I was wondering if you folks could share your favorite two to three week window of time you'd rather be in Quetico over any other period of time, and why. Each segment of the open water tripping season has it's own unique offerings, but I'm just curious what trips everyone else's trigger.

The last three weeks of July when the livin' is easy. Stable warm weather, still plenty of daylight, blueberries, swimming, predictable fishing....

I gotta agree with Kingfisher.  It's a popular time, but in the QP you're rarely going to deal with portage gridlock or campsite anxiety, especially if you're even just a little thoughtful on routes.  During that time, I would avoid the Falls Chain an account of seeing too many people, but other than that, late July is BEAUTIFUL. 

prouboy

Boy Oh Boy do I hope Kingfisher is right! I always used to like to go over June 21st for long days and better fishing. But last year on my 1st trip back in 19 years it too cold and rainy. The water was too cold to swim and the fishing was only OK. But this year with the early spring the water will likely be warmer earlier and who knows what the weather will be by then. I have a permit to enter at Cache bay on July 21 so Kingfishers words are music to my ears. But then Prouboy dampened that a little as I am going up the Falls chain.
Jon

Well, I usually go to the BW, but I would still like to answer your question.   ;)

My favorite time in the canoe country, by far, is spring.  By that I mean mid-to late-June.  I am OK with putting up with more bugs to have the campsites be less trampled, the spring greens overhead, the spring flowers blooming, the loons on the nest or out with their fluffy little chicks, and everything cool and fresh with the feeling of new life in the air.  Days are long and nights are short, lots of time to travel and do campsite chores, and still be able to sit by the fire in the evening without feeling rushed.

Evenings are cool, nights are sometimes cold, and the mornings often misty.  Spring is my very favorite time.

Jon wrote on Apr 15^th, 2012 at 7:15pm:

BBut then Prouboy dampened that a little as I am going up the Falls chain. Jon

Sorry Jon!  The Falls Chain is one of the most used areas in the QP.  BUT, it's popular for a reason: interesting and scenic lakes and waterfalls, and fairly accessible.  I think it's probably my problem: I'm always wanting to get somewhere beyond the Falls Chain, so I've been antzy and in a hurry (story of my life), so I've found the portages putzy and I don't relish meeting people.  SO, if you can just "go with the flow" (excuse the pun), and enjoy the trip, you'll be fine.

prouboy

Spartan2 wrote on Apr 15^th, 2012 at 7:15pm:

My favorite time in the canoe country, by far, is spring.  By that I mean mid-to late-June.  Evenings are cool, nights are sometimes cold, and the mornings often misty.  Spring is my very favorite time.

Hey, I agree with Lynda!  Spring = big fish, no bugs, and no people. 

Wait, wait, I agreed with KF about June. 

Am I a waffler?  Am I screwed up?  (NO need to answer.)  Maybe my favorite time is ANYTIME in the QP. 

prouboy

Early October. The living is not so easy, can be, but you own the park. Nooobody there.

I agree with Kingfischer.  Last 3 weeks of July and first week of August.  Swim, berries, fish, hot weather, I like it!

Last 2 weeks of May ~ 1st week of June.  Cold and rainy, no bugs, no people, fishing is ridiculous . . . I long for that all day  mist and overcast when you can see your breath but can't feel your hands.

PhantomJug wrote on Apr 16^th, 2012 at 12:58am:

Last 2 weeks of May ~ 1st week of June.  Cold and rainy, no bugs, no people, fishing is ridiculous.

I'm with you on that time frame for exactly the reasons stated. 

I hope we don't go in to a fire ban this year ... its going to make for some cool nights without a fire!

dd

August is nice because the living is easy but in a way, it's a little too easy, too forgiving for my taste. I'm stuck with it for a few more years but I don't mean to complain to much. It's wonderful.

Mid May is my favorite. Moving through the forest is easier and you can see farther. Portages are easier to spot as are other things that get hidden once things leaf out. The weather is often challenging and can be rather unforgiving but I always liked that little threat as a reminder to pay attention, think and be careful. In August, worse case if you screw up? You're a little uncomfortable for a while. It fosters bad habits I'm afraid.

The easy reasons the early shoulder gets my vote is you can self permit, steak takes a few more days to thaw and Kool-Aid is always better ice cold. I always saw more moose then too. (I think there's less now in general though.)

Mid August. Usually few bugs, warm water and meteor showers.

db wrote on Apr 16^th, 2012 at 5:44am:

August is nice because the living is easy but in a way, it's a little too easy, too forgiving for my taste. I'm stuck with it for a few more years but I don't mean to complain to much. It's wonderful. Mid May is my favorite. Moving through the forest is easier and you can see farther. Portages are easier to spot as are other things that get hidden once things leaf out. The weather is often challenging and can be rather unforgiving but I always liked that little threat as a reminder to pay attention, think and be careful. In August, worse case if you screw up? You're a little uncomfortable for a while. It fosters bad habits I'm afraid. The easy reasons the early shoulder gets my vote is you can self permit, steak takes a few more days to thaw and Kool-Aid is always better ice cold. I always saw more moose then too. (I think there's less now in general though.)

I agree very nice, you get to put down the first footprints on the portage trails. Much the same as why I like October. All though you trade the extra day light hours for star action and leaf color. Mid-May is great for finding old artifacts that get hidden later in the bush.

Any time in the BW/Q is better than not going IMHO.  That being said, the best time for us involves taking advantage of a holiday to give us the extra day in the park.  Since Memorial Day and Labor Day also are getting more toward the shoulder seasons, they take top billing in my mind.  Just don't expect to easily find campsites within a 4 hour paddle of an entry point (BW and southern Q) on the holiday weekends and plan so that you are in the middle of the park at that time.

Quote:

Any time in the BW/Q is better than not going IMHO.

After a long absence and looking like I'm screwed again this year :'(, I can say honestly that the worst day in the Q, beats working any day ;D

I do like Mid-May a lot. Start of nice weather, but not to hot/cold and the bugs generally are not bad. Fishing is easy and the park is little traveled. Late Sept is nice too.

But I'd take anytime/conditions and make the best of it.
Absent's does make the heart grow fonder ;)

My wife and I do our big trips in August, usually the last 3 weeks or so before Labour Day.  It's a glorious time of year - plenty of sun, cool but not cold nights, few bugs and, if you know where to look, the fishing can be pretty good excellent too.  I also tend to do a shorter trip around the end of September or early October.  "Indian Summer" just after the first frost when summer time weather comes back for a brief and final visit is also a wonderful time of year especially if you hit it when the colors change.

Last week of June, first week of July. Great fishing. Bugs keep the riff-raff out.

Any time I can get there, is the best time to go.

Have you checked out the recent post on Ice Out???

I love long days and good fishing so lately I've been making my trips on the 10 days prior to July 4th.  I always plan to come out on the 3rd so I can enjoy the holiday back home with the family without cutting into my tripping time.  Plus it gives me an extra day to get out if the weather turns on me and I can't make my planned exit on the 3rd.

I find the summer peak fishing period generally happens right around this time of year.  If you hit it right on, the walleye are strapping on the feedbag, the bass have moved off the nests and the females are ready to rock again, the lakers are still catchable, and big pike are on the prowl.  If spring comes late, you still hit bass on the nests, at least some walleye are catchable, big pike are still relatively shallow, and lakers are easy targets.  If spring comes early like this year, you still get good fishing and the blueberries are starting to ripen early enough to scrounge a cup or so for the pancakes.

Bugs are also starting to mellow out.  I generally miss the worst of the blackflies and the skeets are manageable during the day.  Daylight is still essentially at it's max, too.  Matter of fact, it's almost impossible to get enough sleep and still use all the available light.  Not that I really worry about sleep though.  I can sleep at home.  I want to spend as much of my time awake as I possibly can.

Spring.  Wherever I go, I love spring the most.

The world is fresh again. 
The smell of damp loam.
The sound of water burbling down portages, cleaning the muck away & leaving hard ground to walk on.
The water is clear and clean and cold.
Campfires have purpose.  Firewood is plentifull.  Fire bans are exceedingly rare.
Trout are up top & hungry.
Crowds of fairweather campers have not arrived and left their messes behind.
A nice day is a beautiful day, all things relative to expectations.
Cooler on travel days.
A crappy day is another story to tell.  Who tells stories about the trip when everything was perfect?  Let me tell you about the time nothing happened...  Most stories I hear are about the hardships, the rain, the wind, the snow, the storms, the bragging rights stories.
Animals are out and hungry, though I often see more moose & bear on the highway.  More sightings.
Higher water levels, every step taken from the portage is +1 for me!
No bugs.

2nd fave is autumn for mostly the same reasons or their corollaries.

Summer is just too darn hot.  I do like swimming on a hot day, I'd just prefer the temp to be 5 - 10C cooler.
Winter needs $2k in additional equipment to be reasonable.  Hot tent, pulk, snowshoes, clothing.

I personally tend to perfer around the 3rd week in June. Love the cool nights, when campfires are graet to snuggle around. The cool drinking water is always refreshing. I fish a lot and have cut back on travel somewhat, so this period is for me...fishing is usually ridiculous for all species. Much easier to find the 5 star campsights open also. Last few years, bugs have been surprisingly easy to deal with for some reason.

Agree with you all however, that any day in Quetico is better than the best day at work!

My favorite time to be in the Q is the last two weeks of August into the first week of September. Next to no bugs is great, especially on the portages and at night by the fire. The cosmos puts on a pretty good show with meteors, the fishing is pretty good and I generally don't see many people. I time my trips so that if I'm in the park during Labor Day, I'm at least two days from an entry point, which really helps with seeing few people. Last year I got to see the colors start to change which was pretty cool.

Last time I was there was a beautiful September. Not a lot of others. That's my favorite time of year in just about any place north of the equator.

Have always gone in very late August or in September.  For the past 5 years it's only been mid-September for the reasons stated by others.

Mid-September can be warm and beautiful or cold and windy (or sleety even as it was last year) but there are very few people. You never have to rush to get to a particular site (other than for weather-related reasons) and the bugs are virtually non-existent.

The days are shorter but the stars at night are brilliant and that first sip of brewed coffee on a cool, crisp September morning is exquisite.

I am a late August guy as well, less crowds/bugs. I would like to do a September trip once my schedule allows it.

I forgot to mention a really important reason why we like September trips in Quetico.  It's something to look forward to for the entire spring and summer!