Fishing Rod = Lightning Rod

22-rimfire

22-rimfire

Joined
Nov 20, 2005
Messages
19,385
I was getting ready to head out trout fishing (river) and it was storming. The thought occurred to me that I would likely be wading in a fairly wide river (shallow generally), without much overhead cover and the graphite rod being a lightning magnet. I decided not to go. Must be old age?

I have fished many times in a thunderstorm, not because I wanted to so much, but because one popped up. I think that I was in more danger than I realized.

I know that fishing out of a boat in an electrical storm is a big no-no, but it really never occurred to me that the same applies to wading and fishing.

Thoughts?
 
I have been in storms where I have felt the static electricity in the air ,off shore in a boat.I would never fish when there is lightning around.Storms pop up sometimes.With radar we can usually avoid small pockets before they hit.
 
My policy is when I hear the rumble, no matter how distant, I am leaving the scene with big steps.

Like Remo said in Casino, "why take a chance?".
 
No fishing during a thunder/lightning storm. If it's raining, I still fish, but electricity and I don't mix.
 
If I'm wading a river or in my canoe I head for cover at the first flash of lightening. The same applies to surf fishing and pier fishing. I've spent my share of time using a canoe as a roof when an unexpected storm pushed pushed me off the water too far away from my truck.
 
I'm a fool and fear nothing that walks or crawls but lighting makes me pee my pants!!! I think it's God's way of reminding us how humble and weak we are.....
 
Gabe%20Neal%20graphite%20rod%20ms.jpg


First image that popped up for lightning strikes fishing rod google search.
BTW, that's a graphite fishing rod he's holding.

If you can hear thunder the lightning can get you.

I almost got hit on a foggy, dreary morning when the first splats of rain fell.
Not a flash or a rumble before the bolt came down and hit a tree 30' away.

Last year on the beach I was catching stripers on consecutive casts.
Could see the lightning over the horizon.
Checked the radar with my iPhone and the storm was 50 miles away...
I kept fishing till it was about 30 miles away and that's when I realized how hard it is to run in a crouch, on the beach, in soft sand, with waders on.

Don't mess with lightning.
 
I have a great deal of respect for lightning and electrical storms relative to safety. Been hit with lightning once when I was in college. Been in the woods with trees being struck within 100 feet of me... scarey even in a vehicle. Fishing, well I really don't like to fish in the pouring rain. There is just something that feels wrong about getting out of a dry car to put on your gear and getting wet at the same time. Feels different when you are already geared up.
 
Ebbtide said:
Gabe%20Neal%20graphite%20rod%20ms.jpg


First image that popped up for lightning strikes fishing rod google search.
BTW, that's a graphite fishing rod he's holding.
Click to expand...

Wow, I hope the guy holding that was ok. Proof enough right there for me to pack it up early in a storm. Me and my lady always joked about that when fishing but never thought I'd see a rod look like that. Would rubber waders or boots help? Not that I want to go be the one to test that
 
Yeah...warning, graphic example of what can happen to you if you mess with lightning while fishing:

[video]http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=f49_1352794034[/video]
 
The recent news from Mecca shows what lightning did to a large construction crane -- took it down killing over 100 people !!
 
I once had a graphite rod on the seat next to me start to "hum" in a bad lightning storm...a very scary thing!
 
Right before a thunderstorm hit, I've seen my mono fishing line hover two feet above the water when casting. It was caused by the static electricity in the air, I was on a boat in the Gulf of Mexico, too far out to get to shore. I saw it as a sign from God to stop fishing and put my graphite fishing rod away.
 
I got used to fishing in storms in FL. A little rain usually won't run me away from my trips however lightning will. I have had lightning strike trees right near my house on the regular. Just a few weeks back lightning split a tree right down the road and the winds knocked a big tree straight into the middle of a house cutting through it.
 
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