Black flies

[Rick]

First fishing trip to N.E.Ontario seems to be coinciding with heart of black fly season. Tips-advice? Thanks.

[Northbay]

really, really bad cigars and keep smoking them keeps the bugs and your friends away.

[Mahumba]

Not to environmentally friendly but if you don't mind a little gas on your hands......

Roger Mayer.

[bosbar]

Don't waste your time on the B-1 vitamin, tried it last year, doesn't work!

[T Bone]

Grin and bear it...nothing works on those little buggers. 100% DEET...nope. Skin So Soft....nope. Garlic....nope. B1....nope.

There is not any advice that really works. It mostly has to do with body chemistry. Some in our group last year got eaten alive, others barely bothered.

Move your trip to September...that's your best bet!

[Captain Canada]

Gas on your hands....your kidding, that attracts them!!!!, at least it does mosquitos anyway?

[River_eye]

Go pike fishing, make sure you get some pike slime somwhere on the boat. A lot of the flies will go to the slime instead of you.

[Dr. Lee]

Long pants, long sleeves. Also, wear dark, preferably black socks, rather than white. Truly makes a difference on those ankles they love to bite!

[ildtech]

Actually, a mixture or 2 parts moose crap and one part loon regurge is excellent. Sometimes adding a bit of mayo also helps.

[guest]

I don't think there are any sure-fire ways of keeping them away.
The best info. I have read is that what you eat can make a big difference. DO NOT eat bananas for a week or so before coming up, but do eat lots of citrus fruits. The acids in the citrus actually comes out of the pores of your skin and makes you less a target.
Personally I find Deep Woods Off to be quite effective as a repelent.
Hope ya have more walleye bites than black flies. Have a good trip.

[Aaron]

Ultra-thon.......it's made by 3M.

[Tracy]

I agree, the deep woods off was the ticket for me last year. We were on Ramsey where the black flies out number the walleye 50,000,000 to 1 and I never got hit once. Had literally hundreds of them around my face and hands just about every day and never got bit. Only put the head net on one evening, couldn't take them buggers in my ears. Avoid fishing on the sunny & calm afternoons and evenings if you have any! The locals all suggested Musk Oil.

Tracy

[Rick]

Bug out wear. Get a bug out suit they look dumb but w/e works to keep the lil guys away n keep your mind on fishing

[Rick]

How was the fishing at Ramsey? Going to Biscotasi, first time. Previous posts provide mixed reactions on fishing. Guys I work with had good enough fishing to book trips privately.

[Limiter]

The clothing makes the biggest difference. Wear long sleaves and tight fitting at the cuffs. The bug hats are great. Putting chemicals on your body is bad in my eyes as well. I use them sparingly and never on my skin. Put it on the hats and jacket if you must. A good bug tent works wonders as well. Remember this is mostly mind over matter. You are going to get bit and it won't kill you. The chemicals just might.

[hosehead]

These guys from wisconsin that fished in our camp last year brought some fly spray that the farmers use and they sprayed the bottom of the boats and they said it kept them away. You can buy the fly spary at a Fleet Farm or farm and Fleet.

[Karl]

Funniest thing last July. Flies were terrible x10. I just gave up and fished. Happened to drift near a boat with two older gentlemen, one holding a fly-swatter in one hand and his fishing pole in the other. He said it was working, all the flies were landing on his partner instead of him.

[Limiter]

We had a huge problem with "friendly flies" a kind of house fly last year in NW Ontario. They did not bite but the hundreds in the boat landing on you drove you to the brink. These guys followed you in waves even in the middle of the lake. We carried swatters but it was hopeless. Kill 10 and 20 take their place. It was the worst because generally you get some relief in the middle of the lake away from shore.

[Karl]

Those are the ones I also encountered. It was early July, 93F, humid and no wind. Walleyes were biting like crazy. Jigs never hit bottom. I had at least 20 of those big flies on each arm, 8 on each cheek, and one that would not stop trying to land on my nose. Went to the front of the boat for something and I'd guess two hundred of them flew up. Fortunately they didn't bite (just a HUGE nuisance) and by the third day they completely disappeared.

[Love Fishing...]

If they really are after you ankles you can take terri cloth wash cloths, wrap them around your ankles and tape them there with electrical tape. They can not bite through it.

[Gary_IA]

The flies I remember used to bite through my stockings. (I always wear a long sleave shirt.) I started wearing zip up overshoes. A little hot but better than getting bit. I later switched to wearing my hunting boots (high top). Again a little warm but better than being bit on the ankles.

[Dave, Canadian Guy]

We weren't bothered by black flies/mosquitos once this past ice fishing season, and that is the only surefire way you'll not be pestered by our wonderfull national bird(s). On the other hand if you simply must come up for the open water season don't wear yellow or blue ( accidently spilling some of the latter on yourself is ok but will likely be frowned upon by your buddies)they seem to be attracted to those colours (who can understand the workings of the insect mind?)
Bring/buy a good supply of bug dope, whichever brand you prefer I've tried them all they all work somewhat, and most importantly pray that the fish are biting like wild. If the fishing is awesome the bugs don't seem to bother you as much. Other than having a squadron of trained bats.......

[Thumper]

There was a huge number of those "house flies" in Northeast MN last July, too. Drove me & the kids crazy. I remember driving on Hwy 61 through a construction zone and I saw a construction worker (sign holder) ahead who was wearing a black leather jacket. I though "Jee, it's pretty hot to wear a leather jacket - the flies must be bugging him a lot!"

As we were driving past him at 10 mph he moved an elbow or something and suddenly his jacket was flying around him and he was shirt and jacketless - he had been covered in flies! Eeew!:'(

[TJ]

Any good bugsuit seems to work best for me and our crew. I tryed the B1 and garlic thing... not the results I have hoped for. Checkout Cabelas or Basspro for the suits.

[Deeter]

Howdy
As said previously, a good bug repellent such as Muskol or Deep Woods Off will work. I would also invest in a Bug Shirt. Also remember, the windier spots will have less bugs...so if you venture into a calm back bay be prepared for millions of them. Another important factor is that Black Flies will not bite if you are indoors. For some reason you can have your cottage door wide open and the place might be filled with them but they will not bite until you go outside...I could never figure that one out but it's %100 true.

[chief]

The flies were so bad last year. My leg got so infected from the bites they had to amputate it.

[buckeyebowhunter]

best thing that i have found is a carlos fuente "signature series" and keep it lit ...small puff of smoke here and there did wonders...
the other thing that worked was to make sure we fished on a windy point...not one of the slack backwater sheltered places