BWCA Earlier, or later, in June? Boundary Waters Quetico Forum
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gymcoachdon
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09/12/2016 12:36PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
I am planning a 2 week vacation for 2017. I want to head to Quetico, probably enter from the North, and want to have 10-12 days in the park. Focus on solitude (going solo), wildlife, and fishing. I will be route planning later, but right now I am trying to decide on the dates I will be going, and want the advice of those who have gone before me.
My work gives me a week break, Sunday to Sunday, June 11-17. Now I need to decide whether to take the extra week before that, or after. I wanted to set this up as a poll, but can't find the way to do it. Any advice is appreciated, bugs, fishing, water temps, water levels, etc. It may not matter at all.

As an aside, my Birthday is June 9th, so celebrating in the wilderness might be interesting!

Place your vote, and reasons why you might pick one over the other.

Option 1: Early
June 4-17

Option 2: Later
June 11-24

Thanks in advance for your replies!
 
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09/12/2016 02:23PM  
Early-also later may put you into more of a bug season. You never know. Once we went like June 4th and had snow flurries everyday and it was cold. Usually weather is decent.
You just don't know if it will be early ice out or not and being at the north end of the park will probably be a couple days later ice out. Especially Pickeral.
Ice will be out just water will be cooler.
09/12/2016 03:52PM  
Early - better fishing, less bugs, less people
09/12/2016 05:11PM  
quote bobbernumber3: "Early - better fishing, less bugs, less people"

Agree with bobber. Whatever you decide, consider choosing a route with smaller lakes. June weather can be stormy up there. Enjoy your vacation!
09/12/2016 08:39PM  
Early.....and hope you get in the window between the early black fly hatch and the skeets. Not a game killer.....but nice. If late ice out, lake trout will be up shallow but the walleyes will be cool and hanging out in current below rapids or other moving water. If early ice out.....all fishing could be great. Wear your pfd and stay near shore......should be great.
Be sure to post a planned route for more tips.
09/13/2016 05:41AM  
I vote early...for all the same reasons already expressed.
Jackfish
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09/13/2016 10:32AM  
We always go to Q in that time frame. Sometimes a little earlier, sometimes a little later, but it's always in that general time frame. There are weeks we wished we had come a week later (rarely a week earlier). I'd opt for the later time option.
gymcoachdon
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09/13/2016 11:53PM  
5 early, one late...and yet I feel compelled by the one vote for late. Sounds like fishing gets better and bugs get worse through the month of June?
old_salt
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09/16/2016 06:26PM  
Earlier, cause I go later...better fishing & weather.
09/16/2016 09:01PM  
quote gymcoachdon: "5 early, one late...and yet I feel compelled by the one vote for late. Sounds like fishing gets better and bugs get worse through the month of June?
"


I will add my voice to the early side. And one factor is that the bugs get worse later. Another is that there are more people later. And another is that there is more foliage later. I live up here, and to me the period of maximum vegetation growth from the end of June to the beginning of August is less beautiful than when things are leafing out or growing less vigorously. That's probably an idiosyncratic view though.

Can't comment on whether the fishing gets better later. Though I thought it was better when they were hungrier early. But I really have no idea.

Anyway, if most people say early and the one or two people who say later speak to you . . . you should go later. There is no right answer . . . just one that appeals to you.

gymcoachdon
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09/17/2016 09:54AM  
Thanks for all the input. I think the reason I felt compelled by the vote for later, was it was based on personal experience, tripping over the same time frame, and wishing they had come later several times. That made his suggestion carry more weight for me. Maybe others have tripped late May early June several times as well, but that was not in their response.
I am still undecided, and as a wrinkle, my wife would like to take a cruise next year. I may need to pare down to one week in the Q.
QueticoMike
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09/17/2016 11:49AM  
If fishing is important, then late May would be better than any time in June. Fishing for all of the Grand Slam fish is typically always better in May than in June. It all depends on the weather. Kind of hard to predict this far out from next June. If fishing isn't a main focus, I would still go during the early time frame.
09/19/2016 07:46AM  
i would vote for later. If spring is very late, fishing can be iffy IMO. So it kind of depends on what is most important. Bugs will be less early, temps will be cooler early, weather could be a little more iffy early, people will be less early.

But I think it all depends on spring being late/on time, which you dont have much control over. If you do, let me know.

Have a great trip.
GraniteCliffs
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09/19/2016 08:17PM  
Early on all counts except water temp re swimming and dumping the canoe.
 
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