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| What are your best recommendations for mosquito spray and black flies prevention? |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI |
Deep Woods Off works well, and this past week in northern Wisconsin has been deer fly and mosquito heaven (hell for me). |
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| You should just invest in a ThermaCell and you won't have to worry about most insects. They work amazing and will keep you bug free! |
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Posts: 133
| Second the ThermaCell, I was a skeptic at first, but decided to try one and wished I had it when it first came out. Wind is the only enemy for the unit to be effective. |
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| I don't know about theracell for black flies. They are much more difficult to deter than skeeters. I lived in the UP for 20 years and the only thing that I found that helped with them were repellents with high levels of deet. |
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Posts: 3913
| No spray will save you from swarming blackflies or gazillions of skeeters. The only sure protection is yer clothing. Sorta like a bee keeper but in ways that allow you to continue fishing.
Here's my list:
Boonie Hat
Head Net
Complete High Quality Rainsuit
Boots
Playtex Gloves
Duct Tape
Tuck everything in starting with the headneat into yer jacket and pull that zipper alllll the way up. Then tape your boots to yer rainsuit and your gloves to yer rainsuit. Now you can fish and not get eaten alive.
One time on LOTW outside Kenora a buddy fishing alone in a 14' boat got caught by wind and was unable to get back to camp for the night. He spent the night not on one of those islands by a campfire. Instead he spent the whole nite in the water up to his nose at the back of his boat that was pulled up on the island. The skeeters were sooooo bad he had no choice because he wasn't ready for the bugs, all he had was spray. Anyway, he tied a rope from his upper chest and to the back of the boat and found footing where he could lean back so just the top of his face was out of the water. Two hands free to squash skeeters on his face. But he said the worst part by far was inhaling the skeeters while he was trying to keep them off his face as he tried to stay awake. He told me that skeeters will keep sucking your blood even underwater. All nite long.
Prepare for the worst when it comes to bugs and you can always slide by. If yer not ready and caught out, well, the bugs need something to eat, too, and that's only fair in the long run.
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| The head net is the best for black flies, combined with a collared shirt, buttoned all the way up. Black flies will drive you mad if you can't find a way to avoid, or repel. There many stories of early surveyors, and timber cruisers running full tilt into Lake Superior in the 1800s. They preferred immersion in 45 degree water to the black flies. |
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Posts: 3913
| The first thing is to have a fly swatter in the boat for each person. During the midday a few but really fast and determined biting flies will go after your feet/ankles. Any respectible blackfly can easily bite right thu yer socks and once one finds you you'll not be not bothered until you kill the little SOB. They are really that bad. Just encounetring a few during the day will mess you up because they do not give up until you kill each one.
I once was camping with my kids on Lake Sup when a blackfly hatch had recently occurred. We could walk from the water's edge in full sun to the nearest shade with only a few flies on our ankles and behind our ears. When we hit the shade we started running and we didn't stop until we slammed the cabin door behind us. It was like kicking a bee's nest every time anyone went out in the shade, immediate swarms of blackflies anywhere except on the water's edge in the sun. And then they were so bad we had to wrap our kids up to protect them on the beach. We spent our family vacation in the cabin or on the beach or running between the two and later killing all the biters that got into the rented cabin.
Prepare for the worst. |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | I have found Thermacell to work okay on mosquitos, but not on flies - black flies, no see ums, etc. And Deet products work great on skeeters, not so good on flies. The best product I've used is No Stinkin' Bugs. It has Deet plus two fly repellents - MGK 264 and MGK 326. None of the other's I've seen have these, not Cutters, Off, Bens, 3M or any of those. Before I knew what was up with this stuff me and a buddy were on a caribou hunt in Nunavut in late August. We each arrowed a nice bull the 2nd day, and that night back at camp (still plenty light at 10:00) when we were caping them the black flies were so thick I had to wear a headnet to keep 'em out of my eyes, but couldn't wear gloves when I was doing the touchy stuff around the eyes and lips. They tore me up, even though I had a bunch of Bens repellent on them, which is like 98% Deet. I brought that small bottle of Bens for carrying with me while hunting and had a can of this No Stinkin' Bugs along in the tent but hadn't tried it yet. So out of desperation I sprayed the No Stinkin Bugs with the fly repellents all over my hands and was amazed how well it worked. I could finish the caping without much trouble after that. Turns out the flies aren't much deterred by Deet like mosquitos are, but this fly repellent stuff worked well. And it turns out 98% deet isn't any better or stronger than 25% or 40% deet, just lasts longer, like 10-12 hrs vs 6-8 hrs. I'd give it a try if the black flies are a problem where you're at. |
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Posts: 458
| This Nutrishield works for me. No deet.
http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/fish-scents/892605001335.aspx |
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Posts: 897
| Ranger - 6/8/2011 8:50 PM
One time on LOTW outside Kenora a buddy fishing alone in a 14' boat got caught by wind and was unable to get back to camp for the night. He spent the night not on one of those islands by a campfire. Instead he spent the whole nite in the water up to his nose at the back of his boat that was pulled up on the island. The skeeters were sooooo bad he had no choice because he wasn't ready for the bugs, all he had was spray. Anyway, he tied a rope from his upper chest and to the back of the boat and found footing where he could lean back so just the top of his face was out of the water. Two hands free to squash skeeters on his face. But he said the worst part by far was inhaling the skeeters while he was trying to keep them off his face as he tried to stay awake. He told me that skeeters will keep sucking your blood even underwater. All nite long.
This guy obviously did not read the book Hatchet when he was growing up...
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| A friend of mine told me just to eat alot of tabasco before I go up and all those little pests will just BLOW UP after biting ya----the ultimate revenge! |
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Posts: 793
Location: Ames, Iowa | The first time I went to the Boundary Waters the lady there took a look at our 45% Repel and said the skeeters would lick that off of us on their way to our blood. If you want a spray for your boat you might want to try a product called Bronco. It is an equine fly spray- I spray a little on the horizontal surfaces of my boat and no flies of any kind land there. If you want a spray for you I'd suggest 100% deet formulas. Cutter makes a good one. Spray into your hands and rub onto exposed skin and on your socks. That and a mosquito mesh hood worked great. You can buy mosquito mesh hoods at most sporting goods stores. |
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | dj, 100% deet isn't any more effective than 45% deet. She's selling you a bill of goods. Deet is Deet. |
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Posts: 81
Location: NEW | The higher percent deet, the longer it lasts. 100% just lasts longer. A great deal of the deet you put on your skin ends up in your urine, by the way. Permethrin ( Permanone ) works real good on clothes. You're not suppose to use it on your skin because it's toxic. It's real toxic for fish. And cats too, if that matters to you. A rep from Muskol told me to avoid bananas for a while before and during a trip and some people say heavy garlic use helps too. |
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Posts: 1185
Location: Wishin I Was Fishin' | I keep a can of yard guard in the boat for the flies. It works pretty good. |
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Location: Grinnell, Iowa | dfkiii - 6/8/2011 5:28 PM
Deep Woods Off works well, and this past week in northern Wisconsin has been deer fly and mosquito heaven (hell for me).
We have renamed this product Deep Woods On because it seems to do nothing but attract mosquitos and flies. I would use it only as a last resort. I hope this doesnt get flagged for product bashing.
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Posts: 393
Location: Hopefully on the water | I remeber seeing some black fly stuff at Gander Mountain the last couple of seasons but can't remeber the name of it. It was usually by the check out counter that is suppose to work very well. |
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Posts: 1460
Location: Kronenwetter, WI | hand grenades |
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Posts: 941
Location: Freedom, WI | A little natural bug spray that works (at least in WI, never tried it in Canada) pretty good.
A mixture of essential oils
in a 2 oz bottle mix
1/2 oz massage oil
5 drops eucalyptus oil
4 drops lavender oil
5 drops geranium oil
5 drops peppermint oil
2 drops clove oil
3 drops cinnamon oil
1 1/2 oz enzyme spray (Natures sunshine calls it natures Fresh)
I use Natures Sunshine products but I am sure a natural food store would have this stuff. I does not last as long but smells good and is not toxic. |
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| I USE TO GO BEAR HUNTING IN QUEBEC FOR MANY YEARS AND THE ONLY THING I FOUND THAT WOULD WORK ON EVERYTHING IS ULTRATHON. IT IS MADE BY 3M PRODUCTS,I USE TO ORDER IT FROM A MED SUPPLY BOOK NOW CABELAS CARRIES IT. IT DID ONLY COME IN A CREAM NOW IT COMES IN A SPRAY TO IN THE CAMPING DEPT. THIS STUFF IS THE ONLY THING YOU CAN SIT IN A TREE STAND IN THE BUSH WITH NO GLOVES, HEADNET, HOOD ECT. AND NOT GET BIT.I WAS TOLD IT WAS WHAT THEY GAVE OUT TO THE GUYS IN VIETNAM FOR IN THE JUNGLE. ...........DAVE |
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| http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqYTgXW17HY&feature=related
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Posts: 572
| I read where someone used Bronco Equine Fly Spray to repeal flies from their boat. I thought if it is good enough for horses, it just might work for flies around boats. I bought some to try, only on my boat. It does say "plus citronella scent", which is used in some candles to keep insects away.
I found one quart for 5.99. However, I found it on sale for 3.99. At that price, I'm willing to spray my boat to keep the flies away.
Anyone else ever used it? |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | rocket - 6/10/2011 9:29 AM
dfkiii - 6/8/2011 5:28 PM
Deep Woods Off works well, and this past week in northern Wisconsin has been deer fly and mosquito heaven (hell for me).
We have renamed this product Deep Woods On because it seems to do nothing but attract mosquitos and flies. I would use it only as a last resort. I hope this doesnt get flagged for product bashing.
You must have some wicked corn fed skeeters down there !  |
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Posts: 906
Location: Warroad, Mn | I always smear my body with bear grease. Seems to work! Sometimes hard to get the bears to give it up! Doug Johnson
Edited by dougj 6/14/2011 6:27 PM
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Posts: 311
Location: Ontario | Try to stay in spots with breeze. Especially where you throw up a tent/camp. No deodorant, gel, cologne, shampoo etc. Trust me. Wear light-coloured clothes. Tan, white, khaki, etc. Mosquitos are a cool-weather pest, blackflies are a heat of the day, warm-weather pest. Mosquitos are born in standing water, blackflies in moving water. This can influence where you hang out, camp or fish. A good, high, dry(ish) spot with plenty of breeze trumps all for keping bugs down. All the commercial sprays, potions and lotions work. The trump card is what you wear (and don't wear) and wind. Expening lots of body heat and co2 attracts bugs too, not to mention stomping around thru grass, brush etc. Deer and those biting houseflies will tuck into the lee spots in your boat and eat your feet and calves no matter what you do lol. Like all things, bug go in cycles and are go from unbearable to non-existant depending on what the weather's been like and what month it is. By the time muskie season opens in the bulk of Ontario blackflies are long over. Walleye/pike Opnener, much more of an issue than mid/late June.
Edited by JBush 6/14/2011 9:01 PM
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Posts: 468
Location: Not where I wanna be! | Thermacell is absolutely magical, add a Fine cigar to the mix and you'll be bug free! :D |
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Posts: 96
Location: Eau Claire | Thermacell and Repel with 40% deet for extra protection and in case the wind is screwing with the thermacell. Both work on black flies. |
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| For the ankle biters (flies not kids) try WD 40 on your ankles. Tip I got in Canada. It works. |
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| good stuff here. anybody try listerine? i've seen a few emails floating around about it being great. Not sure if that is BS or not, have yet to try it. |
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