Boating season (How do you avoid the crowds on your local lake?)

[Guest]

Typically, my fishing season ends on Memorial Day at these Ozark lakes. I turn to wade fishing remote areas of streams & rivers. When summer boating season ends on Labor Day, I start back fishing the lakes again.  Here's my question: How do you avoid the crowds on your local lake? do you fish super early & leave before noon, do you look for remote waters, or do you wait it out until boating season is over? Its so dangerous with all these novice boaters & intoxicated drivers. I just wanted to start a conversation on how to deal with the boat traffic problem. Do you think the fish are conditioned to it? They might be, but I'm not. Lol

[fishinwrench]

I don't see all the "intoxicated drivers" that everyone else cries about, and I'm on the lake alot.  Either I'm blind or there is a serious propaganda issue going on. 

I'm not bothered by the boaters, just their wakes.  I get away from it simply by avoiding main lake spots.  There is plenty of fish holding water in the back 1/2 of creeks and coves, and I almost always have it all to myself.  

The ride from one creek to the next is sometimes a challenge, but it's really no big deal as long as you take your time and pay attention. 

[m&m]

Trophy, I get out at first light around 5:15am. I'm heading to the ramp around 9am to take out.  I have a game plan and stick to it rather than cruising the lake. Sometimes the plan works and sometimes it doesn't. The information on the forum helps me as does the Angler Spy site that Ben created. 

Mike

[Champ188]

Golf

[dtrs5kprs]

County and state conservation area lakes. MO is full of small lakes, 5 to 400 acres or so, that are jammed full of largemouth. Now is the time to get your frog fix. Take a finesse rod, something you can flip, and a frog. Simple fun.

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3 hours ago, Champ188 said:

 

Golf

 

I see more drunken idiots on the golf course than the lake.  Nothing worse than a five hour round behind a bunch of idiots with a radio blasting.  I've all but quit the game.

[WeekendWarrior]

You go when it rains all day, haven't seen a boat all day today at LOZ

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15 minutes ago, WeekendWarrior said:

 

You go when it rains all day, haven't seen a boat all day today at LOZ

 

Fish bite better too.

[Ham]

No clue. I'm not on a lake these days. Creeks and rivers until October/November.

[96 CHAMP]

3 hours ago, WeekendWarrior said:

You go when it rains all day, haven't seen a boat all day today at LOZ

I agree with you Warrior, I believe the cloud cover and inclement weather are the better times to fish , as most of us have the gear to take on  the weather anyway, and I agree with Wrench, as far as LOZ is it's the nonstop barrage of the waves that never dissipate, I had one of my best days ever a few years back in late May, early June on LOZ in a good soaking rain & had the lake to myself.