MARCH

[DockShootinJack]

Good luck on your fishing. Hopefully you will catch a mess and not have to guy buy any.
Certainly hard to beat a grilled cheese sandwhich. Especially when it is fresh and crispy on the outside

[Micanopy]

Had a great day out there. The fog was thick in places along the drive but especially on the lake. I arrived earlier than imagined and had to install the lights. Other boats were moving along without them and I thought it was kind of silly of them. The winds were blowing so I headed to the leeward side and started trolling.

Lots of little fish eager to swallow my jigs. Probably caught fifteen of these guys. Ended up catching some nicely sized fish, seven I think. These were fun and I practiced my netting technique on two of them.

Everything went well as far as rod placement, etc. The fish approved on the jigs with the tickler blades. I am calling them Tickle Me Elmos, so if anyone asks what jig I was using I will say Elmos. Same head, same plastic bait, adding the blade made the difference. It kind of tickles the bait’s belly as it goes, not a fully involved spin.

The fish were sleepy and didn’t really pickup until about 9:00 am. Gorgeous Sunny day then and the winds calmed quite a bit. Left the lake about 130 pm. Water was almost 70 degrees.

Have to cook today.

[DockShootinJack]

Sounds like a good day on the water. Not much for being on the water before dawn without lights. Especially if it is foggy. When we are figged in up this way. I quickly find myself close to shore between some docks. You can hear those fast boats out there running wide open. No way that they can see where they are going. I don't want to find myself in front of them while they are doing it.

[Micanopy]

It’s mosquito season all over again. Afraid so. Here in my area we have about a dozen varieties to feed with our precious blood. Little bitty devils that can only pierce the thin skin of our ankles and elbows. Larger sized skeeters that land stealth style, and of course kamikazis that just crash land into us. All of them use sniffers to detect carbon monoxide as that is a sure indication that an animal is available just over there some. They also use infrared vision to examine our skin to find the best spot where blood is closest to the surface. They inject an anti coagulant to keep the blood flowing and it is that stuff that we are allergic to.

Flying hypodermics that feast on our blood to make little skeeters. Known carriers of many really nasty diseases. In my area we have Eastern Equine and West Nile and coming on are some from South America. Our dogs get bit and develop all manner of parasitic infections. The squirrels and birds also share in this wonderful world of transmission.

You can slater on all manner of nasty chemicals to scare them away, or you can do like I do and get nasty right back. I fog. There are all sorts of chemicals on the market available these days. Many are water based and no good for foggers. On Do It Yourself Pest Control’s website they will list the ones suitable for use in foggers. I like to switch out every other time I order so using something new every so often. Most provide good knockdown power and many will leave residuals.

Foggers are best run hot hot. Warming them up is essential to longevity. A minute is minimum. They also must be allowed to burn off any chemicals still remaining within the coils when finished. Again, allow at least a minute. This keeps the tubes open and prevents you from overloading the squirters.

Mix the purchased chemical with a carrier, such as diesel fuel or kerosene. It is the carrier that allows the chemical to waft through the air. Usually a 1 part chemical to ten parts carrier works pretty darn good. Heavier concentrations of chemical do not necessarily translate into better lethality you know.

The trick is to get the chemical onto the skeeter’s body where it can be absorbed. This means you have to get after them where they hide. Skeeters live on plant saps and fluids from the undersides of leaves. So any plant growth needs direct treatment. They hide under decks, and old cars and campers. Anywhere that offers some protection you will find them there. They also alight onto walls. So direct contact with the fog is essential otherwise you will miss many of them. I fog under my deck and that is very effective as it is dark and moist under there.

You want the fog to hang not drift. If it drifts past the skeeter he doesn’t get a full dose. You still kill some but you are not getting that big killer hit you so richly deserve. I test the breeze and allow the fog to waft and then decide go or no go. Of course there are breezes most everyday, and to be sure if they allow the fog to hang some, you can get by.

Many species operate at different times of the day. Some early early, some late after dark falls, and some midday. I like to fog early early as usually that ius when I can find the stillest winds of the day. If I see calm at night I might hit it then too.

The idea here is to get on top of your local population early into the season, and get them beat down good. Then you can fog occasionally when a new hatching occurs. Usually a month or so will get the population under control. In my area we have lots of swamps so there is no shortage of water supplies, and so we get large swarms. I can still beat them back to where I do not have to fog for several months at a time.

Of course not everyone has nice neighbors and this may be an issue for you. Fog when they are asleep. I have about a two acre yard and my neighbors like it when the fog drifts over their way. I sometimes have fog that goes for long distances, and can clear a woods fairly easily. I have fogged my hunting area in the hopes that I could sit perfectly still for a change. I have issues when I hear that buzzing, and I blow my cover. LOL

They also sell sprays that can be applied directly to the plants in your yard and that might be the only option available to you. They make yard misting machines that operate independently and apply at the hours you choose. These can be very effective and will serve you well.

Besides skeeters I also notice very few flies in my yard. I of course manage my trash so as not to draw flies. I like to serve food outside and nothing is worse than some dog poop fly crawling all over the food. I see maybe one fly every so often when food is set out. My guests do not even notice that there are no skeeters about. It is wonderful.

Now anytime chemicals are introduced into the enviroment there is the chance for pollution to occur. Keep in mind that in every one of our rivers and streams and lakes that pollution is already present. DEET which is in the most common form of bug sprays is there because we spray our skin and then bathe. Teflon is there and will remain there for ions. Yuck.

Anyways if this is of concern for you, there are many natural chemicals that can be concentrated and fogged. Many of these do well enough I suppose. Choose for yourself.

I use chemicals that possess a FAST KNOCKDOWN action, coupled with a GROWTH INHIBITOR so I can get the little ones, too. There are also residuals that cling but I do not use those.

I was concerned about birds eating dying skeeters but the birds seem to be doing just fine. Still have bees about, too. So I feel that everything is just fine in this regard. I also feel that I am providing a safe environment for every living creature in my yard, and not just my dogs and family.

I thought I would share as I started my Spring Time program last night and this morning. We started seeing skeeters again. Let me know if you have any questions regarding any of this stuff. I don’t have screens on my deck and don’t need them.

[DockShootinJack]

Growing up in Coastal Alabama I know about misquitoes. Even the county misquitoe fogger truck that used to drive the roads during the summer months. Folks up here in Tennessee would look at me crazy talking about a misquitoe truck. Them Bama Blood Vultures could sting through a brand new pair of jeans. Get you on the back through a t-shirt. Certainly some Viscous critters.