Was in Broken Bow last week. As we all know it can get quite busy and "combat" fishing can be expected. On Saturday by the time I crawled out of my tent there people fishing all over the place. I like to give people their space and I like mine also so I went over to the creek to see if I could get away from the crowd a little. I was fishing a hole as a group of fisherman came hiking up. I stopped fishing for few minutes to re rig. As I did this 2 members of the group that came and fished the exact same run from the other side of the creek, close enough to tangle lines if I would have stayed. I made a few casts and left, I wasn't catching in that spot anyways. Part of me wanted to bark at the guys for fishing so close, and the old me would have. I know how it would have gone if I would have barked at them and decided it wasn't worth getting my heart rate up and stewing on for the day so I moved on. The day before I went to the bluffs and found it empty. I caught a fish and after a little bit a guide walks up with 4 guys and fished the hole right next to me, close enough that my fly at the end of its drift was nearly at the feet of one of the guided fisherman. I literally could have snagged his waders. I understand that it gets busy but their actions just seemed disrespectful. So I left this spot also. I'm not out there to start an altercation but also I don't want to be pushed off spots. I could have stayed yes, but fishing that close is just not enjoyable to me. Is there any common courtesy on the LMF or is it just accepted that the normal unspoken common courtesies are not followed there? Is this normal?

Rude is rude.

You cannot expect anything more or different on the LMF. It is what it is, and it sure isn’t what it used to be. Look further to the Little Mo, White River, Little Red River… all in Arkansas. It can be ‘combat fishing’ there, too, but it seems that there’s a little more respect between fishermen there.

There are parts of the LMF that offer a little more elbow room. Seek them out. Try going sometime during the week instead of the weekend.

Rude IS rude, as FDF said.

JR

Fair enough,it is what it is like you said and I'm not going to get into it with anyone about a spot and I will continue to give others the room I would want. I have been searching for less crowded areas and have a game plan for my next trip, and like you said I am going during the week. One of the reasons I rarely duck hunt anymore was the public mess it has become. At least if I am fishing I can always hike to another spot. Tight lines.

Is it me or is it the guys walking around, not fishing that's the weird part?

You can be standing on the bank. No shirt. Sweaty and stinky. Smelling like nasty bait. When a gentleman you've watched out the corner of your eye. Walks up to within 4 feet of you. Then offers a handful of zinc weights, he cut out some rotten cast net. While claiming they're lead.

The best are the ones that'll walk up and they'll start saying So in So caught a something...right over there.... 3 days ago.

Then the usual guy. That'll make a beeline towards the spot you just caught a gigantic one pound bass...just as soon as you take a few steps away.


However, we don't speak of the weirdos that sit in their car out in the parking for HOURS. Never getting out. Just giving you serial killers looks as you walk by them.

Millions of people in the DFW area and that’s the closest place and plenty of things for the family to do. Many moons ago you could split up some but not now. It’s just the way it is to me. I’ve walked up evening hole to the bluffs before and pretty much just had to fish behind peoples back that were standing in the middle.

---- EXCELLENT!

This is the best advice right here. Unfortunately, the masses have discovered this area and it just too crowded (both in town and on the river) on the weekends. Fishing just isn't any fun there now. At least not on the weekend. And it's only apt to get work as the developers in that area are set to try to make it the next Branson. I personally only go there during the week. Or at least make sure I have a couple of days during the week to fish and then do the tourist stuff with the wife on weekends. I realize not everyone can do that. If I was limited only to the weekends, I suspect i wouldn't go there anymore.

Have not been to LMF for several years, but what I remember can't compare to the crowded fishing at Taneycomo.

These days it does compare. LMF is bad nowadays, elbow to elbow with bait fisherman and fly fisherman. Hochatown is ironically called little Branson these days.

LMF isn't bad at all, in the middle of the week, when it's freezing out. That's when I go. I'm very lucky I can do that, though. I'll definitely pay attention to y'all and not try to fish there on the weekend.

Sometimes you gotta get a little creative on the LMF. Yeah, weekdays and bad weather days you can find some room to wade. Even on some nice weekends you just have to be willing to walk, hike, or change tactics a little. The easy access spots and stocking points are always going to be crowded. As for the guides... they are trying to make a living. Sometimes they have 3-4 guys and you can only take a group that big so many places. Has to be enough space to be able to get back and forth to help them all. They're mostly good guys.

A good trip these days is to start Sunday morning as the weekenders are leaving to go back home. Fish all day and stay till Monday if you can. LOTS of open space on MOndays!

I agree with the above posts about fishing weekdays and in the cold. When I am able to come during the week I have learned that finding some solitude is possible.

I tend to fish areas that are less crowded even if it means catching fewer fish. Fishing elbow to elbow is just not that enjoyable for me. It's definitely a trade off because the best spots tend to be the most crowded.

White bass fishing is becoming less enjoyable for me. I was at a popular local spot last Friday and it was elbow to elbow. I was fishing for a while with no luck and then turned around and walked maybe a few yards on the bank to get a new fly out of my vest. As I am tying my fly on the end of the tippet another guy literally steps into where I was standing to fish and starts fishing. I would never do that. I just don’t think a white bass is that important. He was wearing a mask so I probably should have coughed on him 😁