Bug Spray/Repellant

[double_taper]

Any one have any suggestions as to products that have worked for them. I bought a S.A. fly box the other week that came with a sample of bug repellant. It was not a winner. I have tried a few but have not found anything that is very good or even decent. After being eaten alive last evening fishing I figured I'd see if anyone has anything that works for them.

 

[tomgamber]

Never had any luck with anything bur products with high concentrations of Deet. Here is one I've never tried but have seen advertised a lot recently. Keep it off your fingers, fly line and out of your mouth though.

http://www.chinookmed.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?item=03112&source=froogle

 

[double_taper]

That is actually the sample product the box came with. Maybe I just didn't put it on heavy enough, or just didn't give it enough of a chance. I had a few bites and it definately didn't keep the insects away because there was constant buzzing around my face, but I also didn't get biten like I did last night so may need to give it another chance.

 

[double_taper]

Any one ever try these Bug Bam bracelets. Reviews look good but I have my doubts. If nothing else it has a good slogan. "Because Mosquitos Suck"

 

[tomgamber]

THIS is what I am using now and it fits in my pack. It works...Before I bought this I had a small orange bottle of a similar product I bought from an Army/Navy store in Idaho.

 

[jrcll]

i like ultrathon insect repellent from 3m, at first all they had was the stuff in a tube and it as like smearing elmers glue on yourself, but now the have it in a spray and a pump bottle, it works for me

 

[JackM]

I'm not particular to brand, but I look for 100% DEET. The Repel brand Tom linked has worked. I always wear long-sleeves and waders, so, I spray the top of my hat, under the brim, and on my neck and I don't have problems with bugs.

 

[Acristickid]

DEET works no question.

Not sure how good it is for you though. Stinks when you get it near your lips.

FI- I heard you mention that industrial stuff. palomaur sp?????

 

[tomgamber]

Deet is bad for you and worse for your fly line. The stuff works. I guess you will need to prioritize. I once tried the "swallow a whole clove of garlic the day before" method once and it worked but the bugs may have just not been bad that day. Hard to tell. There are lots of other methods of not attracting bugs if you Google it.

 

[Fishidiot]

I'll second the recommendations of repellents with high DEET. I carry a small spray can in my fishing vest with, I think, 45% DEET but use it sparingly, mostly on my hat. I also keep a tube of sunscreen in my vest which claims to repel bugs but it has one of those "natural" repellents that don't seem to work very well.

While I don't know about flies/mosquitoes, I am a big fan of permethrin based clothing treatment (as I've stated on this forum many times) to keep off ticks. I treat my wading pants, waders, and vest with this stuff and rarely get ticks.

 

[Spyder20oz]

Deet also likes to open up holes in your gore-tex waders

I think i use Ben's - its a small orange pump bottle available at EMS

 

[MKern]

I saw an add for a new product that deters female mosquitos by making a noise (that we can't hear) that mimics the noise of a pesky male mosquito.

The theory is that after they mate, the females want nothing to do with horney male bugs, however they need the fresh blood to bathe their eggs. If your wearing this contraption that makes the noise, the female mosquitos stay away.

I think it was less than $20.

 

[Spyder20oz]

Its from william joseph

 

[wgmiller]

http://www.avon.com/1/1/457-skin-so-soft-bug-guard-plus-ir3535-gentle-breeze-spf-30-sunscreen-lotion.html

 

[RLeeP]

I won't/can't use any DEET-based product, although I suspect I still have enough 6-12 in my system from 45 years ago fishing for largemouth along the banks of the outlet of Lake LeBoeuf that I'm permanently dosed. The worst mosquitoes I've seen outside of Canada.

The reason I won't mess with DEET is because I have about $4,000 worth of plastic-cased hearing devices nested in my ears at all times. I just won't take the chance.

Generally, I just put up with the bugs. I always wear long sleeves anyway, even when it's 92F in the shade. If they're really, really bad, I wear a $2.98 Wally World headnet. They used to be made of a nice soft mesh that was very unobtrusive and did not impair vision significantly, if at all. Then they switched suppliers (probably due to a riot in the originating Chinese prison factory) and went to a more coarse mesh. These are useless. So, as soon as I saw they were doing this, I went to all the Wal-Marts I could find and bought out the old ones.

Occasionally, I will also use the non-Deet based Cutter product (in which something called Picardin is the active ingredient). But only on my hat and the back of my hands where the deerflies like to land. It lasts for at least 20 minutes. http://www.cutterinsectrepellent.com/BrandNav/BrandNews/Cutter+CDC+Recomendation.htm

Otherwise, I tough it out or if absolutely necessary, use the headnet.

The biggest problem I have where I fish is gnats anyway and if you sneeze enough, you can usually be rid of most of them within 24 hours

 

[troutbert]

I've tried Cutter with Picaradin too, and like RLeeP, I've found that it works for a fairly short time, but you have to re-apply it regularly.

A fishing buddy used something with Lemon Eucalyptus as the main ingredient and the results seem to be similar. It works, sort of, but you have to reapply it often.

Right now I use the Picaridin stuff when the bugs are there, but not real bad. When they are bad I use Deep Woods Off. It is way less than 100% Deet, but it works.

Has anyone tried Buzz Off by Leweys Eco-Blends? It's from Maine and it's a none DEET product that uses a whole bunch of botanical stuff. My brother and his family live in VT and they swear by it. They took a trip to the Boundary Waters and said this stuff worked better than 100% DEET.

 

[afishinado]

I use the Skin-so-soft bug guard stuff posted above by WGMiller. It works okay for a short time. I learned my lesson with deet products and ruined a lot of eqiuipment including fly lines.

When I fish with Lestrout, I've seen him use one of those electronic bug gadgets that give off a sound to keep bugs away. The one he has is solar operated. He swears by it. Maybe if he reads this thread he can give more details about the gizmo he uses.

 

[troutbert]

troutbert wrote:
I've tried Cutter with Picaradin too, and like RLeeP, I've found that it works for a fairly short time, but you have to re-apply it regularly.

A fishing buddy used something with Lemon Eucalyptus as the main ingredient and the results seem to be similar. It works, sort of, but you have to reapply it often.

Right now I use the Picaridin stuff when the bugs are there, but not real bad. When they are bad I use Deep Woods Off. It is way less than 100% Deet, but it works.

Has anyone tried Buzz Off by Leweys Eco-Blends? It's from Maine and it's a none DEET product that uses a whole bunch of botanical stuff. My brother and his family live in VT and they swear by it. They took a trip to the Boundary Waters and said this stuff worked better than 100% DEET.

Just an update on Cutter with Picaradin. Last weekend I was fishing and the air was still and humid and gnats were terrible and the mosquitoes weren't much fun either.

At the worst point, I really dosed myself with Cutter with Picaradin. I drenched my hat with it, sprayed it all over my head, neck, shoulders, arms etc.

And the bugs came back in my face IMMEDIATELY. There was not even a brief break.

So, the search continues....

 

[RLeeP]

That's because it's (Picaridin) designed to be used with a headnet...

 

[troutbert]

RLeeP wrote:
That's because it's (Picaridin) designed to be used with a headnet...

Ohhhhhhhh!!!! I'm sure that would improve its effectiveness. Thanks, Bob!