The bass guys were sitting in a narrow boating lane that cut through the timber. The water level on the lake was low enough that I didn't want to risk going through the shallows to get around them. So I slowed up, idled close and shut off the outboard. Dropped the trolling motor and passed by them with a greeting and minimal small talk. Once past them I idled away before resuming normal speed to my destination.

I did this out of respect for fellow anglers. There weren't many boats out, the wind had calmed, the sun was setting and they were quietly casting to the timber from the middle of the boating lane. I know they thought it was strange behavior on my part and they may have thought I was spying on them for secret techniques or location. I tried to belay their concern by mentioning I was chasing crappie.

Later on as I was hunkered down in my chosen location they came buzzing around the corner running wide open. To their credit they slowed to 3/4 speed as they passed by within 70 yards and they did their best to swing wide as they passed. So courtesy begets courtesy.

Thanks Bass Dudes!

It's all relative. The courtesy of a Crappie hunter is significantly different from that of a Bass Angler, no doubt.

The differences are
Crappie anglers slowly jig Bass anglers quickly cast
Crappie anglers use smelly live bait Bass anglers use smelly artificial lures
Crappie anglers eat small amounts of meat Bass anglers eat big fillets of meat
Crappie anglers use a little boat house near a marina Bass anglers use the whole lake
Bass eat the crappie.

And crappie anglers eat bass and crappie, catfish, frog legs, shrimp, craw dads, aaaaw wait.... that's me

me too

Not a ton of difference. Watch this and just swap out bass fisherman for crappie fisherman.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TzwF72B2F2w

Looks like Ketchup will get an award at the TFF Christmas party this year! Great video, and so true.

Havent watched the vid yet. This may be slightly off topic but kinda fits. My father in law, whom I'm forced to fish with fairly often.. is an old tournament bass guy. I am a crappie catcher thru and thru...don't care about bass and a lot of times the stereotypical frame of mind that they have. But... The other day while fishing a pile, and some trees at once, watchin boats go up n down this bayou.. some older crappie guys would pass slow like I normally do, and bass chasers fly by on pad.. I started complaining about it as always. He says ya know if u will pay attention to this, it creates more wake if a boat slows to half speed and creeps by, than if they just stay on pad and fly by. So I did, hoping to prove the father in law wrong...sure nuff the next several boats eased by and tossed us about trying to stay on a pile in current. Bass guys fly by planed out, and barely moved us....so now unless someone is real close I just keep on, and wave rather than slowing down.
Crappie guy learned a trick from the old bass guy. FOR ONCE

I agree. I try to stay very far away from people, but if someone passes by me, I'd rather them be going WOT. Less boat in the water= less water displacement

Sure does make me mad though when I'm in my little two man boat fishing a pretty small creek (usually Hagerman Wildlife Refuge) and a 50K dollar bass boat comes flying by me doing about 40mph.

I can assure you if I am only going 40mph something is wrong with my motor!!

Lol... It makes me mad too...but honestly...its cus I ain't in that boat. Justsayin

I have found that there are good and bad people in all sports. However it does seem that the bass guys all think they are gonna be the next Rick Clunn. I fish out of a 221 champion and chase strictly after crappie and am amazed at how I am looked down on for crappie fishing. Usually those guys are asking me for fillets because they are skeered to clean them precious bass!!!!!! I think I am gonna get me a paintball gun and whack me a few of them prima donnas.

Lol...u fish like me.

Crappie fisherman have a sense of humor. Tell a bass fisherman how that 6lb black-bass was so hard to clean. Highlight how the egg sacks were the same size as a crappie fillet. If they don't pass out from horror, be ready to run fast. Just saying.....