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"Please release your catch today, so others may enjoy the thrill tomorrow"  Al Winco

Here is a good explanation of how turnover works.

At the surface of a lake the water will be very warm and stays warm down to a certain level. For example, the surface might be in the 90 degree range in September while 15 feet deep it is 80 degrees. From 15 to 20 feet the temperature will drop fast - several degrees in a few feet, from 80 to 60 degrees in this example. Below 20 feet the water might be as cool as 60 degrees and it will stay that cool all summer.

Unfortunately for the fish, this deep, cool water is very low in oxygen. Fish can not live long in it. A good depth finder will show the thermo cline because algae and proto-plankton will form a layer there, and the deeper, colder water is much more dense.  Fish are limited to spending most of their time in the upper levels of the lake. But as the surface cools in the fall, the top layer will suddenly mix with the lower layer, breaking the thermo cline, when the surface layers get as cold as the lower layers.

When this happens the stale deeper water mixes with the upper levels, and the whole lake may take on a murky look and have a bad smell. For a few days the fish don't feed much. Then, after things settle down, the fish can scatter. After turn-over the whole lake has good oxygen content and fish can move anywhere. They are hard to pattern because they roam a lot for a few weeks before setting up on deeper winter structure.  Watch for the fall turnover on your favorite lake. That will give you a good excuse for not catching fish! That said, shallow and tidal rivers don't experience turnover, therefore presenting an excellent option for fall fishing .

Fall fishing on rivers can be full of surprises. Smallmouth bass, Muskies, stripers and even old "Bugle-lips" can decided to feed . This 29lb. 9oz."golden bass" hit a 1/4 oz. Sonar blade bait jigged in 12 feet of water as I was attempting to imitate the schools of Shad fry migrating down the Delaware river. Needless to say, it was quite a battle landing this brute.