By Blake Russell - Bass Quest Magazine

By Blake Russell
Fishing in the fall can often be some of the best
fishing in the year. Bass eagerly pursue forage to
fatten up for the winter. However, fishing in the
fall can also be some of the hardest fishing you
will encounter if turnover conditions are present.
Casey Ashley has a system that will work for you
this fall when your body of water turns over.
What is the turnover?
Through the heat of the summer, many reservoirs
develop what is called a thermocline. Pretend for
a moment that the lake you fish on is a sandwich.
The top piece of bread would represent the
warmest water that is high in oxygen. The bottom
piece of bread represents the coolest water that is
low in oxygen. Finally, what lies between the two
pieces of bread represents the thermocline: a layer
of water that has rapid changes in temperature
and oxygen levels.
When temperatures cool in the fall, the
thermocline in your reservoir will eventually
begin to break apart and all three layers of water
mix together. Throw the sandwich in a blender
26
and you’ll get a pretty good idea of what happens
during turnover.
Turnover can stump many an angler. It is literally
as if the fish’s house has been turned upside down.
Oxygen levels can drop dangerously low and
even result in fish kills. Aside from fishing being
difficult, the easiest way to tell if the turnover is
taking place is by water color. Color will vary from
reservoir to reservoir, but it will often look like tea
or have a greenish tint. Another good indicator
that turnover is taking place is if you see a large
amount of decaying matter floating on top of your
reservoir. Keep in mind, not every reservoir goes
through this process. Lakes with dirtier water
are more susceptible to turnover conditions than
lakes with clear water.
Where to look
Entire bodies of water can turnover in the span
of a week. It may take a week or longer for the
water to stabilize and the fish to become active
again. When facing turnover conditions, Casey
Ashley looks for two things: fresh water coming
27
into creeks or areas where grass is present. These areas
provide the fish with the oxygen they need to survive,
so you can count on them being somewhere close to
these spots.
with all the nasty conditions they are put through
during the turnover. Despite the less than suitable
water you’ll be fishing, fish will still be foraging for the
winter that lies ahead of them.
Ashley acknowledges that grass and fresh water may
seem a little vague. “Different sections of the lake will
turnover at different times. Right before the turnover
occurs, it is some of the most difficult fishing you’ll ever
do. If you can locate water that has already turned over
and partially stabilized, you will have more success. You
have to cover a lot of water during this period to find
With all that being said, Ashley states strongly that
you can’t sit still. Once you’ve located a suitable area
in turnover conditions, you need to move quickly.
“Fish love to feed up through the fall. This time of year
they’re feeding on schools of baitfish or sunfish. These
fish are often roaming, so you need to cover a lot of
water to catch them. You’re not going to be able to pick
“I’m not sure why fish love to eat a floating worm in the fall, but they
do. I think it has something to do with its small profile.”
the most stable water where fish are most likely to bite.
Creeks are often the best because fresh water will come
in and push the water that’s turned over farther down
the lake.” Ashley says.
a small area apart and catch a lot of fish. Most fish will
suspend in deeper water in the fall, and you’re going
after the ones looking for a meal,” Ashley says.
Ashley will look for flats adjacent to deep water and
channel swings in the fall. Remember, you’re looking
for areas that either have grass present or fresh water
coming into them. The next step is to put the trolling
motor on high.
The only time Ashley slows down is when he comes
across an isolated piece of cover. “When I’m covering
a lot of water, every once in a while I’ll come across a
laydown, a clump of grass, or a stump that’s sitting by
itself. I’ll pick these areas apart, but if I don’t catch any
fairly quickly, I will continue moving.”
Don’t slow down
What to throw
You might be tempted to think that fish are sluggish
Ashley’s favorite way to cover water in the fall is with
28
a variety of topwater applications. The forage tends
to be a little smaller in the fall, so Ashley picks his
presentations accordingly. His top picks are a buzzbait,
a Zoom Horny Toad, and a popper. “Out of all these
options, I feel that I can cover the most water with a
buzzbait. Many fish are caught on the buzzbait in the
fall simply because of their ability to cover a lot of
water.”
Ashley uses the Zoom Horny Toad as a change-up bait
to the buzzbait. The Horny Toad can also cover a lot of
water. When the fish are less likely to chase a bait like
the buzzbait or the Horny Toad, he’ll switch up and tie
on a popper.
If the topwater bite isn’t as strong as he’d like it to
be, Ashley opts for a floating Zoom Trick Worm. He
doesn’t use a swivel or anything to weigh the worm
down. He retrieves the worm by steadily twitching
it with a walk-the-dog cadence. Fishing the floating
worm this way will keep the lure inches below the
surface, which can often be a difference maker if the
fish don’t want something directly on top of the water
column. “I’m not sure why fish love to eat a floating
worm in the fall, but they do. I think it has something
to do with its small profile. It’s similar to a finesse
topwater presentation and gives the fish a different
look.”
When asked why Ashley doesn’t opt for a Fluke, he
answered, “I think the Fluke is a presentation that’s
better suited when targeting schooling fish. These fish
in the fall are roaming, and they’re going after smaller
Pre and Post Turnover
Much like spring fishing is broken up by the pre-spawn,
spawn, and post-spawn periods, you can break fall
fishing into three different periods as well. Fish will
often make some of the same movements in the fall as
they do in the spring; only in the fall, they are doing
it because of where the forage moves and how the
turnover affects them. Pre-turnover conditions will fish
similar to pre-spawn conditions as fish tend to migrate
toward the back of creeks and flats. A lot of fish will
suspend near balls of bait fish before the turnover takes
place. In these situations, Ashley will fish a Spook while
paying close attention to surface activity.
Fishing an area days before it turns over can make for
an extremely difficult outing. Certain sections of the
lake will turnover at different time intervals. Ashley
believes you’re better off to target water that has already
turned over, opposed to water that’s in the process of
doing so.
Once the turnover has finished and water temperatures
cool, fish will begin to back themselves off of the
shallower flats. Much like post-spawn, fish will relate
to points and secondary points as they make their
moves toward their wintering habitats. Ashley will still
fish a buzzbait during this time, but once the water
temperature drops into the high 50’s, it becomes a less
viable option. Fish are still actively feeding on bait fish
before the winter and Ashley likes to cover water with a
¼-ounce lipless crankbait to catch them.
29
forage. I feel like the floating worm is a better option
because of its smaller profile.”
When considering colors, Ashley either picks white or
black when fishing his topwater selections. If fish are
targeting sunfish, black is appropriate. If it’s baitfish
they’re after, he’ll choose white. Ashley states the
only color he uses when fishing the Trick Worm is
merthiolate.
30
Overview
To recap, if you’re facing turnover conditions on your
local reservoir, remember to key in on grassy areas
or areas with fresh water flowing into them. Don’t get
discouraged if you don’t immediately find fish. They
will be roaming, and if you cover enough water, you
will catch some eventually. Once you find fish, don’t be
tempted to slow down. The more water you cover, the
more fish you’ll catch. Use Ashley’s tips, and they will
help you catch more bass when turnover conditions are
present.