An early start for ticks.

[salvelinus]

I fished a Potter County stream yesterday and this morning my wife pulled a tick off my back. Last week at home my wife and I were doing yard work, and later I pulled one off her scalp. So the little beggars are out in full force already. Use repellent and check yourself after being outdoors.

 

[franklin]

One word, Permethrin. And your tick worries are gone. I treated my outdoor clothes with it last year and zero ticks. It is now my gold standard.

 

[jifigz]

Yep, ticks are horrible and permethrin treated clothing is the ticket to no tick or Skeeter issues.

 

[REDNECK_FLYFISHER]

I wish I knew about permethrin before , 3 years ago I got diagnosed with lyme disease after being continually misdiagnosed for 9 months. The migrane headaches , pain , nosea, dizziness was more than I could handle. Lyme was more exruciating than my first marriage and I wouldnt wish it on anyone. I see amazon sells it so I will be ordering some right away.

 

[SteveG]

Is it still active after washing? I've never heard of it.

 

[raftman]

Looks like it is active up to 6 washings or 6 weeks, as per the product description - Lasts up to 6 weeks (or 6 washings); will not stain or damage clothing, fabrics, plastics, finished surfaces, or outdoor gear

http://www.amazon.com/Sawyer-Products-Permethrin-Clothing-Repellent/dp/B001ANQVYU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459616341&sr=8-1&keywords=permethrin

 

[shakey]

Glad to hear of this permethrin. I actually had babesiosis,and do not want a repeat .

 

[franklin]

Permethrin is a solid, the molecules get embedded in the fibers of the clothing fabric once sprayed and dried. It does not dissipate into the air. The molecules either get washed out or eventually get worn out of the fabric to which they are applied. Different fabrics have different textures which hold the molecules tighter or "looser". Cotton and wool hold the treatment longer. Some synthetics not so long. Thus if clothing is treated and put away for a year it still has the ability to kill ticks.

Tractor supply has concentrated versions that can be diluted for use and is much cheaper than Sawyer. You can find it in the area where they have fly treatments for horses.

I started treating my outdoor cloths two years ago and have zero tick bites and very few mosquito bites. None through my clothing.

 

[salmonoid]

Permethrin is a great tick repellent. It comes with the price that it is also highly toxic to fish. Pick your poisons carefully..

 

[k-bob]

I had ticks on my hand and wader uppers over the winter. they are reduced in #s over winter but around all year. one was tiny.

I fish very small streams and wear ex officio shirts with durable insectshield permethrin (sierra trading). also spray my wader uppers with sawyer six-week permethrin (cabelas).

I watched the tiny tick crawl across about a foot of my sprayed wader uppers, slow, and fall off. !

I don't know if a fisherman can harm fish w permethrin, but I fish such small streams that my shirt and wader uppers aren't in the water. same for my vest w/ phone etc in it.

a tick tip from a ranger I met after walking out of crazy Tobyhanna sp swamp brush: light colored clothing. easier to see a tick. some waders (redington crosswaters) are lighter in color. some fishing shirts as well.

http://utahpests.usu.edu/uppdl/htm/tick-survey/tick-survey-image-gallery/

 

[Chaz]

Last year I had a deer tick, adult, try to brought through my jeans to get blood. Probably got the nasty thing off one of the dogs.

 

[rrt]

I don't know about Tractor Supply's concentrated versions, but the Sawyer sprays work well and, at least for me, are worth the price. I am paranoid about ticks, knowing several guys who have had Lyme disease, and I have not had a tick on my when wearing clothing I have sprayed with the Sawyer repellent.

 

[Chaz]

Ticks are present all year, but do burrow into the ground during the coldest weather.

 

[pabrookie94]

I too have had ticks this year already. 3 to be exact. They're nasty things for sure

 

[jifigz]

salmonoid wrote:
Permethrin is a great tick repellent. It comes with the price that it is also highly toxic to fish. Pick your poisons carefully..

Permethrin is also highly toxic to cats. However, once dried on your clothing it poses virtually zero risk to fish or cats. It is a miracle, I've been using it for years, and I will not stop unless they outlaw it.

 

[salmonoid]

jifigz wrote:

salmonoid wrote:
Permethrin is a great tick repellent. It comes with the price that it is also highly toxic to fish. Pick your poisons carefully..

Permethrin is also highly toxic to cats. However, once dried on your clothing it poses virtually zero risk to fish or cats. It is a miracle, I've been using it for years, and I will not stop unless they outlaw it.

I'm not suggesting to not use it. But everyone should be aware they are using a chemical that is toxic to the species they so much claim they want to conserve. A little overspray in the parking lot might just wash into the stream during a rain shower (or consider the little bit that might end up on your fingers while applying, which then is absorbed by the fly you tie on). And it is effective for up to six weeks or six washings - something happens to the chemical in that time, in that it either was chemically broken down to something else, or the molecules are physically removed from the clothing they are applied to. If they are physically removed, the same thing can happen to your clothing while fishing in the rain or when you dip your sleeve in the water.

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (another miracle chemical) was a great insecticide too..

 

[mcwillja]

Not getting lyme disease > overspray of tick replellent. Name one chemical in this world that isn't bad for something.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

I try to say in the creek/river edge as much as possible. I did have one on my sweat pants the other day. I gave him the down and personal bottom side of my shoe.

 

[JackM]

They say ticks like to crawl around on a warm body for about 24 hours before trying to take a drink. I have always been suspicious of this "they say." Do you find this to be true? If so, why not take a very hot and soapy and thorough bath or shower every time you get out of the woods?

Then, have your significant other explore your body or at least the parts you can't explore on your own.

I had an embedded "dog tick" in my stomach. It wasn't engorged, but I have to think it was beginning to drink. I tried all the folk methods to remove it and ultimately "broke it." I made a small incision and irrigated the wound copiously, but was so paranoid about lymes disease, that I presented to an MD the next day in a panic, asking that he re-irrigate the wound.

He did and gave me placebo antibiotics (I think) so I would not panic.

 

[duckfoot]

mcwillja wrote:
Not getting lyme disease > overspray of tick replellent. Name one chemical in this world that isn't bad for something.

Helium, neon, argon, krypton, xenon.