I grew up in Mo and always planned on having a boat and place at LOTO, and miss the lake. Like mentioned the amount of bars/food on the water is just awesome, with decent night life as well. There's rough water towards the damn, but up in the higher mile markers you can run a 20 ft boat no problem.

Living now in Det and boating Lake St Clair which is in itself a great lake, you really notice the lack of bars on the water, and the lack of waterfront homes w/ a dock/lift. Nothing beats sitting on your deck overlooking your dock/boat below.

Don't worry, Buck. Them there TR folks are too delusional to figger it out.

I'm not sure if that's Missoura speak or Arkinsaw speak. Maybe someone can clarify.

The rough water is one of my favorite parts, and the big evil searays. Driving there is a challenge, it gets your driving skills up to speed. I will say the fountain "crash" slowed me down a little in the rough stuff last weekend.

My favorite thing the LOTO locals say about the rough water is: "The lake isn't bad during the week." Really? What lake isn't?
I love how I have an oil ring around my boat that takes acid to clean off from a weekend of boating there, even though my boat doesn't leak oil. Oh, the water tastes like gasoline too!
Honestly, I think it is a neat place with lots of bars on the water, populated by folks that don't know it is way less expensive to drink beer out of the cooler rather than at a bar.
Oh, don't forget it is the 3rd most dangerous body of water in the USA,lead only by the Colorado river & Atlantic ocean.
Yup, LOTO is where it is at! Make sure you keep it there!

We where there for the Shootout week. First time on the lake. Had our 36 Skater and our 21' Malibu towed out. Rented a house up the Niangua Arm close to the Little Niangua on purpose to stay away from the crowds and find some good ski water. We had a great time. Can't have a better time having a house on the water with a Covered Dock with both of our boats less than 50 yards from the kitchen. We skied everyday including some barefooting. Many days we would come in and dock the Skater and then get in the Malibui and go ski. We enjoyed the many bar and restaraunt locations in which to boat to. Even enjoy the idea of boating to play a round of golf. The Lake does seem a bit over built but I am used to Lake Mead and Lake Havasu. We have boated at lake Cumberland, lake Shasta, lake Powell, Delta, Colorado River, Ocean and a few others. LOTO is a lot of fun.

Not sure yet if this would be a lake for a vacation home. A little hard to get to for us California's but the real estate is certainly cheap compared to Cal. Someday we will have a vaction home on a lake with a dock and the ability to Haul Ass, Boat to breakfast or lunch and water ski as well. LOTO provided this. The water is no where near a clear as the lakes we go to. Havasu is no clean lake by any means. The people where all pretty cool. We did the poker Run (kinda a joke, I should have done the fun run instead) did the Wish rides and watched the Shoot Out. We should have stayed more than a week after all the expense to get the boats there. that wide load and associated permits are nuts. As far as the rough water is concerned i was pre warned and was careful where and when we hauled ass. I did take a 90 year Old Mo. Man for a 135 MPH pass and the guy was thumbs up all the way. He been living near the lake for most of his life and never had a ride in a Go fast.

Either way, I was able to understand it.

Buck

That would suck! Dark brown water isn't really refreshing to look at either!

As far as lake pollution, does the lake flush out somewhere? Do the large amount of lakeside homes contribute to pollution as far as septic systems/leech fields etc? Does LOTO have the "lake itch" like some of the northern lakes get? How about the algae blooms that become toxic?

We spent more time on LOTO this year in our 20' Crownline than we did in our 38 Top Gun. There are probably 5,000 bass boats on LOTO.

your boat is big enough unless you want to run WFO under the toll bridge saturday at 3pm. Does it get rough, yes at times in places. Can you go anywhere you want on the lake in a 18 foot tri hull? Yep 98% of the time.

Too bad all the cruiser wake threads make people think the LOTO is an accident waiting to happen. Be smart, pay attention and don't drink while boating and you be fine.

It flushes out at bagnel dam and is fed by truman resivoir, Ive never seen much algee, The older pre 70's houses had some issues with seeping into the lake, but there is very agressive control and monitoring of any new or repaired septic systems near the lake.