So my wife, tells me the other day to use listerine to keep away the bugs. I called BS and laughed. She said “Fine, don’t believe, use the DEET and watch your pretty $100 line melt”. So I grabbed the listerine and left. Doubted very much it would work, I took along the BENS. So I covered myself in the mouthwash, put it on very thick. Course, I was sticky, but smelled lovely.
Amazingly, it worked like a charm. Now, you have to be covered in it. But, it works, it’s cheap, and it won’t melt plastic things. Give it a try. I got the stuff from the dollar store. Was cheap.
So I came home, walked past my wife to put away my gear and she said “So you used it! Told you!” I replied with “Yep, and I was eaten alive.” She grinned, as I didn’t have a single bite on me haha.
My Mom dipped me in a vat of vicks when I was a kid. So today I am impervious to insect bites except for my right heel. Which is what she held me by during the dipping process.
Tis only while in Paris that I seem to get bitten by hoards of bugs on my heel. Odd huh? :mrgreen:
We’ve been doing the Listerine thing for some time now. I put it in a spritz bottle and spray around the camp site (and in the camper, too). Everybody and everything smells like Listerine but no bugs!
After it dries I can’t even detect any stickyness … but smell like Listerine! More so with the clothes. I was over here on the river the other day going after some bream and the gnats were terrible. Simply sprayed my wide brimed cotton fishing hat, a tad around my shoulders (some getting on my face I’m sure), but nary a gnat bothered me after that.
Thats very funny. I can just imagine walking in to a restraunt after fishing and having everyone staring at you. Haha. That’s good to know though. I am going to use that on my next outing.
I was wondering how you got the bugs to rinse with it, until I read the post.
I had a former supervisor who spent project $ every year to buy everyone Skin So Soft as a bug repellent. Never mind that I am violently allergic to the stuff, and it makes you smell like, according to what my (sainted) mother says (I am not asking how she might know) a “French whorehouse”.
I will stick with DEET (tell your wife you are not supposed to put it on the flyline), which works reasonably well for me.
Besides, when you are a Zen angler, you can walk BETWEEN the mosquitoes, no?
Shane, just wondering… for those that may prefer that “Minty Fresh” aroma, while a-stream, have you also tried “Scope”!?
“Does the new “Whitening Listerine”, ruin a summer’s tan”?
“Since their ads claim “Also, Kills 99.9% of all Germs & Bacteria!”, you should not need to bathe, then say, for like a week after a fishing trip right”?
Just curious.
No need to bathe, just re-apply a thin layer each day and you’re good to go!
Haha, you crack me up Paul. The stuff does work, I use the blue. Whatever it is.
I used to use the skin so soft from avon, but it didn’t do so well against deer flies. Which is what we have a lot of around here. The only thing I don’t like about the listerine is it leaves my skin sticky.
Decided to go Crappie Fishing yesterday to a place noted for its mosquitos as well as crappie. Looked in the bathroom closet for some listerine and found that we use a store brand which stated its ingredients were comparable to listerine. So I loaded up a spray bottle with the stuff sold under the Western Family label and took off. I did have the brains to take a can of OFF just in case.
Got to the lake and the mosquitoes were waiting with knife & fork in hand. Grabbed the spray bottle and give my clothes and body a liberal spraying. Boy did I smell good. Apparently the mosquitoes thought so also as I was immediately attacked without mercy.
Out came the OFF and the mosquitoes retreated. The fishing was fairly good and I endeared the good natured ribbing of some other anglers as they didn’t think I guy could catch crappie in that stained water with a fly and a flyrod. I had to show them I had a fly on the end of my line & not a jig.
Anyway on the next trip to the store I will buy some real listerine and give it a try and report back.
I went out fishing the other morning. Good ol listerine. Was still attacked by deer flies. But only in the spots I didn’t hit with the listerine, a spot on my arm, behind my ears and a couple spots on my temples. So, the listerine is good, if you’re completely covered it in.
I still carry off just incase. But I shoot for the listerine first.
Well, I think it depends on one’s Zen angler level regarding physical (or is all of this astrophysical ?) positioning relative to mosquito hordes. At some Zen angler levels, one would find themselves walking above the biters, yes?
I was off to the gun range yesterday and there was nothing in the house to use for the bugs except stuff that I usually use for fly fishing with LOTS of deet in it. I didn’t want that to affect any of the target guns finishes so I tried some Listerine for the first time as a result of this posting. I didn’t get bit once. Thanks for the tip and the firearms still look beautiful.
Bluntly, for fly fishing I’m still a DEET MAN. I don’t touch my rod with the back of my hands and I wash the palms of my hands. But for rifle shooting I have to put my check on the comb and I want something on my face and this just might work for me. I have to test it out some more.
Ed, I at once thought of that and I have to admit I was tempted to transmutate myself to Grand Mesa to join DG for the Listerine trials, but upon closer introspection I decided it would be hazardous to do so that close to the flyway…in other words, I’d prolly become poached !
Nice. Can we just call you Vicksilles?