought it from Cabellas and without it, well let's say you are going to hate life...Good luck

[bigfish1965]

I used a bug jacket liberally sprayed with deep woods off and kept a cigar or cigarette going at all times. This kept the buggers away.

[River_eye]

These bugs are my roommates all summer, but I don't use bugspray that often. I hardly ever get a bump from a bug bite, guess I've been bitten so many times that my body is used to it.

So maybe if you sit out on the deck in your underwear a few evenings you'll develop a resistance, no?

If that's not an option, I'd just cover up as much as I could. The most powerful bug stuff that I use is Off skintastic. Lots of people say that it doesn't work, but it doesn't smell bad so you can put it on your face/neck/and everywhere else. It works fine for me.

[bill]

tried the b1 pills and garlic but did not work for me. best bet is to go in august and sept when there are far fewer of the pests.

[Nette B16]

It may be kinda smelly and sticky, but ol' fashioned deet is the way to go. Don't waste your time with Off bug repellent. Even their deep woods off only contains 28% deet, which is hardly enough for bugs this bad. Deet this the actual ingredient which keeps the mosquitos and flies away. Go to REI, and get Jungle Juice. It is 100% deet. I think its the same stuff our troops use in the jungles, its nasty stuff. Make sure you are carefull around plastic, because it will eat through just about anything. (It ruined a compass and a raincoat). If you put enough on, they wont come near ya.

Nette B

[Grits]

Insect spray not only repels insects, but also fish, use a suit.

[Grits]

I was going to be really smart on my first trip to the BWCA, one day I took Muskol lotion and applied it with my bare hands. I did not catch a walleye that day until I had my buddy tie on a new jig and bait it for me. He on the other hand had been catching fish the entire morning.

[walleyechieftain]

1.)play loud music so the recording cant pick you up.
2.)the internet has numerous recipes for rabbit.
3.)dont go
4.)have a leashed dragonfly with a ten foot tether
5.)bring along a good sweaty friend/s
6.)troll forever and fast
7.)duck
8.)invest in a hazmat suit
9.)fish in the desert-there's no mosquitos in the desert
10.)and yes i heard the one about the B-1 too. There might actually be something to that.

[WillieB]

walleyechieftain,

I'm LMAO....thanks

tight lines

[T-Bone]

This was my question last year and I posted the best replies on my web site. See the link.

http://www.thecanadatrip.com/the_canada_trip_knowledge_003.htm

The best thing I learned was that if you use spray or lotion of any kind, keep it off your hands and lures / jigs...the walleyes WILL NOT bite if they smell it. My buddies didn't believe me about this, but I caught at least 2X as many walleyes as they did, and others in our group got skunked on walleyes. Of course, these are the same guys that would load-up on deet before we left the dock. Live and learn....

[UncleTom]

T-Bone - thanks for the info. Cool Site. UncleTom

[Fritz]

While I do run into bugs occassionally, normally when I am on the water I do not have a major problem because I am fishing the windy side of the lake. The coils work good in the cabin and the fish cleaning house.

Fritz