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The Day a Dragonfly Saved Our Fishing Trip

It happened on a summer camping trip by the lake; one of those weekends that lives in your memory forever. We had set up our camp with my friends and family at our favorite hidden spot . The plan was simple: fish during the day, sit around the fire at night, and forget the rest of the world for a while.

On the second morning, just after sunrise, we loaded the boat and headed out onto the glassy water, rods in hand and coffee in our mugs. It should have been perfect. But the bugs had other plans.

The moment we slowed near the reeds, they hit us - mosquitoes, deer flies, blackflies. It was relentless. We sprayed ourselves head to toe, swatted like crazy, even joked about making bug suits out of tarp. Nothing worked. It got so bad we were about to pack it in early, even though the fish were biting.

Then something unexpected happened.

A dragonfly zipped past the boat and hovered right near the edge of my tackle box. Almost instantly, the cloud of mosquitoes and flies around us broke apart. That one dragonfly patrolled our space like a tiny helicopter, and for the first time all morning - we could actually focus on fishing.

That moment stuck with me.

When I got home, I couldn’t shake the idea. I started researching dragonflies and learned they’re one of nature’s most effective predators - especially when it comes to mosquitoes and flies. I thought, What if we could trick bugs into thinking a dragonfly was always around?

So began the journey of building the Dragonfly Guard - a realistic, wind-powered dragonfly decoy that mimics the presence of the real thing. It doesn’t kill bugs; it scares them off, just like nature intended.

We brought early versions back to the lake that same summer. Hung one off the boat canopy and one near our chairs on shore. The results? Way fewer bugs, way more time enjoying the outdoors.

Now, the Dragonfly Guard goes wherever we go for camping - on boats, at docks, by the fire. And it’s helping others do the same.

It all started with one dragonfly and a nearly ruined fishing trip. Nature showed me the solution - I just found a way to bring it with me.

 

Founder of the Dragonfly Guard project,

Albert G.