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Big carp and catfish have been caught on very cheap but extremely effective sausage meat baits for decades. Homemade sausage meat baits and ground baits are enormously cheaper than many shop-bought baits and expensive popular luncheon meat and Pepperoni products. Let’s see how to make yourself some big fish baits that really save you money and catch big fish!

Using sausage meat is rather more ethical than basing your baits on very valuable marine resources, but you can use it to bulk-up certain fish or shellfish bait mixes to cut costs and create different nutritional profiles, tastes effects etc. you can easily get sausage meat fresh or frozen fresh and fresh is best although catfish are also renowned for loving baits just souring, but I would prefer to use this effect with blood based baits for instance and not pork. Often the biggest fish in your water will take a new safe bait pretty quickly and certainly sausage meat based baits are not trendy so can really give you many competitive edges!

Making baits from congealed or minced sausage meats is really simple, fast and easy. It contains many nutrients that stimulate big catfish and carp with many oils and amino acids etc. Although many sausage meat products contain rusk and cereal is great bulking and binding agent, you can use extremely cheap wheat flour for example, plus eggs to bind it into a dough, to use as bait, or to make paste baits or produce boiled baits.

Making one of the cheapest protein based homemade baits is simple, fast and very easy to do:

Use a large pan or bowl to make a bait mix using a test batch of about half a pound of meat plus about 2or 3 hen’s eggs and enough wheat flour added to bind into dough. This is practical bait to use immediately, or you can store it in plastic bags and store in the freezer or fridge for future sessions. Although these meat baits (like any bait ingredients) may vary in nutritional profiles and fish effects and catch results, they are normally instant type baits and reliable fish catchers straight from the first cast.

Pre-baiting with a new bait is definitely a good edge putting things far more in your favour. (This is not totally necessary with this bait though.) I got a friend to do this for me in a swim (not such a clever move,) and I never got in the swim as incidental catches by other anglers meant it was too popular as a result of the baiting; so bait less obvious swims! Even just introducing a few pounds of bait in golf ball sized pieces the day before fishing can make a big difference!

The effect of pre-baiting is that the fish will be far more prepared to eat your bait with even more enthusiasm when you start actually fishing; so hold onto your rod! Sausage meat in this form makes fantastic ground baits too. Fishing paste balls has always been extremely effective, but these days you might prefer to make your baits more resilient to smaller fish (by par-boiling,) so they are still intact when the bigger fish arrive; but add some dough to your bait or hook or PVA bag anyway too!

As most commercial rolled baits have uniform shapes, your homemade baits in odd shapes have the advantage over more wary fish by disrupting their reference points! Boilies are just made by placing your dough baits only a handful at a time in half a pan of boiling water in a pan for a couple of minutes; this makes a resilient skin when they dry-off on conveniently placed absorbent towels or trays etc. keep your water boiling at all times by not adding too many baits at once and keep taking baits out after around 2 minutes or so.

Boil your baits for anything from a minute to 5 minutes; the longer boiling makes them harder, but this loses more attraction in the process. To help attraction there are so many choices to add to your bait, or just to keep results coming. For instance you could add sea salt at about a teaspoon per 2 eggs worth of bait mixed, or add curry powder at a heaped teaspoonful per egg used in the mix or more depending on the form of curry powder used.

As sausage meat is a fatty, oily bait, incorporating additives and ingredients and flavours to boost digestion and fish metabolism is a very good idea indeed. You might simply add spice and herb powders, any of a range of essential oils and extracts, or boost attraction with parmesan or blue cheese powder and added garlic granules or seaweed granules etc. Adding some liquid amino acids supplements is always useful in boosting nutritional attraction and this can be made at home very easily although it’s not for this piece. For colder weather you might add liquid lecithins and add oat or wheat bran which improve digestion, liver function and the vascular system of fish being rich in the feeding trigger, betaine!

You can add almost anything to enhance the stimulatory effects of your sausage baits but it helps if you really know what your ingredients do inside your fish and how they work together in baits to contribute the overall effects and improve catch results, and this knowledge really does save you a fortune and boost your confidence hugely! There are many ingredients etc you might add to stimulate fish which may be very expensive over a season, but going to the supermarket, health food shop, Asian store etc can provide really potent gems for a fraction of the cost when you know what to look for in terms of bioactive substances especially… Even adding liquidised liver with a few drops of spice or herb oleoresins and liquid lecithins can make drastic differences to results for relatively little cost and your baits will always be unique of course which a big edge anyway!

The options are limited only by your imagination; but using proven fish feeding triggering substances and metabolically stimulating substances are among the best proven substances when you look at bait components… Homemade sausage meat baits (and ground baits) for big carp and catfish are well proven against any popular modern baits (even enzyme-active ones,) and I’ve proven this myself (although my baits are sometimes rather more complex than here.) So give them a try and you might decide to get much deeper into making your own homemade baits; but beware - they can become addictive!

By Tim Richardson.

Most anglers who buy baits use them with blind faith because they really do not appreciate what actually happens in the fish that induces them to take a bait into their mouths and in doing so get themselves hooked! Imagine the power of being able to harness this knowledge where applicable. How much do think this advantage over the fish and over other anglers will multiply your catches?

Confidence in a bag, (or bottle) when it come to bait is one of great personal opinions for every angler, because the truth is everyone has different experiences even on the same baits, at different waters, and many anglers with put down other baits even though they have never even used them, which is a tad bit short-sighted perhaps. Confidence mostly comes from perceptions in fishing, and certainly not from first-hand experience. But it is first-hand personal experience that is the only thing you can truly trust as fact, but I do not mean by this that claims about commercial bait quality and effectiveness are not true.

Why would you care of you knew anything more about bait anyway; after all you catch fish right, and you have confidence in your baits? The difference between you running against an Olympic champion and expecting to win is you can try hard as you can with the amount you already have or know, but the Olympic champion has prepared in as many ways as fully as possible for a very long time; and that is why he is the best; talent at the top is not enough! In many ways use of flavours is like a race, where so many are simple taste or flavour carriers and mere attractors, (not feeding triggers) but others are like live rocket fuel by comparison, but you could spend your life missing out by not finding out; because most anglers keep secrets to themselves…

Science is tricky and seemingly irrelevant for many anglers until they realise the enormous significance that chemicals change in solution with water and many substances are simply not the same in water as air, and fish are experiencing different chemicals all over their bodies and not just on the tongue like humans. Imagine garlic on the tongue; it is mixed with air and saliva, but in mixed just water, garlic produces different compounds and the tastes and smells we experience as humans will be different ones that carp experience. This means that the flavours or pungent smells we might imagine impact on the fish may well not be present in the same form at all, and this might mean that something else is triggering a response from carp, even an internal one where something in garlic is acting to produce thermogenic (metabolism and digestion speeding-up effects for example,) and even have very potent antioxidant and antimicrobial impacts etc.

Carp are turned-on by far more than a vanilla or strawberry flavour combination and in fact often these will provide no response at all as they are not true feeding triggers as such, but some bait substances compensate for this by affecting carp in far more profound ways internally! Science is hard right; well I did an easy test on carp baits today by eating wheat-free biscuits and a wheat free doughnut; all done in interests of science and in the best possible taste! Sometimes there are substances used in foods and baits which are naturally there or added deliberately which induce you brain create the sensation of pleasure so you enjoy them more…

On eating the wheat-free foods I did not want to keep eating them and certainly Homer Simpson would have a shock if his doughnuts were wheat-free as there is something internally potent missing in them! Beyond all the flavours, sweeteners, enhancers and other goodies already added to those biscuits and doughnut (I say doughnut as I could only eat one,) something vital was missing. That missing substance that in wheat for example causes the release of feel-good hormones in the wheat-free foods was gone, and I really missed it!

If you ate food frequently that tasted and smelled good but had no further incentive to keep you eating more of it, you will more than likely eat something else in preference if that food does has an extra feel-good brain chemical releasing impact. The bait or food which creates more pleasure is preferential in humans and it is the same in fish! You brain chemicals are directing your actions on a basic level and when it comes to the impact of a key part of wheat, your actions as a result of eating it can very easily be to eat more; more cake, toast, biscuits, doughnuts etc, this is one vital reason people so easily over-eat these foods and create behavioural cyclic eating problems!

In fact many of the same ingredients are in so many foods that in bulk are definitely harmful to the body, but induce people to buy them. Any carp angler knows that tiger nuts and peanuts for instance also have substances that also lead to this type of behaviour. Whether you term this induced habit-forming or addictive behaviour, it is just as profoundly significant, applicable and powerful when it comes to getting a bait edge over your carp and over other competing baits… This fishing bait secrets ebooks author has many more fishing and bait edges - just one might well impact very significantly on your big fish catches!

By Tim Richardson.

If you are in lookout of a satisfying natural place to vacation in the UK, then thus your initial alternative should be Lake District. This is a very beautiful area that is filled with lots of greenery, trees, a beautiful lake and of course, a beautiful landscape. If you are searching for a place filled with peace and quiet, then there is no alternative place that you can select besides Lake District. Therefore, this way not only your body, but also your mind will be rested and you will feel at ease after your vacation.

This is perhaps why many persons and families come to Lake District so that they can enjoy themselves in the nature. Especially in the UK , it is one of the most popular places to travel to in the summer months. Hence, the roads leading to Lake District can be very full especially during summer months. One such reason for that is because internationally travelers come to Lake District too. Of course, this is also a good place to visit in the spring time and autumn time. However, in the winter it can get quite chilly in that area.

When you go to Lake District Area, one of the best places that you can stay at is Lake District Cottages. These cottages are very cozy and they allow the vacationer to enjoy the Lake District Area in quiet and peace. In fact, compared to Lake District Hotels, the Lake District Cottages are also much less costly with more of a chance to feel at ease.

On of the extra advantages of resting at a Lake District Cottage will be the fact that most cottages will come with a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and a living room with a TV. Thus, if you are vacationing there as a family, then resting at one of these beautiful Lake District Cottages can be the best move that you can do In fact, these days it is possible to find a cottage that can suit your needs starting from 35 Sterling per day. Hence, as you can see, having a nice quiet vacation at Lake District does not need to cost a lot of money to be enjoyable.

Thus, many families will travel to Lake District, so that they can spend some time together during a nice weekend getaway. In fact, for a 3-4 day vacation, Lake District Area was chosen as one of the best locations to go in the UK during the year 2007. Hence, you can also avail yourself of such a solution by going to a nice vacation in the Lake District Area. Just with a budget of 200-300 pounds you can have a nice weekend vacation in the Lake District Cottages. However, due to the popularity of the area mentioned above, you must make sure to make reservations well in advance previous to traveling to the area. You can easily locate a place to stay in the area by using the Internet to locate a Lake District Cottage suited to you.

If you have a child under nine months of age buying an infant travel bed will likely be a good investment for you. There are many good ones on the market - here are our seven tips for getting the right one for your family.

1. Lighten the load. When you travel with your son or daughter you always have to bring lots of gear - so you’ll want to make sure that what you bring is as light as possible. Purchase an infant travel bed that weighs no more than 2 pounds - and in doing so it helps to keep your total weight as low as possible.

2. Bed that folds to a small size. When you are going with you child for an overnight stay with the grandparents, or maybe a more exotic vacation on a cruise ship or going overseas you’ll want a bed that is easy to carry. Look for a bed that is under 40 centimeters (12 inches) in diameter, and ideally look for a bed that has a carry case/bag making it even easier to carry.

3. Easy to set up - the last thing you want is when you get to your destination is having to fumble in setting up your infant baby travel bed. It should be a one step process to set up and a one step process to fold it back up again when you are finished. Set up time and fold up time should take less than 10 seconds, and it should be able to be done by one person.

4. Easy access to the baby - being able to reach in to pick up your baby with ease should be a prime consideration when purchasing a portable bed. Look for beds with side panels that provide protection for baby and can be easily opened for quick access to the baby.

5. Comfortable for baby. The bed that you purchase should be constructed of mesh side walls/panels that will be strong enough to keep the baby safe in their bed, and they provide a natural cross-flow of air so that when your baby is napping they will be comfortable.

6. Bed liner. The liner in your bed should be padded so that your baby will be comfortable when in the bed. There will be times when you’ll need to be able to clean the liner and that may needed to be done when you are traveling. For easy cleaning make sure that the liner is easily removed.

7. Warranty - look for quality. The best beds come with a lifetime warranty. And make sure that the retailer or that your on-line store has a really good return policy in case you purchase an item and it turns out to be not the right item for you and your family.

You pay a fortune on bait hoping to catch lots of big fish and yet the average carp angler is just that - average, because he catches no more fish than the rest. This literally means something he is doing or thinking approach just is not working. Most anglers simply throw money in the bin in bait costs etc because they have missed something so very vital to success!

Big catfish and carp fishermen use many baits as ground baits, including maize, sweetcorn, hemp, boilies, pellets, and commercially made ground baits etc,) and these can cost you a fortune through each year! The vast percentage of this is actually wasted due to it not transferring into fish caught. This means excessive amounts of money are wasted because obviously something is being missed in the thinking and angling approach being used by the average angler!

After all, why bother putting free baits into a fishery when most of it ends up just feeding the fish and not translating into your catch results? One definition of insanity is to expecting different results from doing the same old things… Carp especially are extremely expert at keeping ahead of our angling activities, commonly-used baits, methods and in detecting your hook baits of course!

This point does not just apply to angling-pressured carp, but catfish too, of that there is absolutely no doubt. So the point is, how to stop wasting money on feeding your fish with free baits when this does not consistently convert into increasingly better catches! The cost of simply spending time fishing often involves loss of earnings in time, or at the very least the increasing travelling costs, food and drink costs, fishing permit costs and all those renewed tackle item costs and so on!

So converting your bait money at the very least into better catches, is perhaps even more of an issue, especially in tough times. Of course every fishery is different and these days there are many waters that are over-stocked to the degree that it appears everyone catches fish successfully. But who is to know just how much better your individual catches can really be until you truly get innovative and prove it to yourself?

It is a very common phenomenon for the more wary fish to simply not feed upon fresh baits introduced by anglers upon first arriving at a fishery at all. This in effect means that the first 3 or more days and nights fishing can be mostly a waste of time. The fish just hang back while the baits become leached of flavours etc, and the fish become more confident on feeding on such baits because they have associated leached bait with safe feeding.

Thinking about the bigger picture on a very pressured water, Mr average angler turns up, baits-up, fishes 48 hours and leaves fishless, and then most usually the next angler turns up in the swim and does the same things: with similar poor average results. This kind of pattern happens all year round on so many carp waters these days. Now and again, the angler who happens to time it lucky catches fish over all the old bait left by other anglers, but is mostly oblivious to this artificially built-up phenomenon. An anglers luck may be as bad as the old gone-off bait that fish have left uneaten; oblivious that the foul bait has killed-of the popular swim!

When carp fishing becomes an automatic function of relatively thoughtless actions, the results become mediocre and this is no surprise as so many anglers simply underestimate the sensitivity of carp to angling baits, tackle, and all the kinds of active and inactive presences of anglers they detect so easily; what worked previously is not guaranteed to work today! On pressured waters each day can find the fish acting differently as you might do in order to consistently stay one step ahead of a predator, (and sometimes this is one example of why man evolved being able to be self-aware, rationalise problems and think of solutions, but this is vastly under-used in fishing!)

For instance, it was very lucky of me to catch a carp of 38 pounds; an amazing very pale white mirror (not koi carp) from one very pressured UK water. In over 7 years it was seen but not caught, but it was the combination of new bait, rig, baiting method and frequency and other things combined that produced this fish, (that all those anglers did not do previously,) and this unique combination produced dozens more good fish following this capture.

It took new bait attractors and rarely used feeding triggers in (new concentrations and combinations,) plus new baiting approaches, methods and applications to catch that very special fish which was followed by numbers of other good fish proving the effort of though even more worth-while. But there is something on every water to exploit that defeats the natural and angler-trained conditioning of fish responses and reactions to what you do in order to catch them. Being different even in one single way or combining new, adapted or new combinations of old ways etc can all achieve what just going through the motions cannot!

By fully considering the implications of your fishing activities on fish, in terms of negative and positive impacts on their senses, in relation to the progressive conditioning by angling activities and baits and natural senses and behavioural sensitivities, you can unlock excellent results. The questions and answers may be common to all waters, but there will always be things unique in your fishing of any particular water that produces better results; being refined specifically for that exact moment in time on that water. By leveraging your more exacting angling solutions at any moment in time on a water, you can know for sure that your bait costs will be leveraged to far greater effect and this avoids so much of that bait wastage that simply going through the motions produces!

Your effort is never waster when it comes to making differences that can catch you more fish and save you a fortune in bait that simply does not translate into fish. Imagine the next occasion you arrive at a water and start automatically going through the motions; perhaps you will stop and think what this truly costs you, and how to make your bait really pay! Many great solutions thinking anglers will think up in 10 years may become apparent to you personally (right now) with a little extra thought… If you have been stimulated by this article then this bait and fishing secrets ebook author can help you in many other ways!

By Tim Richardson.

When choosing an outdoor sport to spend some time in the great escapes of the world, backpacking and hiking are the best of all possible choices. Getting in touch with nature and viewing the world from a spot that is secluded and wonderful are great choices for individuals and families. When preparing for backpacking or hiking, it is important to being along some true essentials in order to make for the safest possible trip one can prepare for.

Sun Protection. Sun protection is very important when backpacking or hiking. Sun protection comes in several forms and all need to be covered. The skin is the first line of protection against the sun while backpacking or hiking, sunscreen should be waterproof and offer an SPF of at least 30. The second area to protect while backpacking or hiking are the eyes. The sun can be bright and cause sudden spots of blindness, which is something that is never needed when backpacking or hiking. Sunglasses and an extra pair or two, should always be packed.

Safety First. Many people forget about safety when backpacking or hiking, but there can be problems and when there are, a whistle can help. Depending on where you are backpacking or hiking, a whistle with no “pea” (the small ball in the center) may be the best choice. If the backpacking or hiking is taking place during cold months, the “pea” could freeze. Along those same lines, a plastic whistle will be sure to never stick to your lips in the cold.

Water, water and more water. Many beginning backpacking or hiking people think the water they need to take is always in the liquid form. But, that is not the best choice when trying to keep your pack light. Today there are many water filtration systems that can filter anything and everything from the water. These are perfect to use as a backup when the liquid of life has run out when backpacking or hiking.

Fire Starter. A fire is the center of warmth and food when backpacking or hiking. Bringing along a firestarter or some waterproof matches can mean a world of difference when stuck out overnight at a camp. Backpacking and hiking is supposed to be fun, but without fire the night can be long and cold.

Treating Injuries. Even though every backpacking or hiking trip would ideally be without injury, no one can assure this will happen. A first aid kit needs to be prepared for every pack, not just one. Carrying an individual first aid kit is the right choice just in case one of the people backpacking or hiking gets separated from the rest of the group. The first aid kit should include a pocket knife and pocket tool set, as well as the general first aid supplies.

Don’t get lost. Getting lost is one of the worst feelings of all time. A compass and a map can help to keep all backpacking and hiking team members on the right trail throughout the trip. These two essentials are the ones that are forgotten a lot of times when packing the bundles for the trip. Every member of the backpacking and hiking team should have access to a compass and map.

Hiking and backpacking are great ways to get a little physical activity and become better acquainted with nature and life outside. Together as a team, the backpacking and hiking group needs to make sure that every pack includes these essentials as a base and build the pack from there.

Mosquitoes are out in force once again, and many consumers are faced with the difficult task of choosing the right insect repellent for their particular needs.

Will you be going hunting, fishing or camping anytime soon?

Do you live in a wooded area or somewhere near a lake or stream?

Do you have standing water on or around your property?

Are you flying to your final destination and can?t pack a liquid repellent in your luggage?

And, probably the most important question of all, do you have children that you must also consider?

I’ve found that in most cases, DEET, however successful it may have proven in the past, is overkill when it comes to keeping mosquitoes away. Yes, it is a proven method of repelling, but it is also a chemical that has proven to be dangerous and destructive on many levels. DEET is not only known for causing a number of health issues with the young and old, but it also has a reputation for melting buttons on clothing, watch faces and straps, fishing gear, golf grips and just about anything it comes into contact with. In fact, I once watched a girl hold a can of Coke after spreading DEET on her legs, and the red paint from the Coke can came right off on her hands!! Now that?s something to think about when you are about to put it on your skin!

There are a growing number of viable NATURAL and NON-LIQUID alternatives on the market that do just as good a job as DEET without any of the side effects or risk of damaging your favorite clothing and other gear.

This season, I took a personal interest in researching and testing a couple of these and looking very carefully at the testing associated with one particular product called Bug Bam (http://www.bugbam.com). Unfortunately I couldn?t get my hands on testing for the other products I was interested in, but Bug Bam was very transparent in providing me with their testing data, and I must say, it is very impressive.

To preface how Bug Bam works, let me explain the methods a mosquito uses to find us.

Mosquitoes analyze around 300 different scents that come off each of our bodies. From carbon dioxide to lactic acid, they can detect these scents up to 100 feet away and, as they come closer, they actually begin smelling our very skin. As each person smells differently, some people are more appealing to mosquitoes than others, but overall, mosquitoes are after our protein (blood), which they use to lay their eggs. And mosquitoes don?t actually bite, they have a long ?proboscus?, or needle nose, which they use to pierce the skin and ?suck? our blood.

DEET works by blocking the pores of our skin to prevent mosquitoes from finding us. Without fail, the DEET then goes into our bloodstream and, if used to often or too much, can seriously affect our health causing issues such as brain damage and sometimes even death.

Natural products-such as Bug Bam-work by releasing a scent that masks the wearers own scent from a mosquito. The mosquito smells the scent of the Bug Bam rather than the scent of a human, and goes elsewhere to find its food.

Female mosquitoes are the only ones that seek blood. Males (the larger mosquitoes we all see) only eat nectar from flowers.

The Bug Bam range has been proven by one of the foremost environmental research labs in the USA to repel for up to 100 hours, and the products range from wristbands (for personal use) to grids, which protect multiple people in an area up to 300 sq. ft. None of the Bug Bam products require the use of sprays, lotions, batteries, smoke, flames or power of any kind (however I did notice a fan, but have not had the chance to test it as yet).

Oh, and I forgot to mention, the Bug Bam range of products are waterproof and sweat-proof and contain ingredients and materials that are EPA approved and FDA approved as food grade. So there?s nothing to worry about if little Johnny decides he wants to swim with his Bug Bam or likes to chew on his cool new wristband.

So there you have it. Play it safe AND smart this bug season. If you really feel that nothing works for you as well as DEET, go right ahead. It IS the Gold Standard (whatever that means). But if you?re the type who wants to look after their health and well being, then a product like Bug Bam will do the job just as well.

Have you ever wondered how it is to actually travel alone? Well, I know because I have been backpacking. I know how it feels to go to a new place and learn something new, and also make new friends. If you don’t know anything about backpacking, read this article because I am going to offer you some tips/reasons.

What is backpacking? Backpacking is a term that has historically been used to denote a form of low-cost, independent international travel. Terms such as independent travel and/or budget travel are often used interchangeably with backpacking.

You do not want to travel because no one wants to follow you? Well, don’t worry. You can go on your own. Let me tell you why.

Trust me on this; you won’t be alone for long. Trust me a month of backpacking does not mean a month of loneliness. There are many other like minded people traveling the way you are.

The best tips I can offer you; the easiest way to make friends is to get involved in activities. Join a group of people to scuba dive. I am sure you’ll make friends there. Alternatively, simply strike up a conversation in the hostel. Make sure you do it with a smile. You can say something simple like ‘Hey guys I am on my own. Mind if I join you?’ Sounds very simple, right?

Another reason to go backpacking is because you need to cut loose from your life. Traveling on your own lets you literally leave everything behind - work, family and friends.

Well if you are living behind your boy/girlfriend, here’s a tip that I can offer you. You should take a timeout before you leave. Well, if you are in a serious relationship the I suggest that you both should come out with ground rules when you are away.

Making the decision to travel solo is a great step, but it’s important to know what it is you actually want to do while traveling.

How? Well you should do a research on the country or countries that you are going. The next thing that you should note is money. Traveling alone with not so much cash needs can be quite difficult. Next, learn how to manage your cash.

Dealing with different environments can be difficult but I assure you that while backpacking it may be hard for the first week but you will get the hang of it. Taking care of yourself and also learn from the new environment can be surprisingly easy.

If you are thinking that you need more confidence while traveling, carry a guide book with you. It helps if the guide books contain phrases that are commonly used in a country in their language.

Some people go backpacking because they want to learn new things and experience a different lifestyle. Some go because they want to bring home a whole new perspective of life.

What more can you ask for? Gain as much knowledge by experiencing what locals do and how they spend their day.

Now that you know this, what are you waiting for? You should take this opportunity to get your mind relaxed.

Bug season is upon us once again, and I felt it timely to comment on the growing number of supposedly ‘natural’ insect repelling products that seem to be popping up everywhere we look.

As a consumer, you will see many advertisements for natural repellents, and must be aware that there are many “marketing” companies looking for any way via which to squeeze your valuable dollar from you. They have no business being in the world of insect repellents, but due to the value of the market (approximately $1 billion in the USA alone), they cannot resist expanding their core business (which is usually consumer products, air fresheners or cleaning supplies) to now include repellents in an attempt to swindle a share of this valuable market.

US VS. THEM

GERANIOL: In 1999, the University of Florida (Gainesville) developed a “naturally derived” formula for repelling mosquitoes called “Geraniol”. It is a derivative of the Geranium flower and, when applied to the skin in its liquid form (exactly like DEET), was proven to repel mosquitoes for up to 4 hours. Geraniol is manufactured synthetically in a laboratory to avoid the high cost of extracting the 100% natural ingredient from the flower itself and to ensure that it is perfectly replicated each time. This eventually leads to “immunity” built up by mosquitoes as they commonly become immune to “man-made” repellents and pesticides in 3 to 4 life cycles.

Geraniol also has a terrible smell associated with it and, as a result of growing complaints from consumers, additional ingredients such as mint or citronella are often added to Geraniol products to mask the pungent Geraniol scent.

Today, as more and more consumers seek out natural products to protect themselves, their families and their pets from the threat of disease carrying insects, a number of “marketing” companies have entered into agreements with the University of Florida to use Geraniol as the foundation of their range of “natural”insect repellents.

Despite the fact that Geraniol has only been tested to work in liquid form for up to 4 hours, these companies are selling 120 hour wristbands, patches, candles, tablecloths and more using Geraniol (with mint or citronella to mask the odor) and claiming that these products work to repel mosquitoes and other insects. You will see these products heavily marketed on television and elsewhere, but never in mainstream retail stores (i.e. Wal-Mart) where the guarantee of high returns from unsatisfied customers is too risky.

Don’t be misled.

BUG BAM: Personally developed by Joseph M. Symond first in 1998 and then reformulated in 2005, the Bug Bam formula is truly 100% natural, using only 100% natural essential oils. Joseph personally worked with perfumers, scientists and others to develop the perfect combination of efficacy and appealing scent. As a result,the Bug Bam formula has been scientifically proven time and again (by the top laboratories in both Australia and the USA) to work in both liquid AND solid forms, making it THE most effective natural repellent available on the market today. Not only does it work, but it is safe for all ages, lasts for up to 100 hours and smells GREAT by comparison to anything else on the market.

Playing on the fact that masking our scent from flying, biting insects keeps them away, Bug Bam’s formula in liquid OR solid form releases a (pleasant) scent that is strong enough to hide the user from mosquitoes and other flying, biting insects. And because the Bug Bam formula actually does come from “live” plants and not a lab, every batch we make has a slight difference to the last due to soil, air, water and climate changes before harvesting. This makes it very hard if not impossible for mosquitoes to adapt to.

Bug Bam is THE ONLY company in the world that can boast a scientifically tested and proven range of 100% natural indoor and outdoor repellent products that are safe, effective and do not require sprays, batteries, smoke, flames, butane or a power source of any kind.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

Play it smart. Protect yourself from more than just bugs and ask for evidence supporting a products efficacy. If a company is selling a repellent wristband, candle, fan, patch, tablecloth or other item, ask them for testing data that supports their formula working in THAT product. And ask if this is their core business. If all they can provide you with is an outdated lab report or data showing that (someone else) formula works in a liquid or spray form only, and they are asking you to buy their product using that formula in a solid form (such as a wristband), TAKE YOUR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE and purchase something that has actually been proven to work!

We pride ourselves on the fact that BUGS ARE OUR BUSINESS 24/7. Bug Bam is all we do and it is not a side business for us. Because of companies offering inferior products, Bug Bam has been forced to prove itself time and time again and, despite the great expense of doing so, our products come through with flying colors.

It is important for us to be honest and factual to you, the consumer, if we expect to gain your business and, most importantly your trust. When it comes to protecting yourself and your family, and you want to use something TRULY natural and effective, try BUG BAM!. Because Mosquitoes Suck!

Many people would like to go for vacations in a serene and secluded spots. The spots can be beaches, hill stations, adventurous forest region or calm and quite valleys beneath a lake. In most of these renowned tourist destinations camping facilities will be available. There can be nice luxurious resorts or forest huts or good camps. But camping in a tent is the most exciting experience one can get, and especially with family or friends. It will be an unforgettable vacation for all who spent nights in tents with viewing the nature’s gift all around and in the lap of Mother Earth. The satisfaction and enjoyment derived out of such camping is beyond words. It is a fun merged with relaxing moments. But it is very important to know how can you set up a tent for camping? What precautions you need to take while camping in a tent. This article will deal with some of the important Tent camping tips. These tips will help you to ensure a comfortable and memorable camping in a tent.

• Before the trip itself, make sure that you are carrying with you all necessary camping materials including the tarp for tent. Check thoroughly the tarp for any defects like leaking points, loose stitching and many such spoiled portions of the tarp. Tarp need to be leak proof.
• See that all other materials like poles, tarp fixing materials and pole fixing equipments are taken.
• Make sure that you use tarp which is rain proof. This simply tells that you can use a rainfly which will cover full tent, including the top and sides. It will have provision for ventilations and openings. It will ensure the inside is 100% proof against rain. Always use a rainfly that provides full coverage of your tent.
• Use a good floor cover, covering entire area. It will assure you no wet or dirt inside the tent. It is better if you can make a plastic bottom with cloth made sheets in the top of this floor cover. Cloth cover can be taken as per the climate, in winter season woolen sheet and in summer cotton sheet can be used to cover the floor. This will ensure comfort of staying.
• As far as possible select a flat area for tent. Undulated regions will give many problems. If possible make the ground tidy by removing the dirt, bushes and insects. Level the camp area before setting up the tent. Also clean the surroundings as much as possible.
• Do not select the camping place near stagnant water ponds. These ponds will be the haven of mosquitoes and you will not able to spent comfortably there.
• Make sure that the tarp is anchored very strongly to the poles. Poles need to placed by reinforcing with rubbles and mud. Also make sure that all cross wires and threads are properly fixed before the first night.
• Put some borne fire outside the tent in night. This will keep off animals and insects reaching the tent.

These are some simple but important tips which will help you in making good tent for a comfortable camping.