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 Boundary Waters Quetico Forum Trip Planning Forum July or August? Reply
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| Author | Message Text |
| MHS67 |
02/20/2017 07:57PMquote 1bogfrog: "If high temps are a concern, I'd try to shoot for the second half of August if that is available to you. I usually do two trips in August for this very reason. I enjoy having warm days, and nights with a bit of chill in the air. It makes the sleeping easier and the fire at night more enjoyable. And who wants to get up on an 80 degree morning for a hot cup of coffee? As long as you aren't there over Labor Day weekend, the crowds really shouldn't be that much different in August on the east side than they are in July. The water is going to be relatively warm in either month as it cools fairly slowly. The only impact I've noted that it has on my fishing is that I need to go deeper for lakers if that's what I'm after. This is pretty much what I would have typed, except I don't fish for Lakers. Walleye for me. Thanks 1bogfrog for saving all the time it would have taken me to type this!! |
| mastertangler |
02/15/2017 11:28AM Water clarity can be a big issue particularly in August from my perspective. This type of lake has that "super clear" sound to it which can spell tough fishing. If you are committed then you must develop a plan and stick with it. First thing is to determine what kind of fish are in it and what fish you want to target. Walleye fishing is different than Lake Trout. I am not opposed to fishing these sorts of lakes as they tend to yield fish of trophy size......what they lack in quantity they make up for in quality. This is an ideal scenario for "Lunkers love nightcrawlers" strategy and if you haven't read this classic book of angling "literature" I highly recommend that you do. There is little doubt that if I could, I would go this route i.e. live bait, small hooks and light line. Pay attention to the care of your crawlers as your success (or lack thereof) may depend on keeping your bait alive even if it gets hot. A wet burlap bag is a wonderful "refrigerator" for live bait but the bag must be kept wet for the evaporative process to yield the desired results. The steeply dropping lakes are not so difficult to gently ease around as the depth usually stays fairly constant. Deep is a relative term however and if the lake has crystal clear water then walleye may be as deep as 35 and 40ft (possibly even deeper) during the day in August as opposed to the 28ft that I usually troll at on Basswood. If live bait is out then I suggest deep diving crank baits pulled very fast.......don't let them get a good look is my motto.......I play the "catch me if you can" game in late summer and that can often "challenge" bigger fish to strike even when they are fat and happy. The "chase" mechanism kicks in and they strike out of sheer meanness. Again if the water is clear (as opposed to tannin stained or dark) you will need to think deep.........you must fish where the fish are wether or not you feel comfortable or confident in doing so. Start at 15 ft and keep going deeper until you score. They are there somewhere and if your not getting bit shallow then they are deeper.......perhaps really deep! We have jigged up 8lb walleyes in August on lake Minnitaki (Sioux Lookout) at 45ft with yellow jigs and creek chub combos.......the hardest part is being convinced you can catch fish that deep. The bigger the walleye......the more likely it will seek the safety of deep water especially on clear lakes later in the summer. Lastly.......I would definitely get me some lighted slip bobbers for use from camp at night. Even a piece of gulp might get a fish but a leech / jig would be tops I would think. Fish tend to cruise the drop off when comes time to eat on these type of lakes. |
| A1t2o |
02/15/2017 08:27AM The interesting thing I noticed when looking at some maps and lake finder is that this lake I'm going to (Vernon) is not all that big, but is 100ft deep and drops off pretty quickly throughout the whole lake. The thing is, I'm not used to fishing that deep and I'm not sure what to do except to just fish the shoreline and maybe troll a bit. In august, how would you fish in water that can drop to 40+ feet just 100 feet from shore, and 90 feet 100 yards from shore? Are the few shallow spots and back in bays going to be the areas to focus or do I stick to the drop off like I usually do when trolling in other parts of the state. That usually gives me northerns but I've caught walleye doing that too. Is it worth it to drop a jig or something really deep? I've always wondered about that but never got around to trying. Maybe a 3 way swivel with a weight and a spoon to get it down to 30 foot or so while trolling? I'm used to hitting up rock piles and jigging with leeches to look for walleye, but I foresee some issues with that on this lake, and the fact that it isn't June. Any advice would be appreciated. |
| mastertangler |
02/15/2017 06:28AM Is there any other month more comfortable for tripping than August? Is there any other month which can be more problematic for fishermen than August? The answer could be reasonably argued as yes to both questions. I typically used to trip around the 4th of july or the last weekend of June. Skeets were still pretty tough but fishing was fairly easy. Skeets are surpringly absent in August for the most part.........strong exceptions do occur. Then I had a few August trips and I found the fishing very difficult with my usual tactics. And in fact I promised myself I would not fish canoe country in August anymore. But reality has a way of encroaching and I find myself in canoe country typically in August every year and have come to embrace it. A few thoughts as per fishing.........I like the larger lakes with dark water. Think Basswood or Crooked. Shallow for me is 15 ft and most of my daytime hours are spent at 20 and 25ft with 25 getting the nod so to speak. "Eater walleye" can still be found shallow however but I am not inclined to spend much time pursuing those. If in the BWCA live bait would be king for walleye and is the great equalizer particularly later in the summer. Light line, small hooks drifting across mid lake reefs would be the ticket. But I fish the Quetico and trolling deep diving crank baits pays off very nicely for me usually with several quality fish per day (walleye, pike, lake trout > I have not solved the smallie equation for August). Depth finder and rod holder are helpful in the extreme sense of the word for this style of fishing. I troll fast and cover ground in these warmer months. You will catch them if you stay with precision trolling of deep diving crank baits and the typical deep water walleye is usually right at 5lbs (24/ 26")........good fish and pike are usually in the mid 30's. In the evening big pike (40 and over) may slide into that 12 to 15ft slot but I still find bigger walleye deep in the evening despite common perception that they are shallow at that time. That has not been my experience in August at least right at dusk........dawn in August may be the polar opposite (probably) but I am usually on the move so I can offer no valid opinion other than conjecture. FWIW I typically do not use a wire leader and lose very few northerns. A few heartbreaking experiences have happened however which may cause me to rethink that strategy. I fished with a guy who used Knot-2-kinky wire leader (very thin in the lighter lb tests) and he seemed to suffer no loss of success on our trip and largely outfished me on that trip pulling wire. So, go figure.......... |
| treehorn |
02/14/2017 11:36AM Really quite a toss up. Skeeters could be a bit better in mid August, but no guarantee and not significantly. Days are longer in July. I think the threat of severe storms or just rain is probably a bit higher in July...generally things calm down by mid August, but again no guarantees on that. I would say generally speaking fishing will be better in July, but only by a small degree. Crowds...who knows. There are probably a few more permits pulled in mid August. If I were in your shoes, I'd probably pick August and sell it to the wife as if she and the baby were the sole factor in you making the decision to go later...pretend like it was a big sacrifice to go that late in the year, but you wanted that baby to be as old as possible before you left her alone with him/her. You'll be a hero. Congrats on the baby by the way! |
| Capsize |
02/14/2017 01:03AM I have gone several times in all three months and found that June fishing is significantly better than July or August, but the wind and rain are worse in June. July and August weather is usually calmer and drier. The smallies bite about the same in July as August, but the walleye drop off considerably in August once the water temperature rises. If we have an early spring (seems likely given Minnesota's weather in February), walleye will be difficult to find in August. The other difference is the amount of daylight. If you like to fish after dinner, July will allow for more time on the lake. |
| Grandma L |
02/13/2017 07:04PM I love mid to late August. The bugs are almost gone, the lakes are still warm enough to swim a little, the nights are cool, and there are a few less people since the colleges have started. |
| 1bogfrog |
02/13/2017 05:21PM If high temps are a concern, I'd try to shoot for the second half of August if that is available to you. I usually do two trips in August for this very reason. I enjoy having warm days, and nights with a bit of chill in the air. It makes the sleeping easier and the fire at night more enjoyable. And who wants to get up on an 80 degree morning for a hot cup of coffee? As long as you aren't there over Labor Day weekend, the crowds really shouldn't be that much different in August on the east side than they are in July. The water is going to be relatively warm in either month as it cools fairly slowly. The only impact I've noted that it has on my fishing is that I need to go deeper for lakers if that's what I'm after. Wishing you a great trip whenever you go, and good luck on that conversation with your wife! |
| Michwall2 |
02/13/2017 05:20PM Could it be a good time for a grandparents or aunts/uncle weekend? |
| A1t2o |
02/13/2017 02:50PM Thanks for the replies. This will be my third year going to Brule so I am very familiar with the area and permits, there are just so many ways to branch out from there so there is plenty more that I have yet to see. I guess the differences seem to be fairly insignificant at this point, unless anyone has addition input. Less bugs, more traffic, approximately equal fishing. I really just wanted to know if there was a clear consensus on which month was better. Since there does not appear to be, I'll have to talk it over with the wife... who is 8 1/2 months pregnant... about leaving her alone with 2 kids for a weekend... yay me... |
| Michwall2 |
02/13/2017 01:30PM Congrats on the new little one coming! Hope all turns out well. The 12-13 of Aug. will be just before the kids go back to school. That is one of the busiest times everywhere. I have been there during that time. You can find quieter spots. (See some of the earlier posts for suggestions on how to do this.) I think there would be substantially fewer people in July. The east side is not necessarily like being in Ely where there is little difference between July and Aug. Brule is kind of out in the middle of the wilderness. (Only Sawbill Outfitters is nearby.) From what I have seen watching reservations in this area over the years, there will be people, but the reservations are not totally maxed out like they are in August. If fewer people is a factor and bugs are not, then I would trip in July. Brule has 2 types of permits so be careful which you reserve. There is a "Brule only" permit (42) and a "Brule & beyond"(41) permit. I can't speak to the water temp and fishing issues you raise. |
| QueticoMike |
02/13/2017 01:27PMquote canoerone: "Well A1 it would help a little to know how late in Aug. you could go. The reason is the fact that the later you can go in Aug., the less mosquitoes you will have bothering you. I would think this would be an important consideration for the new mom and her little one. As you get later in Aug. night time temps. will start getting a little cooler but water temps usually cool down at a slower rate. Just wanted to throw out a couple of other things to think about. Have fun. +1 .....I think the fishing will be the same and the amount of people you will see will probably be the same. |
| A1t2o |
02/13/2017 12:26PM Just to clarify, the wife and kids are not going, I'm going with whatever group my buddy and I put together. I just wanted the little one to be old enough to be sleeping at night (with feedings of course). My wife would be pissed if I took off for a weekend when the baby is still getting up every 2 hours. I figure that we should be down to one or two feedings a night by the time she is 5-6 months old and that shouldn't be too bad for the wife to take care of. As for when, I'm looking at the second weekend in August. So the 12th and 13th. My buddies main concern is temp. We usually go in June so bugs are no surprise. Yeah, it would be nice to have less bugs, but not at the cost of there being a lot more people out there, like the boy scouts and back to school college guys. Not even sure if that is a real concern, which is why I'm asking. |
| canoerone |
02/13/2017 11:03AM Well A1 it would help a little to know how late in Aug. you could go. The reason is the fact that the later you can go in Aug., the less mosquitoes you will have bothering you. I would think this would be an important consideration for the new mom and her little one. As you get later in Aug. night time temps. will start getting a little cooler but water temps usually cool down at a slower rate. Just wanted to throw out a couple of other things to think about. Have fun. canoerone |
| A1t2o |
02/13/2017 09:30AM I've only ever gone to the BW in June, but this year my wife is going to be having our second child within the next two weeks. So since we agreed that going to the BW she the baby is less than 4 months old was a bad idea, I am pushing back my trip to July or August. We did have a tentative date set, but she keeps throwing in details that changes everything. Finally, we are somewhat on the same page and I have 2 options mid July or mid August. So which is better? Going in on Brule and probably to Vernon. Is there any difference in fishing between the two dates? Will the water temp be significantly different? Is there any difference in the amount of traffic we will see? My guess is that I will not be seeing a huge difference between the two, but I do want to check around first to just make sure there isn't a choice that is clearly better than the other due to some factor that I have not foreseen. My buddy and I do have a hard time sleeping when it is too hot, so that is also a factor, but I can't see much of a difference between the two. I'm from Mankato though so that might skew my perspective a little. |
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