I live in the south gulf coast in Florida on the water and I can tell you the bugs are horrendous down here and every bit as bad as they are in the boundary waters. Recently I got turned on to an insect repellent that’s the best I’ve ever seen, I did a test recently where I went out and stood on my seawall fishing for snook after a heavy rain in the evening, and the bugs were literally eating me up. I went in and put on an insect repellent called PROVEN man I swear the bugs never touched me after I put it on I swear by this stuff !!! Non-greasy, and it doesn’t smell and it works!!’

Its got Picaridin, I was skeptical of its effect,but tried it(not this name brand)this year and the results were great. I was around home so I don't know how long one application works or on black flies.

I used a picaridin (Sawyer product) this year for the first time in late May in the BW. Generally, I do not use any bug juice, but the mosquitos were horrid. What I Iike about the product is that it is supposedly safe on plastics (my glasses/sunglasses) and while it worked, manufacturer claims there is no need to reapply for 14 hours-not true. Also, like all chemicals, I inevitably get it into my mouth, and the nasty taste lingers.