A while ago I discovered something that has radically changed my Louisiana fishing experience. More like it was referred to me, but not just by anybody, either. Having just parked my truck, I walked into the Breton Sound Marina store across the street. After saying “Good Morning” to Mrs. Karen I heard someone by the shelves talking about getting bug spray. Without missing a beat, Mrs. Karen piped in and recommended a product that they had on display. She claimed it was the best bug repellent they had yet. Now that caught my ears. A lot of people tout their products as being the best in keeping those awful gnats and other insects away. You know what I’m talking about: differing amounts of DEET, special formulas, fragrance and even complete suits! Sometimes you’d be going down the bayou and see someone donning one of these and wonder if there was a HAZMAT spill. But then Mrs. Karen said something else that caught my attention. She said that even the infamous Glenn Sanchez recommended it. Is that my wallet in my hand? What she had was in fact Avon Skin So Soft with BugGuard Plus and SPF 30 Skin Lotion. However, I’m not one to jump on a bandwagon. I gotta try something out first before I can pass judgment. So, like any good patron of Breton Sound Marina, I bought a bottle!
Now, I bought this at the height of the gnat season, when the weather is warm enough for them to flourish and you catch yourself fishing on the inside for speckled trout for the fall pattern. Mere five knot winds were predicted. The stage was set for a perfect day to try out this product. I lathered a good bit of the Skin So Soft onto my exposed arms, face and neck before setting off down Bayou LaLoutre.
It wasn’t long before I pulled up to my first fishing spot, cast a line and immediately started to put nice-sized speckled trout into the boat. But in short order, the trout were not the only thing biting. Redfish? Nope. Sheephead? Nope. Gnats? NOPE! A big smile? YES! I couldn’t believe it. Yes, they were flying around me, but they were not biting me! This stuff worked better than Victoria’s Secret fragrance, baby oil or even regular Skin So Soft. Plus I didn’t smell of insect repellant like Off! or similar name brands. I was ecstatic! I did find that you occasionally need to re-apply. No worries there! I enjoyed a few more trout before moving on to find more fishing spots for the charter I had the next day. But what I caught for my customers would prove to be just as great a catch as any limit of fish: peace of mind from bug bites and irritation. It’s all about the experience, and this product is going to help me deliver a better experience for my customers. It’s about the adventure, not the charter!