After turnover fishing

[basscatcher33]

How do you locate and catch bass after the fall turnover?  What depths are they going to be at, and what tactics have you had the most success on?  I'm in Wisconsin.  Thanks for all your help.

[WRB]

Fall turnover mixes the entire water column with bottom debris and equal water temperature, bass can be at any depth. I would give it about 2 weeks to settle the debris down and give the bass some time to reacclimate to the changes.

Up north green aquatic plants will still hold baitfish and bass, start there.

Tom

[scaleface]

 This is how  I will approach my local lake with stained water . 

 I will most likely start out deep on a major main lake  point at the mouth of a   creek .Then simply fish my way to the back of the creek and hopefully find a pattern . This is the time of year where I go junk fishing  , just work my way down the bank and fishing visible cover . If I get on steep banks then I will throw a deep diving crankbait to follow the contour .I expect the fishing to be good .

[tkunk]

Where I fish, the thermocline is around 35 feet.  I know that I don't need to search for fish any deeper than that, so the thermocline eliminates a ton of water.  Once turnover happens, bass can be at any depth, so they become much more difficult to find.  Where I fish, the amount of possibly productive square miles probably increases by a factor of four.

I typically start by fishing my favorite shallow spots.  If I don't get anything, I target depths of 20-60 feet by cruising around at 10-20 MPH and looking for big clouds of bait or big marks on my graph.  I only stop to fish if I actually see something.  I'd love to hear of a more productive approach.

[TnRiver46]

I'm very glad we don't have turnover where I live 

[WRB]

6 hours ago, portiabrat said:

Where I fish, the thermocline is around 35 feet.  I know that I don't need to search for fish any deeper than that, so the thermocline eliminates a ton of water.  Once turnover happens, bass can be at any depth, so they become much more difficult to find.  Where I fish, the amount of possibly productive square miles probably increases by a factor of four.

I typically start by fishing my favorite shallow spots.  If I don't get anything, I target depths of 20-60 feet by cruising around at 10-20 MPH and looking for big clouds of bait or big marks on my graph.  I only stop to fish if I actually see something.  I'd love to hear of a more productive approach.

Birds like Grebes that feed on Threadfin Shad are your friends when targeting deep bass feeding on baitfish. When you see a flock of Grebes swimming in one direction they are following the baitfish schools. When the baitfish approach a long major point or hump that compresses the school is where most if the bass will be waiting.

Tom

PS, just remembered the OP was in Wisconsin and probably no Shad, 

[Catt]

Depending on the size of the body of water some areas may or may not experience turn over.

Depending on the depth of water recovery time may be short.

[pawpaw]

I find a pretty consistent post turnover pattern is to fish windy creek channel banks with reaction baits. Wind is your friend! The fish I catch are usually freakishly shallow on these banks. If you can find the big gizzards on the big black rocks eating algae you know  you are in the right area. I try not to fish a jig or a worm until I find a stretch that is holding multiple fish. If the shad are not in the rocks or I can't find them i will idle down the center of the creek until I quit seeing the shad then find the nearest windy channel bank and fish my way out.

If you can find a creek that has some current or run off coming in the back you may be able to find them in the very backs, (or as far out as you have current), where the turnover has had little to no affect on them. Docks, laydowns, stick ups and current breaks are usually what I look for to hold the fish back there. The weights usually fall off around the turnover so the thing for me is to keep moving and cover water. I figure if I'm only likely to get 1 keeper bite per 1000 casts i need to make at least 5000 casts. Usually, around here, if you can get 5 with one of them being above average you should do fairly well.

 

["hamma"]

I've found it depends on the water body in question.

 If its a large lake with many acres to search out, find the bait schools., if possible. The bass will be all over them.

If its a small pond that takes less than a full day to completely fish the shoreline. They will most likely be on the available cover ambushing whatever meanders by.

 Turnover  and after, can be a tough time to fish as the fish can be anywhere, they can be stacked in one "spot", or completely spread out throughout the lake. It varies from lake to lake and theres really no way to nail down any one "pattern", other than they are everywhere, or nowhere to be found.

 Reason being, during turnover the waters are actually "Turning over". The summers warmer surface temps, are mixing with its colder bottoms temps, mixing them both together. Ph's, oxygen levels, clarity, temp, are all mixing together. Some days the fish will be hitting everything thrown, and other days they seem lockjawed. It's just part of a northern waters yearly cycle.

 What I do during turnover periods is just fish the shore for a small amount of time, if I get a hit I will just continue on, if no hits, I will back off a bit, and so on. This is what I do on small ponds mind you, if I'm on a large lake? I will watch the fishfinder for any hints as to where the bait is. and again, they can be anywhere, or non visible on the finder, if not visible?,... they too can be scattered, and most likely relating to the bottom, as most weeds are dying off depleting oxygen. And with the newer finders, you will notice fish relating to the bottom everywhere. One of my favorite situations in fall for  both smallies and buckets, (other than topwater) I pull out my jigheads and grubs, put all other rods and gear away leaving three of my finesse type rods, therefore, basically clearing the decks. Set one of my comfy seats up front, putting the bicycle seat away. Sit back and fancast the select grub of choice and fish the rest of the day away. Casting a much lighter then a spinnerbait rod, or deep diving crankbait rod, I'll use the 2, 6' med action team diawa tony bean smallmouth spinning rods I have, and one more finesse rod with a 1/8, 1/4, or 3/8 oz jighead, and depending on the depths I'm fishing, depicts which one Im tossing at the moment. 

 It's my "answer" to turnover as I've faced it for the past several decades, and found no definates about it at all. The bottom scenario I like because its very relaxing, I can fish and sightsee, as line tension, is paramount when i fish these lures, and I can feel the lure at all times. This is by no means a "pattern" just a option that will usually sqweak out a few tough, light hitting bass. And although it may get me a few, there could be a better answer for that day on that lake.

 After turnover? if the days are sunny and warm you may fisd bass huggig the warmer northern shores as the suns been beating on them longer than anywhere else. But its a fickle thing as most of those shore will also have dying weeds at this time as well. And that oxygen depleting scene is not good for any fish. 

 Anything can happen this time of year for a turning or turned water, a spinnerbait may rule, or a jerkbait might slay them, a rattling jig, worm, etc... find out if your strengths in bass fishing pan out,... hopefully they do. If not?,..consider this posting and maybe it will help you some.