Sak Turnover Walleye on Sakakawea

[MicLee]

I'm not positive the turnover has happened, but I think it has. We were finding active fish shallower than we had been. We pitched jigs into 18' and less and had solid success. It wasn't fast and furious, but the size was well worth the trip, and the numbers were decent. I don't believe we caught a single one on plastics, but that doesn't mean you can't. We just had our best luck with the bigger minnows in the bucket. We fished out of the White Earth area, but I think guys have been doing okay all through the river section of the lake.

 

[johnr]

Put the boat away 2 weeks ago. Kinda have the urge to go, but not taking it out of its winter slumber

 

[Rowdie]

I heard that big reservoirs never turnover. I've lived right next to Oahe my whole life and can't say I've ever noticed a "turnover". Not like small lakes do that's for sure.

 

[Weekender]

I fished the East end of Sak on Friday and I believe that it has "turned". I was often seeing a thick line on the graph which I believe to be the thermocline. Had a tough time finding fish.

 

[Rowdie]

I heard that big reservoirs never turnover. I've lived right next to Oahe my whole life and can't say I've ever noticed a "turnover". Not like small lakes do that's for sure.

Another pervasive myth about the fall turnover is that it happens everywhere. This is simply not true."Large reservoirs or natural lakes that have constant wind or a frequent current will not typically turn over. If they do, it won't be as dramatic as on a still impoundment," Gilliland says.

This is what little I found on my quick search

 

[Victory]

I don't fish it all that much but a buddy told me it is almost like a light switch going from fishing deep exclusively, to being able to catch them much much shallower. He fishes that lake a ton, but who knows.

 

[honkerslayer]

I fished the East end of Sak on Friday and I believe that it has "turned". I was often seeing a thick line on the graph which I believe to be the thermocline. Had a tough time finding fish.

I thought that a turnover would erase the thermocline? Cold water on top mixing with the warmer water below. I’m not sure I really know if Sak does or not. I fished eastern portion last week and found fish anywhere from 10 to 30’. Something has changed. Water temp was 53-54 degrees

 

[Weekender]

I thought that a turnover would erase the thermocline? Cold water on top mixing with the warmer water below. I’m not sure I really know if Sak does or not. I fished eastern portion last week and found fish anywhere from 10 to 30’. Something has changed. Water temp was 53-54 degrees

Not really sure I guess, I don't have much experience fishing Sak this late in the year. Seemed like when I was in reasonably shallow water (25 or less) there was a thick line on my depth finder towards the top of the water column. Water temps for me were 49-52.

 

[MSA]

Usually the week after labor day you can see the temp in the tailrace start rising and the sakakawea surface temp start falling and the salmon start biting from shore. It was about 2 weeks after labor day this year.