4rd Annual Erie Steelhead Jam Nov 16-18

"Clean the tick bite out with soup, water and rubbing alcohol." Huh? I'm thinking you meant soap Dave. This is a good article. Thanks for the information and hope you don't have any more run-ins with ticks.

 

There is an item that you can buy at local pet stores that removes the tick without much risk of keeping the head in there. Several kinds, but it's just a plastic item that grabs the tick to turn counter clockwise (all ticks burrow in clockwise) and remove. Tweasers are risky for breaking it off. I have a friend who works in the ER and she says that it is what they use when a patient comes in with a tick.

Just a friendly tip.


I've never had a tick, but have been checking myself every so often lately when I get home from being in the woods.

 

The soup at my house is very sterile. Thanks

 

About 15 - 16 years ago, I developed a bulls eye rash on the side of my chest.
Didn't really have any of the other symptoms associated with lyme diease. But I went to the doctor anyway. She told me that it sure looked like a lyme rash, and put me on antibiotics. But never ran a test for it. Said that - at that time anyway - none of the tests were very reliable.
And the rash did slowly fade away.
However shortly afterwards, I started developing achy joints - -and have had them ever since.
During routine visits to the doctor since, I have complained about the achiness - and was diagnosed with arthitis. Just part of the aging process I was told.
But I still always wonder if that (possible) lyme rash had a lot to do with it

 

Dave I contracted Lyme Disease 3 years ago. I was bit above my ankle and never got the bulls eye rash just a all encompassing rash. Spent at least a week in bed and was delirious at times. Every joint in my body ached..even the knuckles in my little fingers. Had to change the sheets 3 times a day as I soaked the bed. Couldn't watch TV as the brightness of the picture hurt my eyes. Hardly ate any food. I still have flare ups now and then. Just an insidious disease.

 

I had a tick embed itself in my hip last spring. I immediately freaked and thought of all the horror stories of the importance of identifying the tick and not to leave the head in blah blah blah. I ended up going to the ER just to be safe. Lesson learned was you just grasp the thing with tweezers and yank it out(only its head was in my skin, it wasnt fully embedded). The dr said it doesnt matter if some bits of the insect are left in you, because your body will deal with them like it would deal with any other foreign body. Ok, heres the big tip of the post; go get a one day dose of antibiotics! If you take one day of antibiotics after removing the tick, you prevent yourself from contracting lyme's disease--assuming the tick was carrying lyme's to begin with.
I freakin hate ticks...

 

When it comes to Lyme, there is much that is not understood. Sadly, ticks aren't the only way to get lymes, masquito bites or any exchange of bodily fluid by a person (loved ones beware)with lymes can give you the disease. Andonce you have the little bugs have fun getting rid of them. When treated with most antibiotics the bugs will hide in your spinal fluid until they attack again. Most attacks happen when there is a change in the barometric pressure, storms and weather changes. I've been treating my Lyme with a combo of samento and noni extracts. It's very important to read read read and then learn more. Some experts find 1 in 4 people suffer from the bugs but aren't aware because of false negatives. And that there are a lot of commen and some severe ailments that result from lyme. Chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, crones disease, and more can be attributed to lymes. Damn those bugs!!!!

 

The 4rd annual Erie Steelhead Jam will be November 16th through the 18th. If you have never fished for steelhead, head up a few times a year, or need counseling for your addiction you are welcome to come. This has been a great event held for the last few years that allows people from all over to come and hook into some big fish with some great company. My thoughts on Erie have always been that there are always going to be crowds, you might as well surround yourself with friends.

So here's the official plan of events.

We will meet every morning at the pavilion at Folly's End Campground. They have been generous to us for the last 3 years and continue to do so. You can camp out there if you please, park a camper, or even call to see if they have any available place to stay. They have a fully stocked fly shop and elk creek is about 25 yards from the pavilion.

We typically meet as a large group for coffee and donuts and split up from there. Sunrise at that time of year is right around 7:00am, so if we plan to meet around 8am each day that should work out just fine.

Friday is typically a day where people filter in all day long. If you plan to attend and are unfamiliar with where to go or don't know many people from the board please let me know and I'll arrange for you to be met up there at your arrival time to be shown around and have someone to fish with. Folly's is probably the best place to go if you're unsure. There will be people there all day at the pavilion and fishing at Elk in that area.

Each evening we will converge at Avonia Tavern. Let's plan to meet there around 7pm. (Sunset is at 5) This is a great place to grab a good bite to eat and a great beer with lots of room for our group. We'll try to arrange a large table there every day so we're not waiting around like in years past.

Last but not least is a place to sleep. A bunch of people stayed at Sunset Motel last year. It's not too far away from our meeting places and very clean and inexpensive. There are many other places to stay in the area. Feel free to look around and find what you're looking for.

If you need a cell phone number or 2 let me know and I can give you mine or someone else who will be there so that we can make sure you get hooked up with the group when you arrive.

Follow more of the plans for the weekend in the forum here.

Thanks to Ryan Gouldsbarry for organizing the meet-up!

 

DOOONUTS .... DONUTS .....DONUTS!!!!

I'll miss you guys!

Looks like you will have a great year this year!

 

DOOONUTS .... DONUTS .....DONUTS!!!!

I'll miss you guys!

Looks like you will have a great year this year!

 

DOOONUTS .... DONUTS .....DONUTS!!!!

I'll miss you guys!

Looks like you will have a great year this year!

 

I am in the woods A LOT for work and am always covered in ticks....until I found the greatest tick repellant ever. It's called Dr Ben's cedar oil spray. It's all natural so you don't have to worry about all the problems associated with chemical repellents (and it makes you smell like you just climbed out of a cedar box. Not only does it repel the ticks (and other insects) but it kills the ticks on contact VERY quickly. Another bonus is that because of the natural smell, it does not spook deer. Anyone who deals with ticks, do yourself a favor and grab a bottle.

 

"This year was one of the mildest winter we have had in decades and the with full-on buzz of global warming in the air the ticks are bound to be in party mode early."

Huh? This was the coldest winter we have had in a few years and last year was certainly much milder...

Anyway, good article and good things to be aware of being that us fisherman spend so much time outside. Getting lyme is one of my biggest worries being outside frequently. I wear my breathable waders as full on chest waders rather than letting everything from the waist up dangle down from the wading belt in an effort to try to keep the ticks out. I probably look silly on small water wearing full on chesties but its worth it to keep those little buggers out.

Great article Dave, thanks