Brought up on Bull Shoals
Rebecca French Smith
For as long as I can remember, my family has been loyal visitors and vacationers on the shores of Bull Shoals Lake. As a kid, my parents would take my brothers, sister, and I to the marina at Theodosia to see and feed the carp—a fascinating fish for a kiddo, with those huge open mouths waiting for us to drop the fish food into the water. As a teenager, my friends and I would often go swimming and water-skiing and pay homage to the sun on the rock cliffs and beaches that surround this southern Missouri body of water.
As an adult, I think I've figured out why we love it so much. It's such a peaceful place, and many parts of the lake are less traveled. Sure, Pontiac and Theodosia have considerable lake "populations" on warm summer days and holidays, and you can get anything you need for the lake at the marinas there. But many coves and main waterways on the lake are sparsely dotted with boats or personal watercraft, making a day at the lake a relaxing enjoyable excursion.
In "Lure of the Lakes," an article in our upcoming June issue, we list the best seventeen Missouri Lakes for just about anything you can think of—fishing, skiing, hiking, biking, scuba diving, and yes, kicking back. It'll be on the newsstands soon. And don't forget to vote for your favorite lake from the list on the homepage!
By the way, we still visit Bull Shoals several times a year; it is the perfect definition of the word "lake."
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Vast and varied, Missouri is home to people, places, events, and topics that make the state surprising and unique. As a native Missourian with roots that run five generations deep in the Ozarks, Rebecca French Smith is passionate about Missouri. She is always looking for interesting places, people, and events to share with Missouri Life readers.
