When was turnover in your neck of the woods?

[BASS fisherman]

Just wondering when turnover was at your lakes, and what area of the state do you live in?  

[SPEEDBEAD.]

HAHA, mine was probably the same time as yours!!!

[BASS fisherman]

Thanks SPEEDBEAD, your no help. lol

The reason I ask is because last week when I went fishing, the lake looked like it was turning over again. But it couldn't have again. So I am wondering if the lake was in fact turning over last week? I doubt it though.

[RoLo]

All lakes do not turnover, but only those that stratify (epilimnion, thermocline, hypolimnion).

In Florida, a true "fall turnover" is a rare event on any lake.

Roger

[BassMaster_1]

I fish lake ontario a lot, mostly For Salmon and Trout.  The Lake turns over many times, mostly when we get rough water or a noticeable shift in weather conditions.

[Raul]

Down here across the border lake turnover is an extremely rare event, rain ( which causes the lake to turn into a mud field ) and heat ( which causes the lakes to turn into pea soup ) are the enemies of good fishing.

[RoLo]

I fish lake ontario a lot, mostly For Salmon and Trout. The Lake turns over many times, mostly when we get rough water or a noticeable shift in weather conditions.

There can only be one thermal turnover per year, and it must be precipitated by water temperature change.

Water is heaviest at 39 degrees, at which state it sinks to the bottom of the lake to form the hypolimnion.

Even a whole gale lacks the energy necessary to lift up and mix the heavy lower layer of the lake (hypolimnion)

with the warmer and lighter layers of water overhead (epilimnion and thermocline).

The most harm that a big wind can do to lake stratification is to create a so-called "seiche".

In essence, a seiche is tilted stratification, where the thermocline may be a little deeper at one end of the lake.

This is caused by the wind, which over time may stack the lighter upper layer (epilimnion) against the downwind end of the lake.

A seiche however, is a far cry from a turnover.

Roger

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Rolo, you might be one of the smartest people on the internet!!!

You are like Bill Nye, the science guy.

[senile1]

There is also a spring turnover due to water having its greatest density at 39 degrees.  A colder, less dense, layer of water forms at the top during the winter and this is where ice forms.  Once spring arrives, this layer will warm and eventually reach the 39 degree temperature of the deepest water in the lake, and at this point, it will sink and mix with the rest of the water.  

The following link is a good explanation of turnover and was provided by GMAN a month or two ago:

http://mdc.mo.gov/documents/fish/aquaguides/turnover.pdf

[RoLo]

There is also a spring turnover due to water having its greatest density at 39 degrees.

That is true, there is a mini-turnover in the spring, but due to the rising water temperatures in spring

it doesn't produce the "complete" turnover that we undergo in fall. In the spring, as the water under the ice

rises from 33 to 39 degrees it will rollover within its own thin upper layer, but won't penetrate through the hypolimnion

to the bottom of the lake. During a complete turnover in fall, an odor from the bottom of the lake is sometimes detected,

which is not the case in spring.

Roger

[Guest the_muddy_man]

3rd week of October here in NorthEast Pennsylvania

[Murray]

im still waiting...

[justfishin]

I live in Western MD and this was one of the slowest as well as longest turnovers I have seen in a lot of years. In some areas, even now, I do not think it is complete. The mixture of cold nights but yet, very warm days has been unreal here. Just when you would think the water should be around 45-55 you look at your temp gauge when you first put in and it reads an unbelievable 62-66 in some areas. The fish must have loved it because they have been really biting well. No complaints here. They have been fat and sassy. It has been a late fall extention of that pre-winter feeding binge.

[justfishin]

Excel. answer RoLo. Makes all the sense in the world. Its refreshing to have someone actually explain the scientific criteria. But don't get too scientific, I only have one college degree and I am too old to go back,lol.

[Bassassasin12]

early october for me. Haven't caught a fish in over a month. Rods, reels and tackle have been up for the season since mid october.

[RoLo]

Excel. answer RoLo. Makes all the sense in the world. Its refreshing to have someone actually explain the scientific criteria. But don't get too scientific, I only have one college degree and I am too old to go back,lol.