Lake Access and the Public....

My place is on a lake in Arkansas. Rules of the lake, first 15 feet from the water is public access. Since I am on a triangluar pennisula (70 ft across 120 ft long), that means most of my yard is public access with parking provided just next door at a boat dock. I keep it mowed neatly, and built brush piles around log jams I've added to the lake. With easy access and good fishing here you'd think that this place would be just over-ran with folks.

In the last two years I don't think I've had more than 50 folks come by. I'll watch kids, and point out places to cast to get lucky...since I feed the fish I can usually guess pretty good. I like to see folks have fun, the fish are wild, not my pets. When folks do ask to come over, I state just two rules;
1. Take all your trash when you leave,
2. Don't damage the rock walls(hand stacked dry rock).

Tackle left is subject to being given to a kid, bait will be used in your absence. So far I've asked two groups to leave and they did as asked. One bunch had went to work dismantling the rock walls and throwing it into the lake. Another scattered trash with a vengence, with obviously no intent to leave it clean. With public access rights both groups could have ignored me, but shame seems to have prevailed.

Guess my basic point is, all public access doesn't have to be a pig wallow, but you do have to help folks keep it up. Folks that find a clean place tend to leave one. Respect is granted more times when it is expected.