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Posts: 410
Location: With my son on the water | The one thing I continue to learn about this sport every year is how much a person can alway continue to learn. When you think you know something,,,,,,,quess what there is more to it. It also teaches me to not be a know it all and shut up and listen.
So in the past I was told by what I thought was a Muskie guru (who you have all seen on TV, that's where he actual said) that "turnover is a gradual process that starts at 59 degrees and ends at 40 degrees". I may be mistaken with if he said it was 40 degree (I have it written down but don't have access to it right now).
I searched the net and I never found any real absolute info. Yes I found many posts stating how the top water cools to the same temp as the bottom, it happens on smaller water first, it may not happen in some shallow bodies of water, etc. So I understand what is going on. But I didn't find anything saying at what temp turnover starts and at what temp it is completed? So does anyone know? Or is it a gradual process that starts at 59 degrees like that guy said ? If that is the case we are absolutely in the process of turnover on many bodies of water right now?
I am looking to learn more about this so I hope someone knows more about this than I do.
Thanks and Always have a great day.  |
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Posts: 1202
Location: Money, PA | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_stratification
Read that...I don't think there is a "SET" temp when this occurs...It seems to have to do with the existing water temps in the 3 layers of a system and how they relate to one another. Simply said....When the top layer becomes denser than the middle and bottom, it basically sinks causing lake stratification - "turnover" |
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Posts: 2097
| I agree, typically 59 down to 55 or so. |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | I'd say around 55-50* where I fish in Northern Mn,
Different parts of the lake will go at different times....ie..Shallow vs Deeper water.
Some larger shallow bays don't really seem to "turnover" at all.
Thoughts ? |
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Posts: 553
Location: 15 miles east of Lake Kinkaid | It is possible that 59 degrees is where it starts in the majority of lakes in a region, but as a general rule to encompass all lakes this is false. There is a temperature, which varies slightly every year, in which each lake will begin mixing. I am sure a lot of oligotrophic lakes start around the 60 degree mark, while many mesotrophic lakes will start around 65 or even warmer. The main factors which will affect the temperature in which a lake begins "turnover" is trophic level(which indicates water clarity and biomass levels), depth, and wind.
Whomever you quoted about continuing down to 40 degrees is correct about it being a continual process, however I would say it continues until the water freezes. I would also add below a certain temperature (with each lake being different) mixing is caused more by wind driven upwelling and downwelling than water density.
To return to the "gradual process" being discussed; it seems this simple fact is lost among many fisherman. "Turnover" or the mixing of the epi-, meta-, and hypolimnion, has it's most negative affect on fishing when it first begins. I believe this is why turnover is thought of as a static process. In reality the changes in pH, lowered dissolved O2 levels, as well as many other molecular level factors that result from the initial turnover of lakes is often what makes fishing very tough. The environmental changes often drive fish to find stability and this may mean very shallow, deeper than most musky fisherman fish, or both.
In order to be successful during the turnover period you must figure out around what temperature the particular lake you like to fish starts turning, and try to locate active fish. I have found turnover to provide very good action on many of the southern reservoirs I fish often. The key is to analyze the changing habitat and find the most stable habitat: you will find the fish here. |
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Posts: 1168
| Not all lakes develop a distinguishable thermocline therefore not all lakes go through the process most commonly laid out. Certain aspects of turnover? Sure. All aspects of turnover? Nope. |
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Location: MN | I was talking with a guide on Vermillion this summer and he told me that with the exception of a few of the larger deep bays, Vermillion does not really turnover, due to it's layout. Any thoughts on this? |
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Posts: 304
Location: Lino Lakes, MN | Head O Lakes Bay on the far West end always has a thermocline that sets up. Wakemup Bay has enough wind to mix it up. I am not sure of the other main lake basins.
There is almost always a Tulibee kill on Head O Lakes Bay. I saw 1 floater tulibee last weekend... don't know if it was dropped by an osprey or what.
Good Luck
Steve |
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Location: MN | Sorgy - 9/18/2014 10:59 AM
Head O Lakes Bay on the far West end always has a thermocline that sets up. Wakemup Bay has enough wind to mix it up. I am not sure of the other main lake basins.
There is almost always a Tulibee kill on Head O Lakes Bay. I saw 1 floater tulibee last weekend... don't know if it was dropped by an osprey or what.
Good Luck
Steve
Steve, correct. If you read my post I said with the exception of a few larger deep bays which would include Head of the Lakes and Wakemup. Any idea if the rest of the lake experiences turnover? |
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Posts: 125
| So now that I understand when turnover occurs and what it is... how do you fish it? Is there a post turnover tactic? From what i have been reading about a lake i am going to fish near Minocqua next week, it sounds like the lake is going thru turnover now. How long does it last and how do you approach it at its end or post? Will the musky go HOT? |
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Posts: 416
Location: Madtown, WI | Lake Mendota buoy is an awesome resource if you're interested in actually watching the process. Here's a link showing turnover last year, on 10/15 some drastic mixing occurs in a small matter of time, temperature increases by 8 degrees in 50' (time in UTC, temps are in Celsius and depth in meters) but didn't fully stratify until 10/23. You can manipulate the link to show any time frame that you wish, but it seems like the buoy isn't working half the time...
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Turnover ?