Watts Bar Fall Turnover

Well it's time for the Fall turnover at Watts Bar. The lake has a scum on the water and color is a little off, talked with the fisheries biologist last week and he informed me that most of the lake was going through the Fall turnover. He said that it would take a week or so to recover and that a good cool rain would help. This explains the decline in crappie fishing for the last week or so. We have not had any rain for 10 days, so a shower will be welcomed, we are supposed to have rain Sunday and Monday, hope it helps. Does anyone else have this happen to their lake??????

Don, Hurry up and give that lake a bath. I'll be there in a couple of days. Has Jackie got my fishing spots marked out on the lake yet.

If it raining Monday, I'll have Bob tell us some "war" stories... He'll keep us going all day.

Gerald & Betty, Bob & Mary

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Originally Posted by Don@Eden

Well it's time for the Fall turnover at Watts Bar. The lake has a scum on the water and color is a little off, talked with the fisheries biologist last week and he informed me that most of the lake was going through the Fall turnover. He said that it would take a week or so to recover and that a good cool rain would help. This explains the decline in crappie fishing for the last week or so. We have not had any rain for 10 days, so a shower will be welcomed, we are supposed to have rain Sunday and Monday, hope it helps. Does anyone else have this happen to their lake??????

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THAT'S why the fishing was slow !! I was wondering why they were still schooled on the deep brush (the White Crappie, anyway)....and why the Black Crappie were still not "under" the docks.
Partner Paul finally used his 10ft BnM pole ... and broke it in good, catching his biggest fish of the trip on it ...LOL!! I got a little better at "shooting" docks ... just wish there had been more fish under them !! LOL!!

We will be there on Thurs ... looking forward to seeing everyone again. Luck2ya'll ....... cp & Partner Paul

A lot of the lakes in NC turnover in the fall.

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Originally Posted by Don@Eden

Well it's time for the Fall turnover at Watts Bar. The lake has a scum on the water and color is a little off, talked with the fisheries biologist last week and he informed me that most of the lake was going through the Fall turnover. He said that it would take a week or so to recover and that a good cool rain would help. This explains the decline in crappie fishing for the last week or so. We have not had any rain for 10 days, so a shower will be welcomed, we are supposed to have rain Sunday and Monday, hope it helps. Does anyone else have this happen to their lake??????

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DON the lake has not turned yet it has been to warm, it might turn if it gets colder weather,about 2 more weeks yet before it turns

KENNIE,
Leave it to you to know more about everything, even than the fisheries biologist. :p We are indeed lucky to have such a smart --- guy as you on the board.

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Originally Posted by Don@Eden

KENNIE,
Leave it to you to know more about everything, even than the fisheries biologist. :p We are indeed lucky to have such a smart --- guy as you on the board.

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Just remember he is Blackie's No. 1 Son and he may be getting his info from that old Indian that lives down by Piney Creek. You don't see him but a couple of times a year but he is "full of it". Knowledge of course.....See you tomorrow....How did Gerald and the old Fighter Pilot do yesterday???

I found that Patoka Lakes thermocline was depressed from 19ft down to 26 feet in the last month. The dissolved oxygen is down from 7 ppm to 5ppm which could be due to equipment error or operator error. Not sure if the same guys took both readings. They took a temp and dissolved oxygen (DO) profile in Sept and Oct and they showed the thermolcine decending down into the water column.

During Sept the lake surface waters were much warmer than today. Now the lakes surface temps are in the mid sixties or about 19.3 deg C.

When turnover happens the low oxygen content water below the thermocline is mixed with the oxygen rich waters at the surface and lots of much that was trapped below the thermocline is released into all the water from top to bottom. So yes it take a while for the oxygen content to stabilize once again after fall turnover.

Rainfall would bring more cold water into the lake and the increase winds that come with a front should generate waves which in turn will mix oxygen back into the surface waters.

I found that at Patoka Lake in the Osborn Ramp area that the water temp profile was the same temp from the surface down to 25ft. My probs cable is only 25ft long and I could not take a reading at 26ft. Lucky would have it that the COE did have a longer cable on their machine and they found the thermocline one foot lower at 26 ft. LOL just my luck that the thermocline would be one foot out of my reach. My conclusing based on my own data were different than what the Corps found for Patoka Lake. If only I had the 50ft long cable for my DO/temp devise.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don@Eden

Well it's time for the Fall turnover at Watts Bar. The lake has a scum on the water and color is a little off, talked with the fisheries biologist last week and he informed me that most of the lake was going through the Fall turnover. He said that it would take a week or so to recover and that a good cool rain would help. This explains the decline in crappie fishing for the last week or so. We have not had any rain for 10 days, so a shower will be welcomed, we are supposed to have rain Sunday and Monday, hope it helps. Does anyone else have this happen to their lake??????

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Don@Eden

KENNIE,
Leave it to you to know more about everything, even than the fisheries biologist. :p We are indeed lucky to have such a smart --- guy as you on the board.

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Thanks Don i just had to keep it right,the biologist is not right the lake has no decayed leaves on it and it is not murkey i have been fishing watts bar for 20 years it has not turned over yet next week maybe.

If you all need more info on that just email me ,i am happy to be on board someone has to keep you all straight.

It is 4:00 PM Oct 12 and it is raining here in Powell, Tn. and I hope it is raining on Watts Bar. It is turning colder, so maybe this will clear up Watts Bar. Was going to leave Thursday for the Brawl and then I remember that Oct 14, 1973 was the day that I got married and I am still married but I might not be if I go fishing that day. What do you think? Conner