The mosquitos are nasty this time of year so I normally like to keep a can of 25% DEET in the boat with me. I just learned from this forum about how deet can repel fish. I had been keeping the bug spray in my tackle compartment. I took it out of there and now I’m wondering if there’s anything I should do to clean out the compartment in case there’s some deet left in there, or if I don’t have to worry too much about it 

Thanks 

I take a bath in 40% deet before I go night fishing all summer long, and the summer is one of my most productive times.

 

The only thing I do differently to account for deet usage is use a scent masking agent on my baits, and I don't spray deet onto the inside of my hands.    

 

Without deet I can't fish, so it's not even a consideration in my gameplan.   

I always carry a Deet product, never noticed the fish not biting. I am careful to rinse off my hands after using it, but that’s it.

I'd be more concerned with residual deet melting some of your plastic products than repelling fish

I remember the old vinyl floor feeling tacky when my wife would spray the kids, in the kitchen.

I don't think it will repel the bass, but it will melt anything plastic.  I have seen way to many tiller handles on outboards, as well as many other plastic products ruined  by DEET.

1 hour ago, king fisher said:

many other plastic products ruined  by DEET

Like Winn Grips.  Or probably EVA.

5 hours ago, August said:

 wondering if there’s anything I should do to clean out the compartment in case there’s some deet left in there,

buy a new boat...

I know it will mess up a pair of sunglasses too

Why not carry a thermocell ?

Mosquitos despise them !

12 hours ago, OkobojiEagle said:

anything I should do to clean out the compartment

Just plain soap and water, the least "odorous" soap you can find.  Then rinse very well.  Then leave it open as much as possible.  I think that's about all you can do, and should work.

I don’t use any bug repellent. I feel if the bugs are that bad the best bet is long sleeves

1 hour ago, evilcatfish said:

I feel if the bugs are that bad the best bet is long sleeves

That doesn't help much with them getting in your ears, eyes, nose and mouth.

 

Sometimes the repellent alone doesn't even stop them from orbiting the noggin and driving me crazy, that's when I break out one of these:

 

I found these wipes, which I keep in the boat.  Prevents over-spray. 

5 hours ago, Bolar said:

I found these wipes, which I keep in the boat.  Prevents over-spray. 

That's nice for not having to breathe in the stuff, but I don't want to get it on my hands because of the melting issue and because I don't want to transfer the odor to baits.

 

I thought I was being real smart once, and put on gloves before spraying myself down. The gloves were mega-sticky afterward and I had to trash them.

I absolutely hate bug spray, but there are times when you can't fish without some kind of repellant or you will be miserable the whole time.  There is some natural stuff that's effective, it has a heavy cedar scent to it. I think the kind I'm using now is made locally, it's called green beret spray.  You have to reapply after a few hours if the bugs are murderous.  Its safe on animals too.  I use it to keep ticks off my dogs in the fall. 

I don't like carrying sunscreen or bug repellant in my tackle, so it stays in my boat.  I do carry pack of off wipes and they work really well.  It doesn't get all over the place like the spray.      

Best stuff I've found that even works on black flies (horse, deer, etc) is Calendula Essential Oil. Just need a drop at the pulse points (neck, inside of wrists, inside of elbows for short-sleeve shirts, ankles, back of knees if you're in shorts.) Re-apply every 2-3 hours. Its nothing but pure Calendula extract with no additional chemicals.

 

In case you're wondering, Calendula is the genus of Marigolds...moquitoes, gnats and flies hate Marigolds.

9 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

Best stuff I've found that even works on black flies (horse, deer, etc) is Calendula Essential Oil. Just need a drop at the pulse points (neck, inside of wrists, inside of elbows for short-sleeve shirts, ankles, back of knees if you're in shorts.) Re-apply every 2-3 hours. Its nothing but pure Calendula extract with no additional chemicals.

 

In case you're wondering, Calendula is the genus of Marigolds...moquitoes, gnats and flies hate Marigolds.

Where do you buy it?  Recommendations of which one?  Amazon has a ton...

 

1 hour ago, Deephaven said:

Where do you buy it?

Same place I've been getting it for 30+ years - Present Moments Herbs and Books. 3546 Grand Avenue, S. Minneapolis.

On 7/26/2024 at 8:01 PM, Bird said:

Why not carry a thermocell ?

Mosquitos despise them !

They work really well. Deet will ruin watch crystal and gun finishes etc etc. 

 

On 7/27/2024 at 6:56 PM, GetFishorDieTryin said:

I absolutely hate bug spray, but there are times when you can't fish without some kind of repellant or you will be miserable the whole time.  There is some natural stuff that's effective, it has a heavy cedar scent to it. I think the kind I'm using now is made locally, it's called green beret spray.  You have to reapply after a few hours if the bugs are murderous.  Its safe on animals too.  I use it to keep ticks off my dogs in the fall. 

I don't like carrying sunscreen or bug repellant in my tackle, so it stays in my boat.  I do carry pack of off wipes and they work really well.  It doesn't get all over the place like the spray.      

I too absolutely hate bug spray, but also any chemical we put on our bodies.

 

Ill have to look at the spray you talked about, i use vinegar for my bug repellent now. Ive walked through tick infested woods, came back clean every time.

Paddle the kayak through heavily infested mosquito swampy ponds and lakes, and no mosquitos until after a 2 hour period, i take a ziplock bag, fold 2 paper towel sheets in half and soak it in either white or apple cider vinegar, and dump some in the bag, wipe on skin and reapply after 2 hours.

Doesnt harm the skin, doesnt harm the aquatic or wildlife, doesnt harm the baits, tackle, handles on rods/reels, and its edible. Doest get much safer than that.

 

Also the smell goes away after about 10-15 minutes.

Along with Deet, I carry a head net for the times the little buggers are terrible and nothing else will work. I use it a couple times a year.

 

Head net