Hey y'all I've relocated further from the land I usually deer hunt so it looks like I'm going to be on the lake a lot more this fall. I haven't had a ton of fall fishing experience and I was just wondering what you all look for to see if the turnover has started and when to start fishing shallow again? Do all lakes have a significant turnover and do the majority of fish move into creeks or will some position on humps and high spots until the turnover is complete? I've heard that it will start when surface temps reach low 60s and stop at around 55 but is it always that textbook?

Thanks

IMO, nothing is textbook in the fall. You gotta make sure you’re there when they decide to bite. Recently, I’ve been going mid morning until late afternoon and fishing has been horrible for me. They’re catching them somewhere but it is such a timing deal that you had better be there on a nasty day or low light conditions, early or late, or you’re not gonna catch ‘em. Winter is better fishing for me than the fall bite.....JMHO.

Do you believe it's more timing or finding the fish? I've also heard the bass will become more pelagic this time of year just focused on chasing bait and it's harder to maintain a pattern. I've just been reading very different opinions on fall. Some say its the toughest time of the year and others say it's one of the best. Guess I'll just have to get out there and fish it to find out.

When you fish a lake for 20 years, primarily two lakes, and you fish high percentage and proven areas, you know the fish are there but they just don't bite. Yes, I'm guilty of fishing spots. Over the years of having success, why wouldn't you go back to those spots? It's not like I'm needing three or four days of heavy stringers to win a tourney to make me go develop a pattern in order to not run out of fish. I think fish stay in one area their whole life, up and down the water column but stay reasonably close. I'd bet I could go early or late on these spots and catch 'em. Lots of factors play into successful fishing in the fall, too. Lake cycles, turnover, fishing pressure, thermocline (where's Bob Smith when you need him), drastic water temp change, timing, bait presence...all play a part. All I know is that I would have put Lake Lewisville in the top 20 best bassfishing lakes in the nation 5 years ago. That's how good it was. It ain't that way any more. GV was at its height for me about 8-10 years ago. It ain't that way any more, either. Lake cycles? Just like the rest of the lakes do? Maybe.....or is it them damned wake boats? The wakeboat crowd deserves it to be blamed on them. I still hate 'em all, haha.

When the turnover is happening you’ll see foam on the water, usually smells kinda nasty, and there will be some debris floating in the area. (Decaying leaves ect). I fished one of the shallowest lakes in our region last weekend and found no signs of turnover, water temp was still 74 degrees. When is it time to fish shallow again? When did that time stop? Lol. Of course it’s the fall so they move a bunch, may hit a 20 lb bag shallow today and tomorrow only catch 5 dinks for 8 lbs doing the same thing. Put a bunch quality fish in the boat over the last month without ever fishing deeper than 10 ft.

Well, I got my azz handed to me again today on Lew. Boated 5 and worked my azz off for them. Nothing bigger than 13 inches. 10am-3:30pm again. I hate fishing. What a beautiful day it was! That's my only salvation. No signs of turnover, whatsoever. Water temps are 71.5-72.5. These fish oughta be biting. Again, I hate fishing.

Buda...how much you charge for a backseater or trail boat? Maybe I need to go to Worth for a change. Never been on that lake.

Why didn't you go north Okie?
They are stacked up there ya know......

Out today from 7ish until 1130. We caught 6 total. No real pattern. One here one there. Compared to a few weeks ago, the water is a little murky in areas that were clear.
Bigger fish came from deeper water.