Lightning

Swede · July 10, 2006, 05:49:07 PM

You should really seek cover anytime lightning is in the area. My tip - to judge how far away a lightning strike occured - simply time from lightning strike to hearing the next clap of thunder and divide by 5. That will give you distance in miles from that strike. This allows me to judge whether storms are approaching or heading away and gives me time to find cover.

Steve_W · July 10, 2006, 10:21:46 PM

If I see lightning you can bet my mind switches from fishing to TIME FOR A NAP NOW!!!!!!!!!!

TheWhiteVixen · July 11, 2006, 12:43:00 PM

I just throw on a poncho and will generally wait it out if it starts to rain. Or if it gets really bad i'll wait it out in the port a poty.

fishforfree · July 11, 2006, 08:29:32 PM

Lightning in FL? Are you talking about the Stanley Cup Champions?

Naw, in FL we get lighting almost every time we go out fishing in the summer. Kinda stinks, but when it appears out of nowhere I usually go home

Tnbasser · July 12, 2006, 08:29:02 AM

Don't wait to see if its moving away or towards you.. Lightning is the number one killer from thunderstorms.
As a NWS Storm Spotter, one of the first things i learned is that if you can hear thunder at all, you can be hit by lightning. It can strike 30 miles outside of a thunderstorm, an any direction. Even if the storm is oving away, it can still throw lightning behind it.

Just something to consider,as it plain ain't worth your life.

Dug · July 12, 2006, 08:42:34 AM

Graphite is a fine conductor of electricty, so if your going to be out fishing in a storm keep those rods DOWN.

Dug

TheWhiteVixen · July 12, 2006, 09:10:16 PM

Quote from: Tnbasser on July 12, 2006, 08:29:02 AM
Lightning is the number one killer from thunderstorms

Lol what else would it be? rain?

Fullspectrum · July 28, 2006, 03:34:37 PM

I'll call it a day if I noticed that there's lightning or a strong storm coming it. I still want to live to fish another day. Plus 14% of deaths caused by lightning are from boating, fishing, and being in the water.

XLTRod · July 28, 2006, 04:42:21 PM

Quote from: Tnbasser on July 12, 2006, 08:29:02 AM
Don't wait to see if its moving away or towards you.. Lightning is the number one killer from thunderstorms.
As a NWS Storm Spotter, one of the first things i learned is that if you can hear thunder at all, you can be hit by lightning. It can strike 30 miles outside of a thunderstorm, an any direction. Even if the storm is oving away, it can still throw lightning behind it.

Just something to consider,as it plain ain't worth your life.

Yep, you beat me to it. Thats the rule of thumb I use, if you can hear it , it CAN get you. Be safe . Rod

skeeter jones · November 12, 2006, 04:16:43 AM

Quote from: TheWhiteVixen on July 11, 2006, 12:43:00 PM
I just throw on a poncho and will generally wait it out if it starts to rain. Or if it gets really bad I'll wait it out in the port a potty.

I want a little clarification here. Are you sitting in your boat with a poncho on? If you are you're putting yourself at risk.

I was at lake texoma one night and a storm was approaching. We were monitoring a weather radio and all they were saying is there was thunder storms in the area. We could see what I call heat lighting cloud to cloud (red) in the distance. I always was more concerned with cloud to ground. (not any more) We left the bridge we were fishing and went to the cove where we were camped. While I was fishing (the lightning still a long way away) I got an arc flash (static electricity) from my rod to my hand. This told me it was time to leave the water. That storm had winds in excess of 70 mph and blew over several large trees and power poles. Never underestimate the power of a storm and don't expect the radio to tell you how bad the storm is. They will be telling you a storm is approaching. They never mentioned how fast the wind gust were.

bassindago · December 01, 2006, 12:45:51 PM

not too mention lightening can skip across the water. i watched this here on the gulf coast on time when i was patroling down the beach. should have seen all the fishermen on the pier leave.

Swede · December 01, 2006, 02:48:06 PM

We get more lightning here in the Florida panhandle than anywhere else in the USA. A little trivia for you all. Nothing to mess around with - I have actually been fishing and had the rod buzzing in my hand before. That was enough to tell me - time to go have a hot cup of coffee and let area storms pass.

Creel Limit Zero · December 01, 2006, 02:52:40 PM

I don't like lightning. Sure is a scary thing.