Fishing is a very popular outdoor sport and to some, it is simply a hobby but to those in a survival, situation fishing may mean the difference between surviving and not. Fishing is one of the quickest ways to obtain food in a wilderness environment.
Contrary to what some might think you do not need expensive equipment and watercraft if you are fishing for survival. Competition fishing, of course, requires skill, equipment, and patience. In a survival situation, however, you can catch fish with what you can find in your environment.
Along with being outdoors comes the need for protection from mosquitoes and other insects including ticks and biting flies especially when around surface water sources. Mosquitoes and ticks are not just annoying pests they can also carry life-threatening diseases. It is important you know how to protect yourself from insect bites while fishing in a wilderness environment.
Insects and mosquitoes in particular are attracted to carbon dioxide that every human exhales. Mosquitoes are also attracted to lactic acid, which is secreted from your sweat glands. Insect repellents repel the pests and they do not mask or inhibit the carbon dioxide or lactic acid. Perfumes, cologne and other fragrances do not seem to be an attractant for most flying insects. Movement can also attract mosquitoes.
Your first line of defense against mosquitoes outdoors and other biting insects is clothing that covers the skin.
Exposed skin can be treated with an insect repellent such as DEET, which is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an effective way to control the spread of diseases such as the West Nile virus and malaria. Alternatives to DEET include geranium and soybean oil (CDC, 2012).
The percent of DEET contained in the repellent has a direct effect on how long you can expect protection. For example, repellents containing 40 percent DEET can control insects up to 10 hours, while at 23.8 percent expect up to five hours protection and at 4.74 percent, you can expect 1.5 hours of protection. The CDC recommends at least 25 percent DEET for the best protection.
Clothing and gear can be treated to repel and kill insects on contact. Typically, anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts will use permethrin to treat their clothing and gear. The spray can be applied to clothing you wear and in most cases the clothing can be washed several times and still provide protection. Permethrin treated material kills’ ticks, black flies and mosquitoes on contact. Follow the directions carefully when spraying on clothing.
Generally, you would spray the clothing in a well-ventilated area and then wait up to an hour before wearing. Spray your shoes, socks, backpacks, pants, shirts, hats and even tents. It is not effective when sprayed on rubber material or any material that does not contain fibers. The compound adheres to fibers in the material, and the bond is strong enough to last up to six washing in some cases.
Natural ways to repel insects in a wilderness environment include smoke from a fire and certain plants in the area.
Plants that you might expect to find in a wilderness environment that repel insects include peppermint, nodding onion, cedar, eucalyptus, sweet fern, wormwood, and sagebrush.
Sagebrush is very pungent and can be placed over coals to produce a repellent smoke or the leaves can be rubbed on your skin or clothing. All of the listed plants can be rubbed on the skin to act as a repellent or used as an aromatic smudge. You must crush the leaves somewhat to allow the essentials oil to release.
Caution: Before handling, any plants you find in a wilderness environment ensure you know what the plant is. Apply the essential oils to a small area on your skin to ensure you will not have an allergic reaction.
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Catnip is also a very common plant and can be found virtually anywhere. Researchers have discovered that the catnip plant contain nepetalactone, which is now considered an insect repellent.
Where to Fish To Avoid Insects
Insects and mosquitoes, in particular, cannot breed in fast-moving water. Still bodies of water are ideal breeding grounds for these pests and should be avoided. High grasses and swampy land surrounding some waterways are ideal places for ticks, which will collect on your clothing and make their way to exposed skin unless you are protected.
Ticks and mosquitoes can be found virtually anywhere, so you should always be protected whenever you are outside even if it is just for a few minutes. If you plan to spend time, outdoors treat several pairs of clothing with permethrin and carry them along with you. It is recommended that you carry either wipes or liquid repellent. Aerosol cans are bulky and if tossed in a backpack the nozzle can release the contents if it makes contact with items in the pack.