Spent this weekend fishing the river south of the spillway. I'm pretty laid-back, but this place has tested my patience. Every place I set up to fish would result in vulture-style a**-holes jumping in 20 feet (not yards..feet) downstream right where I'm drifting my line...then they act like I'm jerk!! I'll never come back to this place. The fishing is great, but the people are unbelievable.

Sorry to hear about that Jerry. Spillway Creek gets a lot of pressure because it is a blue zone. I hope you reconsider and come back to the LMF again, it is a great river.
Personally when I am here fishing I tend to hit areas that are "less traveled" and find fewer people and plenty of fish. Maybe that could help.
I hope your weekend gets better.

Eric Jackson

Yeah, don't give up on it too quick, just spend some time walking a bit and parking where there are only Oklahoma tags and you'll discover a lot nicer people.

We're from there, have our own cabin and come to town on the weekends, you want it to yourself go Tues - Thurs.

D

OU weekend. I turned down trips due to the park would be packed. I heard from a couple people it was combat fishing. Even the handicap Steele bridges were full of people. When its to cold to get in the water and camp, less people. It doesn't help much they advertise on T.V. every night about Broken Bow. Lots of good fishing from Evening Hole Bridge to the power house. No one ever there.

I fished the evening hole a week ago and was dead drifting a long way but not into other anglers except for my buddy who knew that I was passing in front of him. One guy from down stream walked past me and was acting all butt-hurt that I had dead drifted down to him. I just kept fishing and enjoyed my evening. I've just learned to expect stuff like that when I'm in a busy spot. Say what you want but if you get too close I'll crazy cast all over you.

1.) It's really helpful if you don't go on the weekend.

2.) Things get much, much, much better if it is raining or if it is cold in the middle of winter.

With that being said, I'm taking 2 vacation days this week on Tuesday and Wednesday to go fishing there. It'll be in the middle of the week AND it'll be rainy (I hope).

I'm glad to hear that it's not always so bad. Looked like walmart on the day welfare checks come out. I caught a ton of rainbows & loved the place. Not sure I've ever fished at a more scenic spot. Based on what y'all have said, I'll be heading back when it's not so darn busy. By the way, they were destroying bubblegum-colored powerbait worms.

Go on a Wednesday when it's snowing or sleeting and have an epic day with maby one more hardcore on the river fishing.

Naw.. the best time is on a warm sunday afternoon after church time. It's great. You can give advice all the way up the river to hefty folks carrying zebco 303's and cans of corn.

I went this weekend. Pulled in Friday just before dark to find every campsite (including primitive camping) was taken on both the river and lake. I thought we were about to drive back home. (I don't go during summer for this reason, I guess that season is now just about year round.)

I found a spot at Secluded Acres park just north of the dam road. We got the last spot there.

Saturday fishing was interesting. People had no respect for the Red Zone...it was do as you please day. I saw young 20 yr olds brag about going and fishing areas without caring and mentioned not even having fishing license. The traffic up and down the river banks was like a mall traffic in Dallas. I was lucky to catch a fish.

Sunday was a bit better. Late that afternoon the Park Ranger comes into the scene. Let me state I haven't see one all weekend, he comes at 5pm after the crowds had left. There was 3-4 cars left in the area. They had their ticket books and binoculars ready for action. LOL! Had they been there when people were actually fishing they could have made a MINT!

Why come down Sunday afternoon after everyone leaves to enforce rules and act like you care?

They could have ran through a couple ticket books Saturday, not to mention Sunday before everyone went home.

There was a few trout left after the weekend. I went down Monday morning and had the stream to myself for an hour and caught 2 browns before heading home.

Pretty sad what this place has become!!

All it would take is a few weekends of "dropping the hammer" Word would get around real quick. What it will take is a desire to do so by those with the power to do so.

I am perplexed as to why this place has such a draw. The flyfishing is better for the native fish in much less crowded spots. Am I missing something? I know you can get a bit of a jones for some coldwater action, but if you really need it you can just do the extra 4 hours of driving to proper trout waters.

well, its proper trout water for me; I fish mostly brim and bass mostly but I enjoy going up 3-4 times a year and catching a trout. I won't fish if its crowded; its kinda just the choices you make-p-

[quote=Mateo Clemente]I am perplexed as to why this place has such a draw. The flyfishing is better for the native fish in much less crowded spots.quote]

Same here, and I'm local. I'd much rather catch the big greenies and smallies that's in the Upper Mountain Fork and have it all to myself than have to fight both foot and car traffic on the Lower Mountain Fork.

Just wait until December, January, and February...the place will die out and you'll have it all to yourself (kind of).