Nothing is worse than showing up to your favourite early-season lake to find poor visibility and floating debris all over the place. While it does put fish down due to lack of consistent oxygen levels, it is not impossible to catch fish during lake turnover. What is turnover? Check out one of Brian Chan‘s articles on understanding spring turnover.
Photo: National Geographic Society
One of the first things I will adjust while fishing during turnover is my expectations. Turnover is often the most challenging and inconsistent period of the season, I do not fish a lake in turnover and expect to have outstanding results. I have had good fishing during turnover, but more often than not it does not present much consistency.
The next thing I will consider is my presentation. In dirty water with poor visibility, I like to fish brighter and more obnoxious patterns such as blobs and polar chenille leeches. Patterns that are designed to engage the attention and curiosity of the fish, even if they are not necessarily pretty.
My final piece of advice for fishing during the turnover period is to search the whole lake before you drop anchor. Sometimes during the early or late stages of lake turnover you will find some areas that are much cleaner than others.
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