7 million bats die from WNS: ‘We can’t stop this thing......"

[PFactorDave]

When we go trolling for walleye late at night in Northern Wisconsin, the white nav light on the boat draws mosquitos heavily.  The mosquitos draw the bats, lots of them.  Its a pretty cool experience to have a dozen or more bats diving and circling around the boat just at the edge of the light.  You just catch glimpses of them.

It freaks my wife out, so she won't go walleye fishing with me and won't let the kids go either.  Oh darn...     .

I also have her convinced that the cigars we smoke keep the mosquitos at bay.  Which is somewhat true, but we still use mosquito repellent.  Don't rat me out!  

[RTHolmes]

Well I hope it gets the Fruitbat that shat on my bikes tank and peeled the paint.

meh, guano happens ...

[mbailey]

When we go trolling for walleye late at night in Northern Wisconsin, the white nav light on the boat draws mosquitos heavily.  The mosquitos draw the bats, lots of them.  Its a pretty cool experience to have a dozen or more bats diving and circling around the boat just at the edge of the light.  You just catch glimpses of them.

It freaks my wife out, so she won't go walleye fishing with me and won't let the kids go either.  Oh darn...     .

I also have her convinced that the cigars we smoke keep the mosquitos at bay.  Which is somewhat true, but we still use mosquito repellent.  Don't rat me out!  

You sir are a genius, and if you ever run for public office....you have my vote 

[Ack-Ack]

Well I hope it gets the Fruitbat that shat on my bikes tank and peeled the paint.

 

ack-ack

[PFactorDave]

You sir are a genius, and if you ever run for public office....you have my vote 

   It's really kind of funny.  My parents own 20 acres on a lake in the North woods.  My brothers and sister and their families join my parents and me and my family up there for two weeks every year.  Walleye fishing (and cigars) has become a nightly ritual for my brothers, my sisters husband, and I for the past few years.  None of the women want anything to do with it because of the bats and mosquitos.

Good times...   

[IrishOne]

When we go trolling for walleye late at night in Northern Wisconsin, the white nav light on the boat draws mosquitos heavily.  The mosquitos draw the bats, lots of them.  Its a pretty cool experience to have a dozen or more bats diving and circling around the boat just at the edge of the light.  You just catch glimpses of them.

It freaks my wife out, so she won't go walleye fishing with me and won't let the kids go either.  Oh darn...     .

I also have her convinced that the cigars we smoke keep the mosquitos at bay.  Which is somewhat true, but we still use mosquito repellent.  Don't rat me out!  

nothing better than walleye fishin in the dark      where do you do your fishing in WI?    i usually go on the wolf river in the spring for the spawning run, mostly near Shiocton/New London area.  in the summer i like night fishing on shawano lake, lake winnebago, or sometimes we'll make the drive to the petenwell flowage.    many great spots here to nab a few "yellow pike"



back on topic.........when we sit out at the campfire at night, just as it gets dark, you can see bats zooming around left and right catching bugs.    without bats, im sure we'd be eaten alive by the the wisconsin state bird:   the mosquito

[mbailey]

Walleye fishing here in PA is decent, we do pretty good trolling broken back Rapalas.....and or leeches......good times. I think the missing piece of the puzzle is the cigars.......gotta try that out 

[PFactorDave]

nothing better than walleye fishin in the dark      where do you do your fishing in WI?    i usually go on the wolf river in the spring for the spawning run, mostly near Shiocton/New London area.  in the summer i like night fishing on shawano lake, lake winnebago, or sometimes we'll make the drive to the petenwell flowage.    many great spots here to nab a few "yellow pike"



back on topic.........when we sit out at the campfire at night, just as it gets dark, you can see bats zooming around left and right catching bugs.    without bats, im sure we'd be eaten alive by the the wisconsin state bird:   the mosquito

Twin Bear lake which is part of the Pike Chain, about 30 miles or so West of Ashland.   For walleye, we troll the south end of the lake from about 11pm til 2am.

[morfiend]

I was considering buying some bat boxes for the edge of my property to thin the mosquito population. Besides, bats are really cool to watch at dusk.

Should I wait and does anyone have any experience with bat boxes?

  Del,

  I have 2 in the yard and the biggest problem is placing them where cats and raccoons cant get at them!  Oh and they make abit of a mess with droppings so you may want to consider that.  However they do a great job controlling the bugs!!


   

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Just remember that bats carry a drug resistant form of rabies. A bite wound from one may be a death sentence.

[Dragon]

Just remember that bats carry a drug resistant form of rabies. A bite wound from one may be a death sentence.

The same can be said about any mammal.  Rabies is rare in bats, you have a better chance of being bitten by a rabid dog than a rabid bat.

[Rich52]

I troll at night with a stealth electric and little planer boards on my lines, drilled and little chemical nightsticks put in them so's I can register a bite. After a while by watching the light you can tell the difference between your rapala knicking cabbage tops, a good place to be, and a walleye picking at your bait. Remove the front trebel for less hangups and be veeeery, veeery quiet. Electronics keeps you on the edge of structure and deep drop offs and a line counter reel will let you know exactly how deep your lure is going. Jointed Rebel Blackstars were deadly on drop offs. Chartreuse most of all in clear water at night. For a 3rd line you could even run one long, long line. But inline planers will outproduce long lines 3 to 1.

I never fished Twin Bear but Ive seen it. That LONG troll on the east side is perfect for night planering. You want long planer runs over straight structure most of all if running 2 to 6 lines. You outside line will be set to run deeper and your inside will run more shallow. The big thing is quiet. I even lined the bottom of my boat with old carpet to prevent banging cause MR. Walleye has veeeeery good hearing.

When we go trolling for walleye late at night in Northern Wisconsin, the white nav light on the boat draws mosquitos heavily.  The mosquitos draw the bats, lots of them.  Its a pretty cool experience to have a dozen or more bats diving and circling around the boat just at the edge of the light.  You just catch glimpses of them.

It freaks my wife out, so she won't go walleye fishing with me and won't let the kids go either.  Oh darn...     .

I also have her convinced that the cigars we smoke keep the mosquitos at bay.  Which is somewhat true, but we still use mosquito repellent.  Don't rat me out!  

[MrRiplEy[H]]

The same can be said about any mammal.  Rabies is rare in bats, you have a better chance of being bitten by a rabid dog than a rabid bat.

Actually if a bat passes over you and urinates in the air, you can catch rabies from it. Bats also carry a form of rabies unique to bats and it's leathal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabies_in_animals

[Reschke]

Crazy I tell ya...come to think of it I haven't seen many bats here in the Birmingham, AL area so far this year. Granted it was a warm March and has been a cooler than normal April so that might have something to do with it.

[Dragon]

Actually if a bat passes over you and urinates in the air, you can catch rabies from it. Bats also carry a form of rabies unique to bats and it's leathal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabies_in_animals

You can keep your EBL2 over there where it belongs.  And it sounds like you have a better chance of winning the lotto and getting struck by lightning than dying from a bat bite.