A couple of years ago, I would laugh when I'd see a post on here about "They trolled over right where I caught a fish" or "They screamed by me on plane so close I could throw a jig in their boat" but here lately, and I mean in the past year or so, I've had more guys troll within a cast length of me or fly by me on plane within 50 yards when there is an entire lake for them to make an easy swerve and get more than a reasonable distance away from me.

This is on Rayburn where there's plenty of open water for someone running to give a guy plenty of room. When I see someone fishing a point, I will be sure to give him 100 yards or so assuming there's no timber in the way. I also realize when fishing, you are going to meet people on the bank and you'll get close. I'm not taking about on a bank...I'm talking about fishing a flat offshore or fishing a ledge.

Am I just getting less tolerate in my old age? I really don't think so. People are damn sure getting less considerate of others.

Yep Clint I think it's YOU!

I have sure read some stories on here about tournament fishermen who get REALLY P.O.'d if you are fishing in front of them, too close or worse, IMO, in 'their spot' ....Some of that sounded like it turned pretty ugly fast

It's just life

Adapt and Overcome

dude... the "haters gonna hate" siggy is killin me, makes me laugh every time I see it. Is that Bradley Cooper's head?

In regards to this post, yes, you are correct in your observation. But the world is becoming more disrespectful and sorry in general. Just my .02

I was "that guy" a couple of weeks ago but it was at idle. Misread how a team was fishing a point and cut between them and the bank. (I thought they were fishing the brushpile at the end of the point) They waved at me and signified that I was number one in their opinion. I apologized at weigh in so hopefully all is forgiven. If nothing else, they learned there was a brushpile out in front of where they were at.

Sad but true

Just like on the roads I pretty much assume everyone is trying to kill me and drive on the defensive.

THIS !!!
God Save Us All

I live here on Lake of the Ozarks, sometimes there are "some" that try to push the envelope regarding courtesy some, but so far, not too many. But .... When the weather warms up some it seems like people, both fisherman and fun boaters brains melt and pour out their ears, meaning I go early or late, big boats come out ... I go in!!

Chuck

Now Chuck has nailed it. In my short fishing career, man I have almost run off the darn lake several times by 'power boaters'!! Must be something of an attitude when you are driving a 'power boat'!!!
God Bless

You know it's kind of funny. I pretty much never let anything make me mad on the water whether its a tourney or just fun fishing but it definitely is amazing the things some people will do. I don't think I "own" any lake or spot or part of a spot or whatever the some do, but i never and I mean never will see a boat going down a bank and idle ahead of them say 100 yards and start fishing. That happened to me this weekend on Monticello with a friend of mine in the boat and all we could do was laugh. My friend was much angrier about it than I was but we just laughed it off.

I can somehow understand a ski/pleasure boat running to close. Maybe they don't realize the disrespect when it pertains to fishing, but fishermen themselves should dang sure know better!

No, you're right. I've thought about this a lot lately and I truly think a lot of it is there are just way more inexperienced boaters on the water now than 10-15 years ago. Not everybody grew up starting in a flat bottom, then a stick steer, then a small bass boat. Now days, people are starting out in 75 mph fiberglass rockets, carrying 250 lbs of explosives, with no brakes. Not a good scenario and I'm surprised there hasn't been more accidents.

The courtesy and etiquette on the water is just not there like it was. I was on Rayburn a couple of weeks ago during that High School Tourney, 400 plus boats I think? Fishing in an area that was full of teams, I chose the very windy side of a gut to stay out of their way. I look up, and here's a small boat, with a kid sitting on the front pedestal, the guy driving at the speed that the boat is trying to get on plane. There were stumps where they were driving, if they'd hit one, that kid would have went for a swim. Bad deal #1. They then decided they wanted to fish a bush that was about 100' in front of where I was working towards, they pull up, shut it down and start fishing. Bad Deal #2. I thought long and hard about that. On one hand, I applaud the gentleman for taking those 2 boys out for that tournament, on the other hand, complete lack of safety and complete lack of etiquette. I could not decide if I should politely tell them that doing that was not a good way to act, or just let it go and let those 2 boys think that was ok. I chose to just turn around, I figured that them fishing that day was more important than me calling out their idiot driver.

I wish that there was a way to get people to understand some basic courtesy on the water, but I'm not sure there is.