Vermilion Turnover

[10,000 Casts]

So how does turnover happen on Vermilion? I suppose there are only a few spots that are deep enough and would develop a thermocline and stratify? Would that mean that the areas that are shallower than 30 feet never turn over?

[SkunkedAgain]

If you do a search, Cliff talked about this several years ago (I asked the question). Generally there isn't much of a turnover on Vermilion.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

Some years there appears to be a turnover in Big Bay, (floating bottom moss,etc.) Other years it is just a gradual cooling lake wide starting in the shallow bays and working its way out into the deeper water.

Appears that this is what we may see this fall.

Cliff

[jkrash]

One things for sure, when the surface temp hit 39 degrees it sinks. That's the point water is the heaviest.

[delcecchi]

One things for sure, when the surface temp hit 39 degrees it sinks. That's the point water is the heaviest.

Unless the wind driven currents have kept the water from stratifying in the first place.

[Cliff Wagenbach]

A couple of weeks ago there was a layer of suspended particles that started at about 32 feet down to the bottom in Big Bay. Thermocline???  It is gone now!

Cliff

[delcecchi]

Cliff, I have seen those on my depth finder.  They seem to go up and down with the light level so I figured they were some kind of tiny bugs or something.  They seem to be more prominent in the evening. 

[Cliff Wagenbach]

So how does turnover happen on Vermilion? I suppose there are only a few spots that are deep enough and would develop a thermocline and stratify? Would that mean that the areas that are shallower than 30 feet never turn over?

That is what I think happens on most of the lake.

Areas that are shallower then 30 feet never have shown any indication of a thermocline on my depth finder.

Cliff

Cliff, I have seen those on my depth finder.  They seem to go up and down with the light level so I figured they were some kind of tiny bugs or something.  They seem to be more prominent in the evening. 

Del,

I have seen that on my depth finder also, especially in the winter when using my flasher. They definitely are bugs! Zooplankton (sp.) and other microscopic bugs. They are very evident as evening approaches.

The layer of stuff that I was talking about earlier is always in very deep water. 40+ depths.

Cliff 

[delcecchi]

I see it in the summer.  But zooplankton (that's the word I was looking for , thanks) sure fits the description.  As it gets dark it pretty much blots out the depthfinder from bottom to top.  Don't see it during the day. 

Classically a thermocline is down 15 feet or so, at least that's what I always thought.  But I fish on the west where there aren't  large expanses of water deeper than about 35 feet or so.