Fall Turnover??

[GoggleEye]

Can anyone tell me if Mille Lacs experiences a fall turnover?? I know some lakes don't experience one for some reason....whatever that may be. I don't know much about that. But if it does have one, what time of year does it usually fall around? Thanks for any info. and help.

GoggleEye

[Shack]

Mille Lacs has a turn over. No one can predict this time of year when it is going to occur.

During the summer months the lake surface temps are warmer than the bottom of the lake temps. The turn over occurs when the cool air of late fall/winter turns the waters surface temp colder than the temp at the bottom. Once this occurs the ice sheeting is soon to come. In a sense, the lake flips up side down. Its all derived upon temperature. This effects all aspects of a lake. The Thermo cline (hope I said correct word) level determines what a lake is going to do. Some lakes do not turn over, these are the lakes the have very thin ice during even the coldest winters or ice all year round (like in the actic).

This is what I have learned about the lake turning over! Could be wrong, but it fits the discription.

[Commanche Jim]

Excellent, but when does turnover occur?

October, November, ????????????

[MuskieSlayer]

Actually, Mille Lacs is a polymyctic lake, in that it turns over, or mixes, many times throughout the year. Because it's a shallow, wind-swept lake, Mille Lacs doesn't usually have a chance to develop a strong temperature stratification like other lakes. Because of the weak stratification, a windy day will in a sense "turn over" or mix the temperature layers.

Some years you may notice a turnover effect in the fall and other years you really won't. As to when it happens in the fall if it happens at all.... Turnover can be predicted but not this far out in advance. A turnover due to cooling surface temperatures will occur when the top layer of water denser than the water below and water is most dense at 4 degrees Celsius (39.2 F) so I would look for the effects of a turnover, if they happen at all, when the surface temps start getting into the lower 40s. Sorry, it's tough to pinpoint a specific time as I've fished open water on Mille Lacs in December and ice fished in November.

[GoggleEye]

All good info. guys. Thanks for chiming in. I would imagine fall turnover to happen on Mille Lacs around the late october time period then, if it has a pronounced one that is???? From the description you gave me, I usually see my water temp. readings hovering around that low 40's mark in Later October. I am heading up in late September once and possibly once after fall turnover in November (that is if there isn't ice blocking the landings). Of all the areas to fish in Mille Lacs, what would be your first choice for fall fishing.....rocks, sand and gravel, or mudflats?? I have done well in the rocky areas of the southeast portion, but I do like exploring new territory. Any thoughts?

[Shack]

The turn over occurs most times in late Oct. to early Nov., but could easily occur in late Nov. to early Dec... Let’s hope we do not see late Dec.

The tullibie spawn is usually at the start of or during the turn over. If you shine your spot lights up on a shallow rock reef and see tullibie swarming, the turn over is close or has started.

[Willy]

There is no turnover on Mille Lacs.

Too shallow and windswept.

[Shack]

Willy,

I am talking in a weather/environmental sense, not a thermocline flip. The fact of Mille Lacs having a very low thermocline level and like you stated shallow and wind swept says the lake will not have a thermocline flip over(rare). Like I said in my first post, what I have come to learn as the Mille Laces turn over is basically a change in surface to bottom temps, not a thermocline rearrangement.

[SkitterPopper]

Like it was said before me, there is hardly ever a turnover on a Mille Lacs type lake. These lakes do not stratify during the summer thus no big temperature difference from top to bottom. It does even out however at 39 degrees so it will never be in December.

[Dances with Walleye]

Quote:

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Willy,

I am talking in a weather/environmental sense, not a thermocline flip. The fact of Mille Lacs having a very low thermocline level and like you stated shallow and wind swept says the lake will not have a thermocline flip over(rare). Like I said in my first post, what I have come to learn as the Mille Laces turn over is basically a change in surface to bottom temps, not a thermocline rearrangement.

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Well Mille Lacs doesn't Turnover... We shouldn't call what it does "Turnover" It's more like Mixing...

And as far as I know, this enigmatic "Hot Bite of Fall" isn't something that even predictable for that big lake.