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Posts: 750
Location: Minneapolis, MN | I understand the concept, what it is, but how exactly does it affect fishing? I see a lot of posts asking if it's happening on XYZ lake, but I don't understand why it's important. Can anyone shed some light on this for me? |
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Posts: 8866
| The way I understand it is that lakes with a thermocline usually have very low oxygen levels below the thermocline, effectively creating an edge, or barrier below which the fish will not typically be found. During (and after) turnover, oxygen levels stabilize throughout the water column, leaving the fish able to go anywhere.
Then there's the murky water and the smell... Not sure that really affects the fish all that much - they still have to eat. But it's rather unpleasant to fish in. Common perception is that the fish scatter during turnover, making them more difficult to find. I've only fished a few lakes that were in the middle of turnover. Got skunked. But that doesn't mean a whole lot, except it's nice to have an excuse for not catching fish.
Edited by esoxaddict 10/10/2013 1:43 PM
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| esoxaddict - 10/10/2013 1:39 PM
I've only fished a few lakes that were in the middle of turnover. Got skunked. But that doesn't mean a whole lot, except it's nice to have an excuse for not catching fish.
I wish I had an excuse for the rest of the year as well... |
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Posts: 409
Location: Almond, WI | I heard a theory, I believe it was from the Shumway brothers (sorry if I attribute it in error) that it's not that the fish scatter, it's that they hold very tight to structure and don't readily chase baits. That made a whole lot of sense to me considering the murkiness of the water during turnover (smaller strike zone) and the shortening feeding windows of fall.
Now remember not all lakes turn over, and they don't all turn at the same time so most guys lake hop. A lake like Minnetonka doesn't turn all at the same time usually either. It should be said that after turnover just because they can be anywhere in the water column does not mean they are deep--available structure, available forage, etc. all play a role. My PB was in less than 10' of water well after turnover with water temps hovering around 40. |
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Posts: 999
| Lakes that do not develop a thermocline do not turnover, they roll over. Lakes that do have a thermocline turnover, the hypolinium upper layer cools and sinks into the epolinium (sp?) bottom layer. This process of turnover starts at 58 degrees and ends at 54 degrees when transition is complete. |
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Posts: 999
| At this time you want to choose your lakes wisely. If your lake is in mid turnover pick a smaller lake that has allready completed the process or choose a large deep clear lake that turnover hasnt begun yet. This year will be a late turnover. With water temps still 58 to 64 degrees throughout the midwest our lakes have just barely started the process. We'll need a long streak of cool nites and days and maybe some wind to get things rolling. |
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Posts: 192
| thermocline is temperature dependent cold surface water settles to the bottom mixing dissolved oxygen into the water column. keep in mind that plants also release oxygen back into the water during photosynthesis so finding healthy weeds during the fall because of habitat for aquatic insects which smaller fish eat which attracts muskies. Once the insects begin to winterize themselves the small fish leave and the muskies tend to follow them into deeper water structures. |
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