THE BASS COLLEGE

i guess everyone was right about that "transition" period. it was a very depressing time. i had a rough time connecting with bass for awhile but friday the largemouth were smashing the baitfish at a local pond.. the little swimbait did great in shallow water. also cleaned up on smallmouth in the creek by slow rolling a 3/16 spinner on saturday. sunday was a little slower at the lake. i really hope the action stays this good..

It is not over yet Tim, just starting in some spots. There will be good days and bad and then a frenzy, then it will drop off quickly and be over and they will be in a winter pattern and mood.

As the days get shorter and cooler, and energy is transported away from/out of the lake, mixing becomes easier. At about 50 degrees, the cooler water (with a higher oxygen content) at the surface begins to sink into and through the thermocline, forcing warmer and less dense water to the surface, eventually erasing the temperature stratification built up over the summer.

At some point, the majority of the water in the lake reaches an approximately uniform temperature. Now, storms and sustained high winds can begin to perform the task of overturning and mixing all of the water in the lake -- referred to as fall turnover.

The deep water contains an abundance of decaying matter and sulfurous gases; when it reaches the surface, it produces a telltale odor that indicates the process has begun. Eventually the turnover mixes fresh oxygen into the entire lake mass, replenishing the deep waters with the life-giving stuff and cleansing the sulfurous fumes from the water, allowing fish to return to the depths where they will spend the winter months.

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thanks steve, that was really helpful. just learned something. do you think i should work on getting to those winter depths as the weather progresses? the nights are hitting the high 30's here now.

It will be the end of November before they are really in a solid winter pattern except in the extreme north of PA and Jersey, where it will be mid November.

that makes me happy Steve, thanks