One You Can't Figure Out

[papajoe222]

Just wondering if I'm the only one that frequently visits a lake, that for some reason or another they just get skunked on a regular basis during a certain season. One of the lakes I frequent is fairly small at only 250 acres. It's a gold mine of quality bass (3-5lb.) and I love to hit it at least once a week. Winter (no ice), spring and summer I have very little trouble finding and catching at least a few. Once the water temps start dropping in the fall, I may as well be fishing that puddle that forms at the end of my street.  I just can not find fish then.  I know where they should likely be. I know where their summer haunts and pre-spawn holding spots are, but come fall it's like all the fish in the lake have disappeared.  That includes 90% of the baitfish too. This has been going on for years.

I didn't pick up a rod for the better part of two hours today. I just studied my electronics. I even went as far as getting off the TM and just drifting over key areas thinking the motor might be spooking them. I'm gonna wait until Thanksgiving to give it another shot.

Anyone else have a seasonal problem with a particular body of water?  If so, are you as stubborn as me and keep going  there until the bruises show?

[WRB]

Can recognize a tournover?

Tom

[Boomstick]

It's either turnover or fish have moved to a different part of the lake. Often fish will migrate into the shallow waters or creek channels if you have one in the fall, sometimes in areas you won't see them the rest of the year.

[Bankc]

There a lake near me that looks amazing.  Tons of timber and vegetation.  It was designed to be a trophy largemouth lake, but right after they flooded it the virus struck and the white bass, crappie, and catfish took over.  They stock it with largemouth every year, but it's a terrible lake for them.  They can't get a foothold in that ecosystem.  But there's some in there, somewhere.

 

I fish it on holiday weekends because I'm in a kayak and the other lakes can get dangerously crowded with drunk boaters and this lake is never crowded despite being a 15 minute drive from OKC.  I've gotten one bite there, and didn't manage to land that one.  The game warden thinks I'm crazy for even trying.  Keeps telling me to target catfish.  One day I'll figure it out though.  

[Bluebasser86]

I like the tough lakes. You don't learn as much when they're jumping in the boat. I can only remember being skunked once this year, and that was back in January when I went to the power plant lake in my kayak and the wind picked up way more than they said it was going to so I left after just a couple hours. I caught fish, just not bass.

 

That power plant lake is one of the toughest lakes to catch fish from in the state, but I've learned it well enough that I don't get skunked often. I do have a couple I really dislike fishing. They're really popular lakes but they get so crowded that I stay away from them if at all possible. 

 

 

[cyclops2]

If there is ..........ANY WAY............those bass & bait can  LEAVE the lake ?    They will.

 

My Delaware River & Delaware Canal  are  VERY DEAD,   all thru the deep winter.  I do go down to where the fresh and salt water meet.  Lots of fish  to bite my Rapalas.

[GRiver]

6 hours ago, WRB said:

Can recognize a tournover?

Tom

What’s turnover?

[Bluebasser86]

37 minutes ago, GRiver said:

What’s turnover?

What is lake turnover?

Simply put, lake turnover is the seasonal mixing of the entire water column. For many lakes deeper than about 20 feet, distinct, thermally stratified layers of water form during the summer. These layers prevent the lake from mixing and aerating.

Warmer and less dense water floats on the top of cooler, denser water at the bottom. Temperature layering begins to weaken when outside temperatures cool. This allows the lake to mix when temperatures equalize throughout the water column. Meaning, water from the bottom of the lake rises to the top, and water from the top of the lake sinks to the bottom. The process allows for oxygen to be replenished and nutrients to be distributed throughout the lake.

 

Source: https://www.cleanlakesalliance.org/lake-turnover/

[GRiver]

Thanks for the reply

I love this site, I’m constantly learning. 

 

[Catt]

7 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

Anyone else have a seasonal problem with a particular body of water?

 

Lacassine Wildlife Refuge (16,500 acres), a shallow water marsh (18-24") that is extremely clear with tons of various types of vegetation.

 

The marsh is federally owned & is only open from March 15 through October 15. Opens daily at 30 minutes before sunrise till 30 minutes after sunset. 

 

This marsh is so fickled the locals call it lack-a-sense because one has to have a lack of sense to fish it!

 

I've fished this marsh on & off since I was 7, I'm now 69! I've been skunked on this marsh more than any place on earth, if it wasn't for the 5 DD bass I've caught there I probably wouldn't fish it.

 

 

[T-Billy]

I have a local lake that's always been awesome in the spring and late fall, but brutal in the summer. It's rocky with lots of wood. Best smallmouth habitat of all the lakes around me, but no smallies in it.

Took me years to get a handle on it in the summer, and it still kicks my butt some days. The bass either go super shallow up under brush along the bank, or they get on offshore rock structure. Forget the laydowns in summer. It has tons of them, but they don't hold bass alot of the time. 

The offshore fish are very nomadic following the shad just like smallies. Here today gone tomorrow. I forced myself to spend a lot of time there this summer and I'm glad I did. It's been rewarding. It's the least pressured lake around me because it gets so tough post spawn, and it's the most scenic. No houses on the shoreline, and no boat docks other than the marina. It's the only lake I fish on the weekends.

It's also the lake that produced my PB LM, 6lb10oz, and a bigger fish that wrapped me up and broke off. 20# Invisx. That put an end to flouro for me.

[papajoe222]

8 hours ago, WRB said:

Can recognize a tournover?

Tom

It's still too early for the lake to turnover. The water temps are still in the low 60's and this lake looks like a dump when turnover does happen.  Luckily, I have a number of lakes that are productive until the ice forms. 

I'm too old to waste a day searching. Getting skunked occasionally is one thing, it makes you think and adjust to conditions and the fish. This one is my daddy and I hate getting spanked repeatedly.

[A-Jay]

10 hours ago, papajoe222 said:

Just wondering if I'm the only one that frequently visits a lake, that for some reason or another they just get skunked on a regular basis during a certain season. One of the lakes I frequent is fairly small at only 250 acres. It's a gold mine of quality bass (3-5lb.) and I love to hit it at least once a week. Winter (no ice), spring and summer I have very little trouble finding and catching at least a few. Once the water temps start dropping in the fall, I may as well be fishing that puddle that forms at the end of my street.  I just can not find fish then.  I know where they should likely be. I know where their summer haunts and pre-spawn holding spots are, but come fall it's like all the fish in the lake have disappeared.  That includes 90% of the baitfish too. This has been going on for years.

I didn't pick up a rod for the better part of two hours today. I just studied my electronics. I even went as far as getting off the TM and just drifting over key areas thinking the motor might be spooking them. I'm gonna wait until Thanksgiving to give it another shot.

Anyone else have a seasonal problem with a particular body of water?  If so, are you as stubborn as me and keep going  there until the bruises show?

 

50 minutes ago, papajoe222 said:

It's still too early for the lake to turnover. The water temps are still in the low 60's and this lake looks like a dump when turnover does happen.  Luckily, I have a number of lakes that are productive until the ice forms. 

I'm too old to waste a day searching. Getting skunked occasionally is one thing, it makes you think and adjust to conditions and the fish. This one is my daddy and I hate getting spanked repeatedly.

There are a couple of lakes that fall into this category for me.

But both are much bigger bodies of water.

Late summer the bait and bass can be found shallow(er) on GREEN Weed.

And that will continue for several weeks.

Then 'something' changes.

No Cue what.

In these same areas, the weeds are still green for the most part, but most of the bait and ALL of the bass are gonzo.

I've spent a massive amount of time & effort (especially this and the previous two seasons) trying to figure this deal out as these waters are some of my best plus size brown bass stuff. 

Searched & Tried everything I can think of in 4 feet to 40 feet.

Zilch City.

What is equally as frustrating,  is that a couple of other lakes that are just a few miles away and seem 'very similar', do not pose this puzzle for me. 

Not giving up though because if & when I finally unlock whatever this 'secret' is, 

it could be epic.

Fish Hard

A-Jay

 

 

[scaleface]

There is this levee protected oxbow lake off the Mississippi river that has stumped me forever . I have friends who have caught monsters there  and 4 lbs is the largest I caught . I gave up on it . Havent visited it for at least ten years . Maybe I'll give it another shot some day .

[the reel ess]

10 hours ago, WRB said:

Can recognize a tournover?

Tom

Not to hijack, but I think it's relevant to the OP. I fish a smaller lake, say 25 acres with a max depth of 20' and an average depth of about 10'. The fishing has been terribly slow. I caught 5 bass in 3 trips, 4 in one trip. Coincidentally, there has been a brown scum on the water and lots of tiny bubbles. Is that an indication of lake turnover?

[gim]

You have a lot more patience and persistence than I do @papajoe222.  I know for a fact that I wouldn't keep going back to the wood shed if a log fell on me every time.

 

We have not had turnover here yet in MN either.  Its Oct 7 today and the water temperature is still in the upper 60's.  Last season my final bass outing was on Oct 10 and the water was 54 degrees.  We slaughtered them.  Its staying warmer this season and turnover will be delayed.

[scaleface]

No turnover here yet but the thermocline is sinking .

[Functional]

My home lake Tar River Reservoir is kind of a tough nut to crack. I've manage to figure out enough to not get skunked anymore but finding anything of size is d**n hard. Supposedly there arent supposed to be spots in there either but I know for sure i've caught a few in there.

 

Plenty of shad, evening time whole sections of the lake look like the surface is boiling. Also plenty of grass and an OK amount of docks and some wood so I'd assume the ecosystem is in there.

 

Only thing I can think of is a huge drought a few years ago really killed off some of the population and its just taking a bit to rebound.

[WRB]

2 hours ago, the reel ess said:

Not to hijack, but I think it's relevant to the OP. I fish a smaller lake, say 25 acres with a max depth of 20' and an average depth of about 10'. The fishing has been terribly slow. I caught 5 bass in 3 trips, 4 in one trip. Coincidentally, there has been a brown scum on the water and lots of tiny bubbles. Is that an indication of lake turnover?

Yes

[LrgmouthShad]

13 minutes ago, WRB said:

Yes

Huh. Now i know

[Tennessee Boy]

2 hours ago, the reel ess said:

Not to hijack, but I think it's relevant to the OP. I fish a smaller lake, say 25 acres with a max depth of 20' and an average depth of about 10'. The fishing has been terribly slow. I caught 5 bass in 3 trips, 4 in one trip. Coincidentally, there has been a brown scum on the water and lots of tiny bubbles. Is that an indication of lake turnover?

Your profile says you're in South Carolina.   Is the lake you're referring to in SC?  If so I don't think you're seeing turnover.  I'm no expert on SC climate but I would guess the surface temperature on most lakes there is still in the 60s.

[the reel ess]

18 minutes ago, Tennessee Boy said:

Your profile says you're in South Carolina.   Is the lake you're referring to in SC?  If so I don't think you're seeing turnover.  I'm no expert on SC climate but I would guess the surface temperature on most lakes there is still in the 60s.

Yes, the piedmont region of SC not far from the NC line. And the surface temp is about 60, maybe a bit higher. I don't have a temp gauge of any kind, but I have the barefoot feel test.

[padon]

actually the lake i fished most this year is a tough one. spring is good. pot spawn not  bad . things start to get ugly for me about mid july through mid october. i used to avoid it but its close to my house and now i seem to be obsessed with it. i can catch fish there but not what i should be able to.a single day team tournament will take about 16 to 18 pounds to win in summer. im lucky to catch 6 to 8 most days. but i keep going back, im determined to figure it out.

[DitchPanda]

I've got several ponds near me...one us tough one is so so and one is usually consistent. The consistent one however had a big winter kill several years back then this summer has an algae bloom that basically wiped out the bass so its off the table for now. The so so pond is about 15 minutes from me...quality bass are hard to come by but its not uncommon to catch 10-20 bass in a few hours. My local pond is tough especially if you aren't intimately familiar with it. I have fished it for 20 years so I know it as well or better than anybody and even that said I still get skunked. The biggest reasons I keep going there are simple: its very close to my house, it doesn't get alot of pressure and although stingy I've caught alot of bass...I'm talking dozens...between 5-8lbs out of it in the past ten years. My first big one last year came from there in April and my final big fish came from there late October or early November.

[the reel ess]

My local lake is usually tough. I mean 10+ fish days are unusual there. There have been days I only catch one, but it's a big one. But I wouldn't catch nearly as many larger bass at other places.