Ankle-biting flies!

Man they suck! Has anyone come up with anything that repels those monkeybutts?

Flame thrower

I spray my ankles with deet, but that does not repel gnats, but raw (genuine) vanilla repels gnats, so I would try the combination. I was bit up by gnats when trout fishing last month, so bought some Watkins vanilla extract and mixed it 4:1 in a spray bottle and have been using that both for trout fishing and in the boat on the river. I would give the combination a try.

I bought a spray bottle of “stuff” from Four Seasons last week. It’s been working very well. Can’t recall it’s name right off hand.

Deet 100 and a fly swatter keeps them at bay while i’m in my boat.

I think there’s an Old Country Buffet sign on my ankles.

Flyswatter is going in the boat. It will at least make me feel better to kill a couple. The DEET does seem to work for a while.

BrianK, please post the name of the stuff when you get a chance.

Thought I heard Dawn dish soap on this topic in years past?

Heading out on the river in a couple minutes. I made a solution of Dawn dish soap/water on a rag and put it in a ziplock baggy. I have DEET, Buggins spray, the Dawn rag, and a flyswatter! My Thermocell is out of propane as usual…

Awesome! Cant wait to read your findings.

If you’re talking about the ones that look like regular house flies, they are called stable flies. They inflict a nasty bite even through socks. I’ve had luck using SPF 50 Coppertone Sport put on thick. Don’t rub it in much. Also doubling up the top of your socks seems to deter them, but sometimes they just bite higher up. DEET doesn’t seem to work. Another repellent to try is White Mountain. Reports I’ve heard is that it works great.

It won’t help your ankles much, but I’ve been getting a lot of use out of the head nets to keep bugs off my face and neck. Even if I look like I’m a beekeeper, it still works. Sold out at FFarm last time I checked, though.

I tried that stuff in the little brown bottle which BK had on his FB page, only slowed them down, but sure smelled pretty. I dug a little deeper into the boat glovebox and tried a bottle of tanning oil, no sunscreen. I noticed it had carrot oil in in. That stuff did wonders on the ankles and lower legs, I wouldn’t put it on over clothing though. I’ll try to get a picture of it sometime.

https://www.smartpakequine.com/ultrashield-green-fly-repellent-8445p?utm_source=Google&utm_medium=googlepla&utm_content=TES&utm_campaign=2109710696&cm_mmc=Google-_-googlepla-_-TES-_-2109710696&source=pla&gclid=CN-q4sa98L8CFQg0aQodS2sAAQ I use this, its safe, spray it in the bottom of my boat and on my feet, no guarantees but its the best I have found, you can get it at fleet farm

I’ve been using the Ultrashield Green on the pup for a couple of summers. A quick spray every 15 mins or so is what it takes but it seems to keep her a lot more comfortable. The ingredients are all natural with no chemical base. I’ve used it on myself, even get some on my face and lips with no effects. Smells a whole bunch better than deet products. Works well on gnats but pretty short term protection. It comes in something close to quart spray bottles and will cost ya around $20. Find it in the horse supplies section- – jerr

Try a product called “Buggins” for gnats. Its a flipping miracle product. Gnats don’t simply stop bothering you – they disappear. I was golfing at a local course with a buddy getting murdered by gnats. The cart girl drove up and said “try this”. I haven’t been bothered by gnats since. The bottle says its for flies also. Its made of natural stuff and smells kinda like vanilla and mint mixed. You will love this stuff.

Absorbine Jr works great on knats. I have used the repel fogger sprays in my glass boat with good results.

Well within about 3 minutes I had flies biting my ankles…didn’t even have time to think, so I quickly stuffed a bounce sheet in each shoe with about half sticking out and smeared the Dawn dish soap rag around my ankles. I’m not sure which worked or if it was the combination of the two, but they stayed off my ankles for most of the day. Late in the day they started to bite again and I sprayed my ankles with Deep Woods Off and that seemed to work until we were done. I HATE those mothers!

I fish NY and Ontario and don’t remember these or are they black flies, deer flies, horse flies or just those regular house flies that bite?

Thanks just wondering thought I’d come across all the scourges but maybe not.

I had good results on the Mississippi River the other night with the Buggins spray. That stuff if awesome for gnats as others have said but it seemed to work with the flies too. Going to the kids baseball games I have had a bottle in all my vehicles and a bottle in the garage for when I take the pup out for a walk.

Good luck

joc wrote:

I fish NY and Ontario and don’t remember these or are they black flies, deer flies, horse flies or just those regular house flies that bite?

Thanks just wondering thought I’d come across all the scourges but maybe not.

They look like common house flies, but maybe slightly smaller and a shade lighter in color. Pretty much look like a housefly…maybe they are?

Dave A., I’m going to try the Buggins next time. My wife and I have been using it for gnats around home and it’s been terrific. Didn’t know it worked on these biting flies, but the guys at Ace in Winona told me yesterday that it’s working for them.

Buggins only slowed the flies down, but sprayed it on the dog and it sure helped him

KwickStick wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>joc wrote:</div>
I fish NY and Ontario and don’t remember these or are they black flies, deer flies, horse flies or just those regular house flies that bite?

Thanks just wondering thought I’d come across all the scourges but maybe not.

They look like common house flies, but maybe slightly smaller and a shade lighter in color. Pretty much look like a housefly…maybe they are?

Know I know what you are talking about just neever knew what they were called and ya they suck.

Dave A., I’m going to try the Buggins next time. My wife and I have been using it for gnats around home and it’s been terrific. Didn’t know it worked on these biting flies, but the guys at Ace in Winona told me yesterday that it’s working for them.

A trick for the ankle biting stable flies is to elevate your feet 12″ – 18″ above ground level if you can. I thought it an old wives tale until I tried it and it really did help. Chemicals didn’t seem to help so much.

Try Bug Soother, some gal invented it here in Iowa. Its great for keeping gnats away and mosquitoes and does a decent job on flys. I think shes making a killing on it as the stores can hardly keep it on the shelf. Smells good to with lemongrass and vanilla.

Wahly

That stuff “BrianK” was talking about was called buggins. We still have some in stock. Stop on in and pick up a bottle.

I’ve now tried the Buggins, great for gnats, but doesn’t quite stop the biting flies.

I stopped by Fleet Farm the other day and they had a 2-pak of Repel Sportsman’s Max 40 DEET (for $6.85, not bad!) and that’s going in the boat. Bug spray with DEET has been about the best thing so far.

I hate those flies! I hate those flies! I hate those flies!

Odd thing is they don’t go after my brother in law’s ankles. One of us must stink.

Just a thought but if they are that bad wouldn’t it be more comfortable to be a little warm in pants to avoid them?

Just had this issue last week at Glen Elder Lake in Kansas, it was miserable the first day with the ankle biting flies (almost drove us insane multiple times throughout the day)…using deet products only worked temporarily and not a solution. Second day picked up a Thermo Cell and soon afer turning it on problem solved! Just an amazing product.