Fishing during storms

[Blazerman]

Pulled this from the AccuWeather site. Be careful when fishing.

 

[Norm M]

 Back when I was young, stupid and invincible , I fished through any kind of weather . Now that I am older , hopefully wiser and increasing mortal , I use better judgement .

[Ketchup]

Just 33 in 10 years.   And when we had our tourney 2 weeks ago with constant lightning all around us, with us Fishing in our aluminum cans, I was for sure we were "toast" but according to that number, there's no reason to panic and hide under a covered slip.  Not that I did that.  

[moguy1973]

Could probably lump fishing and boating into the same category.  Not much difference there other than the 7' lightning rods in the hands of the boaters.  Both are still the tallest thing around in the middle of a lake.  So 49 in 10 years.  5 a year isn't a lot but not good.  I've seen what a lightning bolt does to a graphite rod.  No thanks.

I'm thinking that taking shelter under a metal boat slip isn't the best thing either.

[Blazerman]

In my earlier years all my fishing was while floating in an aluminum canoe. When you were out on a river like that there was really no where to go, I had the sh-t scared out of me a couple differents times.

I remember one with this giant wall cloud that was green and the wind blew so bad with thunder and lightning we pulled up on a gravel bar and tried to hide under a rock overhang. Then the wind blew the canoe off the beach and i had to run and get it with lightning crashing all over.. i though I was gonna get whacked every second i was on that beach.

[bfishn]

 

Just 33 in 10 years... 

It only takes one to get you. I was hiding from a thunderstorm under a concrete bridge several years back when a bolt from the blue snaked down the bridge column about 15 ft away. I felt like I'd been beaten with a club all over for a week, and I have permanent hearing damage that affects my job & sleep. I figure I was pretty lucky overall. No more tempting mother nature for me.

[fishinwrench]

I've had some really close calls while fishing, but the most dramatic lightning incident I have been a part of happened at a Super-cross race in Fulton county. Georgia.  It wasn't even stormy that night and a huge bolt came down upon the bleachers just across from where we were sitting. Ambulances hauled 10-12 away and I think it killed 3.  

The funny....but not funny at all...part is that we were so stoned that at first we thought it was part of the show.   Somewhat understandable if you've ever witnessed the Lazer light show at Stone Mountain.

[Al Agnew]

Your chances aren't all the great to get struck while fishing, but there is no use tempting fate.  The chances get a lot better if you are out on the water and not seeking some sort of shelter.

Twice, in Montana, I've been on the water in an aluminum drift boat when suddenly I noticed that when I'd make a cast, my fly line would seem to hang in the air a lot longer than it should.  And then I noticed our hair was kinda standing on end.  That's when you head for the bank FAST!  Both times, there were thunderstorms close but not right on top of us.  Both times, right after we got to the bank, some bolts hit VERY close and the rain (and hail) started.

In Missouri, I've had bolts hit close enough to make me jump (and no separation between lightning and thunder), but never so close that I really felt it...except for one time when I was a kid, wading Big River when a storm hit.  I got up on the bank, got scared, started off across country in the general direction of home.  Then a bolt hit a big oak tree about 30 feet in front of me.  Scared the bejeebers out of me.  I looked around frantically for shelter.  Saw a little herd of cows heading somewhere.  I figured they knew what they were doing, so I followed them.  They went over to a corner of the field and leaned up against a barbed wire fence.  I wasn't dumb enough to think THAT was a good idea.  About that time, though, the storm passed on.

[dtrs5kprs]

 

Could probably lump fishing and boating into the same category.  Not much difference there other than the 7' lightning rods in the hands of the boaters.  Both are still the tallest thing around in the middle of a lake.  So 49 in 10 years.  5 a year isn't a lot but not good.  I've seen what a lightning bolt does to a graphite rod.  No thanks.

I'm thinking that taking shelter under a metal boat slip isn't the best thing either.

I try to be pretty careful about not touching any part of the dock. Just slip it, tie it, wait it out. I have felt it crackle along the metal rails of a dock. 

[Blazerman]

You guys reminded me of another time many years ago at Meramec springs while trout fishing. A big storm blew in with a bunch of wind, thunder and lightning and everyone scrambled to take cover. Most people went for vehicles but we were closer to one of the buildings so we headed there. While a bunch of us where huddled inside a bolt of lightning hit the building and came down a large steel pipe that was attached to the wall. I am not sure what the pipe was there for but two people standing close to it got knocked flying. They were not killed but were sure dazed and confused and they were hauled away in an ambulance.