# Freakin Ticks!



## B.Jarvinen (Jul 12, 2014)

This topic is just tough for me. Too much time in the U.P. for me the last several years, where there are plenty of wood ticks, but so far, only in the far west end do they carry anything. Though I have heard that Rhinelander, WI, is a hot spot for tick-borne diseases - not all that far from MI state line.

I think for work I will end up with a set of permethrin laced clothing, or several such. But what can one do for fishing, where that is not to be used? I am pretty used to just simply removing a tick as soon as it reaches skin, and haven't had a true bite in many years - but the small ones won't be noticeable.

Has anything changed with the basic premise that the common wood tick doesn't carry anything, but the newer-in-area (and smaller) species do?

I know well how bad the west MI shoreline is - both of my folks have battled Lyme disease. But then my Dad lives with a Sandford-and-Son type back yard and enjoys feeding the "critters," so I think, sadly, that he partially brought the Lyme down upon himself. And he hasn't done anything about the Barberry infestations getting worse all around the property. I don't relish trying to help him with projects. This Fall after a hard frost I plan to dig out all the Barberry I can.

The other day I heard about a property near Arcadia Bluffs that is said to be about 5 acres of pure Japanese Barberry now. This invasive plant species is said to create a micro-climate very favorable to ticks underneath a given plant/colony's canopy.


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## retired dundo (Jul 21, 2015)

Iam almost 74 and until last year I never Evan though about ticks.And I spent a lot of days in the woods and brush now Iam kind of afraid to go back there.


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

PunyTrout said:


> Here is an example of one of my hybrid 'flies' I'm calling, "The dirty trick". It's not really a 'legal' fly for flies only water but it's perfectly legal for artificials only water.The design lends itself to a myriad of variations.
> It's just fun to create and fish with your own handiwork.





Mike said:


> the Dirty Trick *in white* looks like it would be killer for pike and bass!
> 
> Mike


I made another based on your color recommendation. I also am tweaking tying the stinger hooks as I've lost a few tails to big fish already. What do you think? Should it be rigged with the paddle tail facing upwards or downwards? Or doesn't it really matter?



















Anyone experienced in fishing with soft plastics is welcome to chime in with advice. So far I've used a basic Texas rig with worm weights in various densities to get the lure down to the correct zone I'm trying to find the fish.


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## toto (Feb 16, 2000)

It probably doesn't matter but, if fishing it deep along bottom; perhaps the tail down would kick up a little sand/mud to mimic a minnow feeding. Just a thought, no science behind that thought


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

toto said:


> It probably doesn't matter but, if fishing it deep along bottom; perhaps the tail down would kick up a little sand/mud to mimic a minnow feeding. Just a thought, no science behind that thought


Typically with the mouse and frog versions I fish them on or just below the surface. With the minnow version, I'm usually fishing deep, trying to find the cold water in a Trout lake. This will change as the season begins to get cooler in the Fall.


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## Mike (Nov 26, 2000)

PunyTrout said:


> I made another based on your color recommendation. I also am tweaking tying the stinger hooks as I've lost a few tails to big fish already. What do you think? Should it be rigged with the paddle tail facing upwards or downwards? Or doesn't it really matter?
> 
> View attachment 412245
> 
> ...


That looks awesome PT! We hit the mayfly hatch at its peak here in the UP, so I didn’t try any streamers for pike (conventional tackle was easier to deal with in a boat with my wife, young cousin, and my dog). The bite was off this week, but we still caught pike, smallmouths, perch, and bowfin. Back to reality next week.

Mike


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

FWIW, I throw these with a spinning rod. It's just easier for me to cast. I'm just much more comfortable and accurate with spinning gear.


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## MickL (Dec 16, 2003)

PunyTrout said:


> Should it be rigged with the paddle tail facing upwards or downwards? Or doesn't it really matter?


If one of those riggings causes it to swim with the hook up (on top like a clouser), it might snag less that way.


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## Fishfighter (Dec 20, 2009)

No advice on the rigging for the soft plastic but if you go with a stinger rig it so it is pointing the opposite way of the main hook


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

Fishfighter said:


> No advice on the rigging for the soft plastic but if you go with a stinger rig it so it is pointing the opposite way of the main hook


That's been the general plan. So far I've used Octopus hooks and in-line treble replacement hooks like the one pictured below. It just happens to be facing the opposite of how I would actually rig it. Maybe even a small treble hook.



I'm still trying to get dialed in on tying the stinger. So far snelling and/or a uni-knot seems likely. I still want to improve on using the bobber stop method. I need to make them shorter so I'll probably build a jig.


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

PunyTrout said:


> After my recent report from Memorial Day, I headed back up to our camp today to wage war on the ticks with some Permethrin and a sprayer and do some trout fishing as well. I also made a few hybrid lures that I really wanted to test out too.
> 
> I no sooner had arrived in camp and was getting situated and I looked down and I already had a tick crawling up my leg! A few weeks back I had the _'bright' _idea to buy some day-glow chartreuse clothing to wear around camp with the idea being it would be easier to spot the ticks before they got past the first line of defense. I prefer camo clothing but if looking like a 90s raver helped mitigate the tick problem I was willing to give it a shot...
> 
> ...


Here is help! Free pick-up!


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## Stand By (Jan 23, 2015)

PunyTrout said:


> Here is an example of one of my hybrid 'flies' I'm calling, "The dirty trick". It's not really a 'legal' fly for flies only water but it's perfectly legal for artificials only water.
> 
> 
> View attachment 408909
> ...


You should try this in the pine, with the stinger hook of course.


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## Eyecon (May 26, 2012)




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## FISHMANMARK (Jun 11, 2007)

Have we passed the peak tick season? Yesterday, I was in area where I've picked up ticks before. Nothing.


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## retired dundo (Jul 21, 2015)

FISHMANMARK said:


> Have we passed the peak tick season? Yesterday, I was in area where I've picked up ticks before. Nothing.


That would really be nice


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## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

FISHMANMARK said:


> Have we passed the peak tick season? Yesterday, I was in area where I've picked up ticks before. Nothing.





retired dundo said:


> That would really be nice



I sure hope they have died back by now. I need to go back into the swamp to check my trailcams and build a few ground blinds.


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## mbirdsley (Jan 12, 2012)

We have brown dog ticks bad around the house ( southern Saginaw county). This year has been the worst year in the 5 years we have lived at the current location. Wife and daughter have been bite twice each. Preatty positive the 2 dogs were bringing them in from the field. We check the dogs like mad but a few still make it through. 

The Last week and a half they have died right down. I’ve been using a white milky spray from TSC that you mix 50/50 with water. Works good as long as it dosent rain within 24 hrs. 


Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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