ON FISHING Protect against ticks to avoid diseases

ON FISHING

Protect against ticks to avoid diseases

MICHAEL ACOSTA

As a licensed professional fishing guide, Michael Acosta shows you how to find them. He has been a licensed guide since 1998. michael.acosta@att.net

Hunting season will be upon us before you know it. Our super hot summer has everyone wishing for some cooler weather and some rain. But summer does not look like it is going to end any time soon and many believe that the hot dry weather may have the insects at bay. Don’t be complacent about insect protection. Be prepared and take precautions before you head out to enjoy the outdoors.

Even though this summer is one of the hottest, I do remember the summer of 1980 where we had a record number of days with temperatures above 100. I remember wearing dog flea collars around our boot ankles back then to keep the ticks and chiggers off.

A bite from an infected tick can cause illnesses such as Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and human ehrlichiosis, according to sources for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Ticks are most anywhere in Texas and most animals will carry ticks at some time. Your pet, hunting dog or a harvested animal may expose them to you. Your pet can also get Lyme disease.

The Lone Star tick, which is common throughout the south and central United States, is apparently the tick in Texas that is likely to carry disease. I am not sure I can tell the difference, but the Lone Star tick is a larger tick about the size of a watermelon seed. Different species of ticks apparently will stay on animals; however the Lone Star tick readily feeds on human blood.

Lyme disease, which is the most frequently diagnosed tick-borne problem in the country, is a bacterial infection that can cause skin, joint, heart and nervous system problems. Lyme disease usually begins with flu-like symptoms such as fatigue, headache, fever, stiff neck and joint pain. Occasionally. there may be skin lesions or rashes, usually around the site of the tick bite. Spring and early summer usually has the most instances when folks are infected.

Treatment is with antibiotics. Untreated, Lyme disease may result in severe damage to joints, the heart and nervous system. In Texas, several thousand possible cases of Lyme disease have been reported since 1990. Apparently, about 1 to 2% of ticks carries the Lyme disease bacterium.

Both Rocky Mountain spotted fever and human ehrlichiosis can be fatal if not treated quickly. Symptoms resemble flu with high fever, headaches and muscle aches. There also can be a measles-like rash.

Some commonsense prevention tips include treating your pets and yourself before you head out in the outdoors. Staying out of tall brush may help and check yourself frequently when located in areas where ticks are prevalent.

If you do find a tick on your skin, remove it right away. To remove an attached tick, use tweezers to grasp the tick at the skin surface. With a steady motion, gently pull the tick straight out. Do not crush the tick's body. The tick will come out with steady pressure.

A vaccine to protect against Lyme disease is available. Contact your doctor for more information about the vaccine. If you do get any flu-like symptoms after a tick bite, you should get medical attention as soon as possible.

FISHING REPORT

Even though I do remember the summer of 1980, I don’t remember it being as hot as this summer. Water temperatures in Lake Granbury are from the upper 80s to the low 90s. Water levels are about 2 feet low and will be falling. Striped bass are fair to good on live bait on the lower ends. Largemouth bass to 6 pounds are possible near deeper docks. Sand bass are fair to good and have been schooling near Indian Harbor early. Crappie fishing is excellent on small minnows fished near submerged structure from the bypass bridge upstream. Catfish continue to be good on cut shad near baited holes mid lake.

On other reservoirs, Whitney striped bass limits are common most days on live bait on the lower ends. Benbrook crappie are good to excellent. Possum Kingdom striped bass are good to excellent on live shad fished from Hell’s Gate to the dam.