Worst Boat Traffic Lake In State

[livetofish28]

We all know how how bad boat traffic can be on some of our favorite fisheries especially with those jet skis that seem to have no respect for anybody. Anyway inspired by best lake in your state, What's the worst lake for boat traffic in your state?

Smith mountain lake would be my choice for Va on a summer day that place is like a major highway on Memorial Day weekend during rush hour with construction

Tight lines

Andrew

[Jeff H]

Overall, I'm gonna pick Minnetonka.

[Christian M]

In Jersey, you can take your pick. Lake Hopatcong has to be the worst as far as gas powered watercraft, but most of our lakes are electric only. Any lake that has decent fishing is a nightmare on the weekends, so much so that unless im fishing a tournament, ill just go during the week. It's just not worth being on a 750 square acre electric only lake with 40 bass boats, 2 dozen sail boats, and 10-20 kayaks. Honestly theres no way to enjoy it.

[plumworm]

Try the Mississippi River pools #9 and #10 on a summer day. I would be willing to bet that there are 1000+ boats from 10' to 50'. Cigar boats that come within a few feet of you if you are fishing and absolutely no law enforcement. Not fun.

[Bluebasser86]

In Kansas it has to be Perry or Hillsdale. Neither of those even come close to LOZ on an average summer weekend though, lots of people with the money to buy a boat who have no idea how to operate one. 

[slonezp]

Quitcherbitchin, My home water is, on record, THE busiest fresh water waterway per acre in the U.S. The Fox Chain in Lake County IL. Roughly 9000 acres of water and 25,000+ boats registered annually (we have a annual user fee) 

 

The Fox Waterway Agency

is a regional body of government created by the State of Illinois in 1984 to specifically manage the waterways of the Chain O’Lakes and the Illinois Fox River.  Since it is a multi-jurisdictional Federal and State public waterway, we are funded entirely by boating fees, grants, and legislative funding.  Those funds support the FWA’s main mission of dredging and maintaining public safety through our buoy and debris program to address the needs of our 3.5 million visitors per year.

[jhoffman]

Raystown, by far. Its well known if you wanna fish, you better be there at the break of day and ready to leave by noon mid summer. Its not impossible to find calm water though, its got a lot of fingers that are no wake.

[boostr]

I'm glad I have every other Friday off, that way I avoid the weekend warriors on the lakes

[Hi Salenity]

In Kansas it has to be Perry or Hillsdale. Neither of those even come close to LOZ on an average summer weekend though, lots of people with the money to buy a boat who have no idea how to operate one.

Hillsdale is not only the busiest lake but it's also the #1 tourist destination in the state.

How sad is that.

[BrianinMD]

In Maryland....its Deep Creek Lake. Can't fish it during the summer.

[Master Bait'r]

Ugh.  These lakes sound like my worst nightmare.  I think I'm allergic to being around that many other people.  I'd go nuts.  

[Bassintheweeds]

Sebago by far. But even then its not terrible unless its a holiday. Im very glad to live in a state with such few people.

 

I learned to fish in Arizona and that was some crazy stuff. Every holiday was packed to the point you couldnt fish any cove because most had parties going on....

[ksboy]

OK, I feel sorry for you guys in the KC area having that great big lake to have so many people visiting. Down south here, we have mostly the 50-150 acre lakes that, when ten boats are there, it makes the fishing more like riding a merry-go-round. The GOOD thing is, all the State fishing lakes are "no wake". If we choose to go to Winfield city lake, it's about 800 acres and you get your 9 million+ jet skiers doin their thang.

 

AIN'T FISHIN' FUN??????????????

[Mr_Scrogg]

Love the leap frogging at McPherson!!! Ontop of that the catfishing at the feeders makes it an obstacle course!!

[J Francho]

Funny, the worst traffic lake is where my PB largemouth from NY cones from: Irondequoit Bay, or the City Dump, as I affectionately call it.

[daiwaguy]

Lake of The Ozarks is crazy in the summer. If you are not running atleast a 20' boat you should really not go out and try to fight it. Just wait till 7pm and catch a night tourney. Our club stops fishing Day Tourneys at LOZ at the end of April, maybe catch one the first weekend of May after that it is a no go. We will do 1 night tourney in June and one in July. Other than that we go to different lakes around the state.

[MO_LMB]

Lake of The Ozarks is crazy in the summer. If you are not running atleast a 20' boat you should really not go out and try to fight it. Just wait till 7pm and catch a night tourney. Our club stops fishing Day Tourneys at LOZ at the end of April, maybe catch one the first weekend of May after that it is a no go. We will do 1 night tourney in June and one in July. Other than that we go to different lakes around the state.

 

Obviously statistics change each year, but regularly the Lake of the Ozarks is rated the 3rd most dangerous body of water in the US, behind the Atlantic Ocean and Colorado River.

 

Booze + Cigarette Boats + Barges +  Jetskis are not a good combination.

[bigbill]

Recently I fish the smaller bodies were no motors are allowed even more.

But my buddies change from the larger bodies of water to river bass fishing because of the many boaters.

[tatertester]

Lake Minnetonka , metro Mpls/St.Paul area. Boats, skiers, sail boats , fisherman, swimmers, speed boats, cabin cruisers, multiple boats tied together to form a giant raft of beer guzzling partiers.........Looks like a giant traffic jam or demolition derby...Very scary. 

[Brian Needham]

Pickwick gets fairly busy too..... when trying to fish a main river ledge there is nothing like a 38 foot Fountian rolling by you, or even a 40+ foot Sea Ray.

 

I swear the heat must make people stupid..... last year I saw a mastercraft pulling a tube full of kids swing right in front of a 3 deep, 2 wide barge.

[.ghoti.]

Lake Shelbyville in central Ilinois is the worst in my area. Lake of the Ozarks has to be the all-time worst I've ever been on. We no longer go there.

[Hyrule Bass]

while i currently reside in WV, i grew up most my life in VA so ill go with VA, and give another vote to Smith Mountain Lake. also consdering ive never fished any WV lakes. in the summer on a 4th of july weekend, ive seen SML so rough from boat traffic that it appeared that the water was boiling as boat/jetski wakes converged from all different directions

[retiredbosn]

SC I'm going to say Murray, any lake that requires police presence to direct traffic at the launch is busy.

[Siebert Outdoors]

I've been to some bad lakes but I've never seen one as bad as lake of the ozarks.

[Nice_Bass]

Obviously statistics change each year, but regularly the Lake of the Ozarks is rated the 3rd most dangerous body of water in the US, behind the Atlantic Ocean and Colorado River.

 

Booze + Cigarette Boats + Barges +  Jetskis are not a good combination.

and lake of the Ozarks is my favorite lake!!! lol.

usually stop fishing there after the 2nd or 3rd week of May and start again in September.

I did go in july last year, and honestly it was not that bad- fished from before sunrise to around 10ish- and then again in the evening. 

Weekends whole different story though.