I know that it is early in the season and the temps have been pretty low across the area but I am not seeing any kind of bug report so far for 2026. I am hoping that means that none of the hatches have happened yet. If I missed the thread somewhere, my apologies.

A group of us are headed up to Basswood Lake next Wednesday - Sunday and just wanted to see what everyone was running into. This is our 6th year so we know to treat our gear, have spray, and therma-cells, etc. as a standard practice but just wanted to hear from anyone within the last few days or so.

Thanks for any updates.
-BG

Based on current and forecast conditions, I think you’ll be gloating a week from now about having chosen wisely. Nary a bug of any kind this weekend in the swampy woods north of Duluth that I frequent daily. Keep in mind also that the initial black fly hatch will be non-biters.

No warranty express or implied is stated herein. ;-)

So far no bug problems. But….it will be soon!
So far I haven’t seen a mosquito, gnat or any other biting bug. oh, I had a tick crawling on my canoe which I flicked into the water.

Out this morning from Q...first few mosquitoes showed up yesterday...not many, but we're at the tipping point.

I'm in the Bemidji, MN area and yesterday evening the black flies started. They were a little worse this morning even with the wind,

The bug thing is the same every year. They're always there. Plan for the worst. Hope for the best. Simple as that.

15th, the first biting gnats and mosquitoes were on Snipe

The 19th to the 24th, I only saw one mosquito on my bugnet at sundown on the last night ... but overnight temps were in the low to mid 30s, so this next week with highs in the 80s it might be a very different story.

15th-20th- saw literally one mosquito the PM of Friday the 15th setting up camp.
Nothing through the 20th. No ticks - no nothing. (just a lot of fish) #84 entry.
FWIW- sprayed gear last 10+ years with Perm. Have not seen more than 5 ticks in 15 years -- just seems like ticks are not what they used to be and always go within a week of fishing opener? Back in the early/mid 2000's - breaking trail the first dude had 15+ plus ticks on pants on first portage almost every trip. Something has changed in my .02. and it's not permerthin?? The ticks are not what they used to be?
Headed up this Wed to the Stuart area. Will report back ---

This Duluthian thinks you are going to get slammed, especially toward the end of your trip. I saw my first mosquitoes and black flies 10 days ago on the South Kawashiwi River.

The black flies are out in the Ely area. Yesterday was the first day they were getting bug shirt worthy. Ticks are too.

The black flies are out in the Ely area. Yesterday was the first day they were getting bug shirt worthy. Ticks are too.

Gunflint Trail 5/24-5/29 we had only a couple mosquitoes at dusk. No little black flies yet, but I'm guessing they are hatching about now.

Big Lake area 5-27 through 5-30
Black flies noticable worse from entry to exit.
Stable flies the same and were really going on Friday in the heat
Skitters not relevant ,yet
Any appreciable moisture (woods very dry) and the bug situation is going to explode.

Baker Lake 6/1 to 6/6. Moderate numbers of skeeters at times but they were usually easy to fend off around camp with a couple of thermacells. I only had to wear a head net two or three times when portaging. No black flies to speak of. This is the first time I've come out of the woods on a late May/early June trip and not been covered in bug bites.

We just got back from a loop that included Crooked, Iron and Beartrap.

Crooked and Iron were very bad bugs. Non-stop. Mosquitoes mostly but the black flies were kicking in.

Beartrap much better.

Bugs do not bother us too greatly or hinder our enjoyment of a trip but they are a reality for sure in some places worse than others.

Lots of ticks.

Good luck all.

Just back from a loop up the moose river 5/29 - 6/5. Loop around oyster>Ge-Be>Pocket>LLC>Nina Moose.

Two days on Oyster the black flies were out all day long, not horrific but enough to be annoying.

By the time we hit fish stake narrows a few days into the trip the mosquitos exploded. Mostly high south winds all week kept the bugs away on LLC but the evenings the wind settled down the usual repellent measures were needed or we played cards in the bug shelter till they died down.

Only a couple ticks the whole week and the dragon fly hatch was doing there job once we hit Nina moose.

Just got back from Takumich and mosquitoes were the worst id seen up there in 20 years of trips.

Just got back Sag-Ogish-Seagull loop. Skeeters worst I can remember. Of course first portage which was a bear, the 168 to Ester, no one had bug spray on and got devoured. Uhh… don’t do that, be prepared. Bad in spots where they swarm, bad in the morning, bad for a stretch in the evening then seemed to go away. Of course by that time I had 3 layers of Deep Woods Off on haha and that stuff does work so I stick to it. Campfire smoke doesn’t hurt either. I’m scratching as I type this in the usual spots. No bad flys to deal worth mentioning.