NoVA guys - Ticks

[Avalonjohn44]

I primarily bank fish, I've already had about 6-7 ticks already this year, it's been an infestation.  They've been all over both on my dogs and me.  I use OFF that I bought this year and it has deet in it, but it seems to not be working as well...    Just a few minutes ago, I felt a soreness in my armpit and went to the bathroom.  Sure enough, I pulled out a tick, one I've never seen before.  I looked it up on google, it's a 'Lone Star Tick'... It looks like a slightly smaller brown tick with a single whitish dot on its back... It sometimes carries an infection similar to Lyme Disease though not as bad, and sometimes even carries Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever... YIKES!

Anyhow...is anyone else seeing a big jump in ticks where you fish?  What are you all using to keep the #%$#$@ing bloodsuckers away?

[A.Do?]

fished a few times from shore and havent had any ticks on myself BUT my fishing buddies usually find a frew on them.  I play a lot of sports in the woods and use "Deep Woods" OFF! and it seems to work for me.

You could always put a nice thick coat of vaseline on your body ;D

Something i've always wondered was:

IF you do find a tick on your body, what's the best way to remove them?

I've heard of:

-using a lighter to burn them off

-pulling them out with tweezers

-putting a dab of vaseline on them to suffocate them

-just pulling them off with your fingers

What works? What doesn't?

[Hung up Paul]

Keep em off you by whatever means possible.  Two kids in my neighborhood got Lyme disease last year.  Nasty stuff and it takes a long time to cure... sometimes months... the whole time while you feel like crap!  Don't risk losing your entire Summer.

[rondef]

I have had about 10 of them on me this year from Lake Mercer and Lake Huntsman. Next time I get one I am trying the procedure below. I also spray myself with deep woods off really good now to the point of my clothes feeling wet and I spray my boots really well.

I just found this in the Lyme disease thread in the everything else category.

Helpful hint for the summer.

Tick Removal

Spring is here and the ticks will soon be showing their heads. Here is a good way to get them off you, your children, or your pets. Give it a try. Please forward to anyone with children... or hunters or dogs, or anyone who even steps outside in summer!! A School Nurse has written the info below -- good enough to share -- And it really works. This is great, because it works in those places where it's some times difficult to get to with tweezers: between toes, in the middle of a head full of dark hair, etc. Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and swab it for a few seconds (15-20), the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away. This technique has worked every time I've used it (and that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic for the patient and easier for me. Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this would be damaging in any way. I even had my doctor's wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her back and she couldn't reach it with tweezers. She used this method and immediately called me back to say, 'It worked!' Please pass on. Everyone needs this

[A.Do?]

Sounds like i'm adding cotton balls and soap to my tacklebox, much cleaner than putting some vaseline in my hair or burning my hair offf tryin to get to the tick with a  lighter.

[JCrzy4Bass]

Had two thus far this year.  Both from lakes where I was walking through thick brush.  Lake Huntsman and Lake Mercer.  I've decided I'm gonna hold off on fishing the thicker areas until fall and or wait for cooler days where I can wear long jeans and tuck everything into my boots and socks so there is no skin to immediately get onto.

Just be careful in areas that are very wooded, or have tall grass.  Also be weary if the specific area has a lot of deer.  Where there are deer there are deer ticks that have a higher chance of carrying diseases with them.  Another thing I've been reading a lot online is that a very high percentage of ticks DO NOT actually carry disease, however... this isn't to say take them lightly.  Use whatever tips neccessary and avoid the areas where they are more likely to be.

This is the best part about being in a boat with somebody.  May be worth the rental if you have time and/or money during the summer.

[Avalonjohn44]

I just plucked it out.  Got the whole thing.  I'm not a patient man when something is in me & sucking my blood...I gotta get it out right away.  

[Phishin Fillip]

yes... I bank fished hunting running and picked off probably 5 on me there and another 5 at home.  

It may have something to do with the amount of rainfall we have had

[Sam]

My barber told me that he has ticks all over his yard and that they are very heavy this year.

He lives in Powhatan County, which is close to where I live.

So far I have removed two ticks from granddog and that's all but thanks for the warning and tip on how to remove them.

I hate ticks. They get on my clothes and then in the car and as you are driving around you will find one crawling on your neck or in your hair.

Yuch.

[HokieDJ]

No kidding, That's why I'm avoiding beaver dam.  Last time I went, I was totaly oblivious to them until someone mentioned about them here and I remember my wife telling me where I went because she found a tick in my closet.  Doh!

I even found one walking up my leg one time I was exploring a pond in the neighborhood.  I felt the little thing crawl up and I looked and saw him and killed him right away.

I'm definateling using some insect spray next time I go fishing and constantly checking my legs hahaha

[71Rig]

10 ticks this year?  I pull 10-20 a day!  Of course I work outside and in places most other people don't want to go....If you don't like picking off the critters try some of these.

My advice is to wear BDU's (for you who don't know they are combat fatigues) since they are light and airy in the hot weather.  Also, duct tape the cuffs or use spray with at least 50% DEET.  I would opt for 80%+ DEET if you can find it (Ben Meadows carries it as well as Forestry Suppliers.

If you can dedicate some clothing to fishing and wear the same thing every outing (I know, call the fashion police) then look for Permethrin.  This is a clothing treatment that lasts several weeks and is applied to just clothing and allowed to dry before use.  pretty effective.

Another trick is to put duct tape on inside out (so the sticky side is facing out) under your pant legs.  This will catch any ticks traveling up your leg since they stick to the tape.  Just make sure to put it on over socks as to not loose any leg hair.  

Or just pick them off as you see them.  Plus it's a nice way to end the day with a loved one doing a tick check ;D.  

Now all you have to worry about is the chiggers!  

[daviscw]

I always wear long pants when I fish. For those speaking of "burning the ticks off", you burn the ticks AFTER you pull them off. I have never heard of anyone burning them right off their skin. That seems like a no brainer to me.  :-?

[A.Do?]

I always wear long pants when I fish. For those speaking of "burning the ticks off", you burn the ticks AFTER you pull them off. I have never heard of anyone burning them right off their skin. That seems like a no brainer to me.  :-?

Where's the challenge in that? :

[daviscw]

I always wear long pants when I fish. For those speaking of "burning the ticks off", you burn the ticks AFTER you pull them off. I have never heard of anyone burning them right off their skin. That seems like a no brainer to me. :-?

Where's the challenge in that? :

There's not! To each his own!  ;D

[A.Do?]

I guess I should have clarified with the burning. One method was to take a match, light it, blow it out then touch the bugger. Again, I have a lot of "country" friends and i think one suggestion even involved urine....

[daviscw]

Ohh! That makes a whole lot more sense. I was born and raised country myself, and I'll be the first to admit people can come up with some crazy stuff! I've practically grown up in and around ticks. I've never had one I couldn't get off with my fingers. (You'll find the ones that swell up like grapes are the easiest  ;D)

This should help you, it's straight from the "OFF!" website.

If you find a tick, use a pair of tweezers to grasp the tick's head as close to the skin as possible (without crushing it) and pull it directly out. Do not remove ticks with petroleum jelly or hot objects, such as matches or cigarettes. These methods can increase the chance of a host tick injecting you with dangerous bacteria.

http://www.offprotects.com/lyme-disease/

[Avalonjohn44]

These methods can increase the chance of a host tick injecting you with dangerous bacteria.

Meaning they vomit into you.  Ugh...  :-[

[.dsaavedra.]

99% of the time i just grab em and pluck em out with my fingers. the only ones i cant do this with are the freakin microscopic ticks. i dont know what they're really called but my mom calls em "c ticks". theyre really tiny so i have to use tweezers to get a grip on em. even those pull right out though.

[TheRushFactor]

Haha, what a coincidence! Just lately I've been pulling off about 3 of those guys every time I go fishing!

[SimonSays]

Luckly I've never had a tick on me...*knock on wood* but that deal with the soap seems like a neat trick.  Looks like I'll try and fish with some long pants from now on when going into woods.

great thread too by the way, I wouldn't have known what to do with a tick on me. Also does anyone know if you can use any type of soap?

[onthereel]

I've had few this year...I mostly catch them on their way up my leg.  Although after finding the first one this year, I become paranoid and check, every time I feel a twitch, itch.  The heat doesn't help, most of the time it's sweat beading up or dripping, but of course you have to check...very distracting

[Mepps]

I've had more this year than ever before. Kinda wierd. I do find myself pond-hopping in remote grassy areas lately, so its probably pretty normal.  

[Hung up Paul]

I don't recall ever having a tick on me. But 2 of my neighbors and my father in law caught lyme disease last year. My father in law was on antibiotics for 3 months. I guess I feel kind of lucky that I haven't had the opportunity to fish much this year. This thread is making me feel better about my decision to buy a boat. lol.

[slomoe]

The small ones are so hard to feel. At my favorite pond and the BC rez this year have been the worst. 10-20 sometimes more.

Like 71 said, ductape your pant legs, or at least tuck them into your socks.