Fall Turnover?

[Rich K]

Anyone one know some definite ways to tell if any given body of water has turned over yet? How many consecutive days/night below what temp will cause turnover?

I am also wondering what happens when there is a post-turnover warm up. Does the water stratify again? Can there be more than one turnover?

I am asking since the body of water I am fishing this weekend is in SW Michigan and I suspect it has turned over, but there are some close to 80 degree temps coming this weekend.

Thanks for the input!

[Paul Roberts]

It takes a lot to turn a lake over. Basically surface waters cool enough to nearly match deeper waters in temp, then a good wind usually ruptures the weakened density barrier.

You'll notice a color change to the water -dingier with suspended material, sometimes bubbling gases, sometimes an odor.

No, it won't re-stratify -That takes some time too. The sun is now too weak and days to short to allow it.

[WRB]

I agree with the above thread; however evidence of gas bubbles and decayed vegetation doesn't necessarily always mean the lake has turned over. Patches decayed matter and off colored or smelly water happens as the weeds die off, sink, decay and refloat. If you see this all over the lake at the same time, then you do have a good indicator of turn over. Several weeks of cold nights and wind in the northern region will usually turn over the lake and the fish will be scattered for a few weeks while the lake settles into the cold water period.

WRB

[Crankhead]

What about the bass starting to feed for winter. Does most or all of it occur before or after The lake turns over? I always thought the water temp was in the low to mid 50's range for turnover to kick in.

[Garnet]

Fall turnover is a mixing of different layers of water and great fishing doesn't happen the next day or the next week.

This is not about southern sissy bass.

From the time of turnover our lakes are getting hit by front after front almost everyday so fishing is all over the place great day, bad tommorrow good 1 hour  bad the next. Just like the weather.

If you keep fishing, bass will get there winter coats on and go crazy then fronts don't matter warm days don't matter they just start chewing.

The fall turnover is a fact but it has very little to do with good or bad fishing.

Garnet

[G_Clark]

Oh, he had to go and start calling our Bass names. I got my feelings hurt. :'(

[Garnet]

It's ok I love them to.

Garnet

[Catt]

At least us southern boys aren't ashamed to list where we are from  

[fishfordollars]

At least us southern boys aren't ashamed to list where we are from

Yep, and we fish 12 months a year.

[Garnet]

Sorry guys Southern Ont. I fish 12 months every year. We do a thing called icefishing!

And I dream about meeting my great great grandfather and slapping the idiot for moving half way around the world and stopping were it's snows for free land......... then the joker sold it for a cow and a mule, you guessed it all condo's now.

My point is that anglers get all focused on the turnover and it's a very small thing that might effect 1-2 days fishing if you were on the water.

Even northern bass don't like cold front everyday, just now they've started chewing and cold fronts are having less effect.

Garnet

[Rich K]

I appreciate the relevant comments and information to the title of this topic.

Let's keep it real though and avoid silly arguments about where we are from. If I remember correctly, that is addressed in the forum rules. We do not want to bring down the integrity of this forum, right?

[Volman482]

So there