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Posts: 91
| Hey guys,
Something that has always puzzled me was how do you determine when a lake is turning over for the season? What factors go into determining this? Thanks |
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Posts: 2894
Location: Yahara River Chain | Water temp is at least the same up and down the water column and for sure if the water below is warmer than the water above.
If you are on the lake when it happens, you will see things floating up from the bottom and a rotten decaying smell to go along with it. This will be more visible on a clam day and less on a windy one. During windy days the lake will flip faster than calm ones. |
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Posts: 271
Location: davis,IL | 59 degrees farenheit is the water temperature at which turnover starts, it will continue until it reaches the 30's. The part of turnover that screws things up is in the 59 - 55 degree range, this is when you will see the worst of the discolored water and suspended debris from the bottom. Usually the negative effects on fishing start easing after 55 degrees or so as the water column loses the temperature stratification. This will happen again in the spring, but generally speaking it is less dramatic from the standpoint of fishing. Turnover can be most easily explained as; colder water falls to the bottom and warmer water rises to the surface. Think of the air in your home, the warmest air is near the ceiling, the colder on the floor.
Edited by muskydope 10/26/2013 8:02 PM
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Posts: 91
| How does this effect muskies , and can you still catch them during this time?
With temps in the 50's, does this mean that muskies will still feed or turn off, and what temps generally, will they continue to feed before ice sets in? |
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Posts: 271
Location: davis,IL | Loaded question.... how does this affect muskies... about the same as other fish. Meaning.... if it happens fast , they will respond in a similar fashion as they would to a major cold front during the warm water periods. Meaning TURNED OFF... until things start to stabilize a little ( the 55 degree or so window as the water cools) is when they will start to settle down some and start to feed. After that generally speaking they will start becoming more active, but remember that they are a cold blooded critter...so the colder it gets the slower they move. But.... also remember that Octobers full moon period... will under normal circumstances..... be the time when the whitefish/cisco spawn (lower mid 40's water temp) . This is a time to seek out the bigger water in your area... find the major reefs that are located close to the main lake basins....fish in the later part of the day into the evening....Why??? Simple... the biggest girls are chasing these critters in as they spawn and gourging themselves for the fat layer needed to produce the eggs for their spawn in the spring. This is the time of the year for your biggest baits, as the fish will be chasing & feeding less... but want big meals when they do feed. |
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Posts: 91
| Thanks! Great info! Appreciate it! |
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| Awesome info thanks, ive been wondering about this much as different lakes seem to be changing differently tho close by here :/ |
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Posts: 161
Location: New Jersey | muskydope - 10/26/2013 7:46 PM
59 degrees farenheit is the water temperature at which turnover starts, it will continue until it reaches the 30's. The part of turnover that screws things up is in the 59 - 55 degree range, this is when you will see the worst of the discolored water and suspended debris from the bottom. Usually the negative effects on fishing start easing after 55 degrees or so as the water column loses the temperature stratification. This will happen again in the spring, but generally speaking it is less dramatic from the standpoint of fishing. Turnover can be most easily explained as; colder water falls to the bottom and warmer water rises to the surface. Think of the air in your home, the warmest air is near the ceiling, the colder on the floor.
Do smaller lakes and even ponds go through turnover? I was fishing a smaller lake in New Jersey (only 60 acres) on Sunday. The temp gauge on my sonar has been on the fritz, but based on where another friend was fishing the day before, I'd put the lake right in that 59-55 degree range. The lake was more stained than I've ever seen it and there were some leaves hanging a few feet below the surface. Also, I almost always move a couple fish on this lake and I didn't even have a looker. The lake reaches depths of 30 to 40 feet, but I'm just not sure if lakes this size go through the same process. Any feedback on that is appreciated. |
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | Too many variables to determine if the lake turns over. I would guess it does.
This chart is pretty helpful for understanding when and how a lake turns:
Edited by Flambeauski 10/28/2013 3:47 PM
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| Hey Flambeauski,
I cannot make the graph on your post do anything or understand it, but tracked back to the site it came from and that is really a neat pile of information, including movies. Interesting stuff. Enjoying it.
I believe even school kids from IL could enjoy it. 
http://www.waterontheweb.org/under/lakeecology/lakeecology.pdf |
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Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek | I was going to post that link but figured it would require too much reading and not enough pretty colors to keep anyone's attention. |
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Posts: 271
Location: davis,IL | From what I know every lake that experiences water temperatures above and below the 59 degree window will turnover. The more current the less dramatic the effect on fishing, that is why rivers are not noticeably affected, but they will turn too in the deeper pools. Part of turnover is the decaying matter ( leaves and such) being brought up along with the bottom layer of water containing the byproducts of decomposition and allowing them to be purged from the system. They are purged by raising up and washing up on shore, flowing downstream etc. This will help the system by having fresh, oxygenated water fall to the bottom. The different layers of water basically swap positions, the top layer goes down and the bottom layers come up. All of this is aided by any current or wind action present, stagnant water does not mix through as easily. Rivers will turn also, but the current makes the negative affects less apparent and shorter lived. |
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Posts: 161
Location: New Jersey | That makes sense to me and correlates with what I saw on the water this weekend. Much appreciated man. |
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Posts: 2894
Location: Yahara River Chain | muskydope - 10/28/2013 6:03 PM
Part of turnover is the decaying matter ( leaves and such) being brought up along with the bottom layer of water containing the byproducts of decomposition and allowing them to be purged from the system.
Bear in mind that water near the bottom really doesn't move and through the summer the organic matter in the fertile lakes eats up the oxygen thought out the summer. Thus making the lower part of the lake unable to have enough oxygen there for the fish. In infertile lakes (like Trout in Vilas) that does not happen partly because its too cold and deep to have the biodegrade process to happen (kind of like food in the fridge) and fish like lake trout, cisco, whitefish (muskies too) are able to be deep. When turnover happens that lower layer does gets oxygen when the lake flips and that remains till the following summer as the biodegrading process doesn't happen much through the winter.
I hope this explains why in more detail. |
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