Those pesky mosquitos

[beerman1981]

If anyone ever wants to ward off mosquitos, just take me along. I will be your official decoy, haha. Mosquitos absolutely love me, and it seems that no amount of repelent can completely detour them from me. I can get bitten about fifteen or more times on an outing, while my fishing buddies only get a bite or two. Worse then that, when I do get bitten, the bites swell up far bigger than any one elses bites. It is common for them to swell up the size of a quarter, and occasionally the size of a half dollar. They will typically stay like this for about two or three days.

Another problem I have noticed, is that when I use repellent, I don't seem to get near the amount of (fish) bites, that I would, had I not used mosquito repellent. It seems that having the repellent on my hands when baiting my hook also wards away the fish? Has anyone else ran across this? Also, does anyone know any other remedies for warding off mosquitos? I have heard drinking lots of orange juice before the fishing trip detours mosquitos (but this seems a little 'fishy' to me). Excuse the bad pun. I have also heard garlic, but I don't think my wife would like me climbing into bed smelling like a garlic clove. Any ideas? Or, am I just destined to be a mosquito decoy?

Joe

[bpm2000]

dude i tried to go night fishing last week - i got eaten alive!

[Anonymous]

Hey Joe, your pretty much stuck with either getting bit or smellin like sh..
The best suggestion I can offer you is maybe wear more clothes. Long sleeves, turtle neck, pants, hat... you know.
Other than that you can always burn a citronella candle or get latex gloves and spray on the repelent than take the gloves off once your done.
I haven't had to bad a time with the mosquitos yet as I have had with bats. Them bastards dive bomb you and there were a couple of times I thought I was getting bit just to find that they were hitting my line. Now how do you control those kamikaze rats? (j/k, i'm not really looking for an answer)
You know you could just give up fishing at night or you can only go out when it's really windy, that would control the problem. Hope this helps brutha.


fishnislife

[Rosann G]

Joe, try taking a vitamin B complex pill every day and see if that helps. The mosquitos used to go out of their way to get to my husband and now he doesn't seem to get bit. I have also heard that rubbing a dryer fabric softener sheet on your body helps and also using Avon Skin So Soft oil is supposed to help repell them. Good luck.
Rosann

[panfisher]

the wife an i have had great success with OFF (deep woods sportsmen) it's a spray pump that helps to keep it off the hands. its helps keep the deer flies away also. also banana's are bad, skeeters love banana shakes. they do make a clothing line that is suppose to keep the bugs away. they are suppose to be good for about 7-8 washings. <')//<

[gpc]

Fish hate bug spray. Bug spray, sun lotion, gasoline and nicotine are the things hate the most. Rub some smelly jelly all over your palms when handling any one of these things, the fish wont even notice.

Bug spay only goes so far. Use the electronic bug repellent. You where is around your neck or put it in your pocket and it makes some sound that the mosquitoes hate. I heard it works great but costs around $100.

My buddy is allergic to mosquito's. It used to be the bits would swell up to the size of baseballs. These last 2 trips it got really bad. On memorial day he slept most the time drudged off benadryl and almost had to go to hospital. Last weekend he swelled up like a balloon. I wouldnt have even recognized him, his whole face was swollen. We had to rush him to the hospital. He was alright, but talk about a bad thing to be allergic to

[beerman1981]

Dang, gpc, that puts things into perspective a little bit!!! That poor guy... What a terribble allergy when you love to fish. I like your smell jelly idea. I'll try that next time I have to apply bug spray!

Joe

[tcb]

I have had great success with Avon's Skin-So-Soft bath oil. Get out of the shower, rub down -lightly- with it, and viola! no more bugs!

I use it a lot. Over time, you can figure out a good dilution that doesnt smell much. I got the tip for it from my brother when he got out of the Marines, he said they used to recommend it in light doses. I dunno if that is still the case, but it sure works well.


tim

[dilbert]

Ever try Permethrin? It's a clothing treatment that is either pre-applied to clothing in the BUZZ OFF brand of stuff (expensive) or it is available in a spray/wash to add to your own clothing. It lasts for 6 weeks or 6 washings, and since it's on your clothes your hands won't smell.

http://www.rei.com/search?vcat=REI_SEAR ... in&x=0&y=0

[tcb]

Ever try Permethrin? It's a clothing treatment that is either pre-applied to clothing in the BUZZ OFF brand of stuff (expensive) or it is available in a spray/wash to add to your own clothing. It lasts for 6 weeks or 6 washings, and since it's on your clothes your hands won't smell.

http://www.rei.com/search?vcat=REI_SEAR ... in&x=0&y=0

I've heard of this too. Be careful to keep the laundry seperated.


Tim

[TroutCowboy]

my wife swears by the vitamin B routine, i've had mixed results with the dryer sheet thing and tend to just stick with the OFF spray and try to keep it off my hands.

up in alaska we had to use that hard-core 100% DEET stuff. it burned and stunk, but was pretty effective. those hummingbird-sized beasts would bite us thru the walls of our tent!

i know they're attracted by color too, you might do some online research to confirm which colors are attractants. i think the bright colors (yellow, orange, etc) as well as white are supposedly on the no-no list. i'm not a big fan of wearing dark colors in the bright sun, so maybe grey colors would be OK?

good luck, and when you find that magic concoction, be sure to share it with us!

[YellowBear]

I tye a couple of those Bounce fabric softener sheets to my belt.
They seem to work pretty good.

[Basshunter046]

Avon has a line of skin so soft bug spray/sun screen. I like it really well. the other night the ol skeets were out in full force, I used it and they didn't bother me the rest of the evening while stacking wood. Plus the sun screen part works great also. I plan on buying more.

[Bigbass Dez]

im with yellow bear . for some reason that fabric softner works well ..plus smells great ...BBD

[EastsideRedneck]

The easiest, and cheapest, means of deterring mosquitos is to make sure you don't smell good. If you plan on going fishing DO NOT wear any cologne or good smelling deodorant. The same goes for using your wife's fruity shampoos (c'mon admit you do it... I won't tell.) The more eau du man-musk the less likely you'll get bitten. Unfortunately, I think I just made myself the least likely to get a fishing partner from this site.... It's not that big a deal, we all smell horrible when we get home anyway from the fish & baits. At least we don't have to soil ourselves with deer pee to enjoy our hobby. Just for the record I do shower, just not on the days I go fishing (until I get home.)

The vitamin B method works through your perspiration, so if you take precautions (cologne, deodorant, etc...) to prevent sweating and its odor this method will not work.

[TroutCowboy]

OK, you had me at "harley davidson & the marlboro man" (i LOVED that movie), but now yer kinda scaring me. ;-)

[EastsideRedneck]

Don't worry TC... I'm not talk'n about filthy bum in the French Quarter smelly. I'm speaking more or less to those guys (and gals) who feel they need to put on some High Karate before every activity no matter the venue...

[Bodofish]

Beerman,
Fact, mosquitos are drawn to heat and CO2. So drink more beer, cool down and quit all that breathing.

DEET is the only thing that really deters them. Not Avon (can't believe any self respecting man would), not vitamins, all wives tails. Yes wives tails. Ask Uncle Sam. Many tests done to protect our boys (and girls) from the pesky little vermin.

Spent many years in AK during "the season" and I've seen all tried and all failed. Even seen the garlic treatment......... keep everything else away but the skeeters and the bears. Seems the bears like cuisine.

When they're bad my personal choice is "Frogtoggs" and a good cigar. Oh did I forget...... more beer.
o:) o:) o:) o:) o:) o:) o:) o:) o:) o:)

[beerman1981]

Beerman,
Fact, mosquitos are drawn to heat and CO2. So drink more beer, cool down and quit all that breathing.

DEET is the only thing that really deters them. Not Avon (can't believe any self respecting man would), not vitamins, all wives tails. Yes wives tails. Ask Uncle Sam. Many tests done to protect our boys (and girls) from the pesky little vermin.

Spent many years in AK during "the season" and I've seen all tried and all failed. Even seen the garlic treatment......... keep everything else away but the skeeters and the bears. Seems the bears like cuisine.

When they're bad my personal choice is "Frogtoggs" and a good cigar. Oh did I forget...... more beer.
o:) o:) o:) o:) o:) o:) o:) o:) o:) o:)

Right on Bodo, you just gave me an excuse to kick back more brewskies. I can't say my wife will appreciate that though, haha! Good info man, and I honestly don't think the repellent I have been using had deet in it, and if it did it was a low concentration of it.... Question back to you though. I have heard that Alaska's mosquitos are far bigger than ours? fact or fiction? How much bigger? My wife's uncle lives in Alaska, and we have been talking about making a trip over there for a few years now.

Beerman (who needs to drink more beer apperantly, lol)

[felts_jf]

I dont know the name of it right now but me being deployed to the sandbox we deal with alot more bugs than usual. I will try to get the name of what we are using but it comes in a little green package and when you take it out you have to wear gloves (supposed to) wear gloves and it looks like a resin bag that a bowler or baseball pitcher would use and you just rub your clothes with it not your skin, skin is bad. IT works great I've been here for 3 months in over 120 degree heat and I've onle been stung by a hornet but no mosquitos will mess with it. I will do some research and see if I can find the name or what it is. The only place I have seen it sold is The Duffle Bag in Tacoma but it works great!

Jason