Has the thermocline set up yet?

When does the turn over typically start and how long does it typically last?

I believe Fork usually turns over mid September in stages in different areas of the lake (North, Mid, South). Who knows for sure on timing, but the right weather system can get it in gear and it can last a few weeks.

From I what gather it was late this summer.

Thermocline has set in around 22 feet. The turnover will come around mid September and last a few weeks. Like said above, the right weather system can speed this up

Everything was late this year. There was no defined thermocline 3 weeks ago. But with the heat we've had the past 7-10 days, it's now firmly in place. Which is about 3 weeks late.

When the turnover begins and ends is anyone's guess. Personally, I hope we get a super-freak arctic air mass in the next few days that starts the process in earnest. Since that won't happen, I'm guessing the turnover will begin a day or two before the MickeyD's. About a week later than normal on Lake Fork.

From my experience the turn over is finishing around the Berkley tournament.

22 feet sounds about right of most Texas non-power hlakes....it has become well defined and rising as normal, but only very very slowly the last few days and should be just about as shallow as it will get. First few weak cool fronts we get in a few weeks will generate some shallower echos on our graphs folks swear are 'the thermocline", but the real thermocline fish care about will remain deeper until Fall turnover.

Has the thermocline developed yet at fork?

A cline-o-meter check in the past has shown me that the summer thermoclines across Texas lakes seem to remain similar in depth and shape.

Exceptions might be for the lakes with power plant circulations or experiencing very significant water in-flow or out-flows.

Yes, TX lakes have an advanced fully developed typical summer thermocline now.

When Texas lakes start to get stronger cool fronts and night time lows in the fall, if a passing strong front also stalls, then some differences in thermocline depths may develop between where cold fronts reached and did not reach.

Is it possible for a bass to be below the thermocline or is it a waste of time to fish below the line when it is present?

Especially in late Spring or early Fall, I frequently read on this forum anglers and even Guides say they are fishing fish echos below "the thermocline" and it is only so such and such feet deep.

When I though check for the actual deep thermoclines location, it is always far deeper than they are fishing. If their lake is not 50 or 60 feet deep where they are fishing at that time of the year, the principal deep thermocline may not yet have formed or already had Fall turnover where they are fishing their percievied "thermocline'.

They are just seeing slight temperature stratification layers echoed on their graphs after a series of weather fronts blows thru and they can see the fronts histories shown in the water column at different levels. These layers do not have oxygen deficient water just below them, so I do not consider these "The Thermocline" that concerns anglers. These shallow temperature layers certainly can attract bait and fish selecting them .


EXAMPLE: A sonar echo viewable at about 18 feet from a Sept 2010 weather front change was mistaken as 'fishing below the Lake thermocline' which actually is clearly shown deeper than 50 feet here.


Lake waters shallowower than 50 feet had likely experienced full fall turnover by this date that year.