As the days get shorter and the water begins to get cooler, a rather unique change is about to take place from the top of the water to the bottom of the water. This is called "the fall turnover" and basically that's exactly what it is, a turnover.

What happens is that the water has layers of fish supporting oxygen levels throughout the year referred to as the "thermocline". During the fall turnover this thermocline actually moves from the mid depth range towards the bottom of the lake thus making the water near the bottom warmer, and the water near the top cooler.

In the heat of summer the thermocline can be anywhere from 10 - 20 feet deep in a 30 foot deep lake, with the majortiy of the bass suspending within this ideal range. While it's quite true that a bass can and will be caught at most any water depths in the summer, it is highly unlikely that below the thermocline level you will find any bass. The oxygen level is greatly reduced below the thermocline making for a very difficult living habitat for the bass.

In the fall however, this turnover is a slow process where the thermocline actually rises to the top of the water for a short time then slowly makes a descent towards the bottom of the lake which will actually support the bass during the colder months of the winter. It does'nt necessarily mean the thermocline will be located directly on the lake bottom, but depending on the depth of the lake it will be closer to the bottom in shallower lakes and a bit higher up in deeper lakes.

With the turnover about to begin in colder regions, this also starts a feeding frenzy among the bass as they realize the turnover means colder weather and colder water temps are soon to follow. If you're fortunate enough to get out on the lake during the early stages of the turnover, you will notice a lot of bass near top of the water column or within a few feet from it. This is a great time to use top water lures and with the change in the water temps even mid afternoon is a good time for top water lures to produce.

Later in the turnover process you'll notice a lot of bass in their early spring staging areas feeding heavily for the upcomming winter months. Those same bass that were spawning on that inside weed edge in the spring will be back there again gorging on just about anything that moves. The deeper into fall we get, and the colder the water gets, the deeper the bass will go, although on a hotter fall day with a high sun you will find many bass up along the shores still searching for a hearty meal.

Remember the turnover and use these tips to help you score more bass this Fall. Soft jerkbaits, senko's, top water plugs, shallow running crankbaits, and spinnerbaits all get the nod this time of year as do the old stand by rubber worms!

Good luck this fall.

Remember to post those pics of yourself "KISSIN THE BONEY LIP"

Mike