Lightning Scare

[Bulletproof]

You wanna talk being scared like a little girl, then your talking about me yesterday on Houghton Lake.  We were fishing the Midwest Sportsman tourney there and my partner and myself had a little scare.

Early in the afternoon a few isolated patches of dark clouds with some rain were slowly moving across the lake.  We didn't think much of it because we have foolishly fished in worse conditions, just last Tuesday as a matter of fact on Sanford Lake.  Anyhow, my partner was in the front of the boat and said that his arm all of a sudden felt very hot and then suddenly he heard a faint buzzing sound, like that of an overhead powerline.  I laughed at him and thought he was crazy and kept fishing for that big female we were after.  Not longer than a minute or so later it happened to me.  The arm that my rod was holding got all of a sudden very, very hot almost like there was a small fire on it, than I heard a very pronounced buzzing sound come from my arm and rod.  This was very unnerving to say the least.  I dropped the rod and stood there because really I had no options other than jumping in the lake.  We packed things up quickly and got out of Dodge.

This was my first expereince and hopefully last with what appeared to be the infantile stage of a lightning strike.  We wrapped things up a little early and headed for weigh in.  The only good that came out of it was a second place finish with 13-03, losing to 1st by a little over a pound.

After that experience I will always be a little more thoughtful of what is going on overhead, it was pretty hairraising.

[McCarter]

I had a very similar experience 2 years ago.  I was fishing a small club tournament with Anthony Adams up on Hamlin lake.  At around noon a strong storm system blew overhead and begain whaling on us.  Despite the rain and heavy wind gusts, we kept fishing.  As the bulk of the storm passed and the wind and rain died down, the lightning got worse.  After a couple miniutes i noticed that my whole body was tense and i could smell something wierd.  A few seconds later my whole body was tight, my hand was ( there is no good way to say this next part ) locked on my rod, my line was now floating in the air, every hair on my body was standing on end, and i was getting shocks from my rod, along with shocks from the metal latch i was standing on.  I tried to open my hand to let go of the fishing pole but i couldnt, then all at once i felt my whole body charge up.  I mean, thats the best way i can describe this feeling, like i was about to get a blast from above.  I managed to smack the rod out of my hand with my other hand and break myself from the deck of the boat.  As soon as i moved from that spot all those wierd feeling were gone, but i wasnt convinced.  Without saying a word i jumped into the drivers seat, started the boat and before Anthony could finish asking me what i was doing, i floored it throwing him from the front deck to the back deck.  Luckily for him he hasnt missed many meals those past few years and didnt fall out of the boat cuz i wasnt going back for him if he did. 

After the tournament, everyone had a good laugh at my expense.  I could laugh about it too now.  Looking back it was pretty funny, but for about 2 minutes it was the scariest thing i have ever experienced.

PoorBoy himself

[dartag]

i have experienced it a few times..  the static electricity in the air is using you and your rod ( graphite is better ) down the line to connect to  ground in the water..   first time was on the pier at manistee.  you would get a shock from the rod..  of course we kept touching it and could get it to jump 1/2 inch.  looked like a spark plug firing..  the liine floating is neat also.. Big lake guys talk about the downrigger cables buzzing.
the sailors called it " St Elmos Fire "

now when it happens i head to shore.

[djkimmel]

I always try to fish with taller partners...

Actually, there is no tournament in the world worth risking your life for. Really. I see guys staying out in it all the time even in little rinky-dink events that winning wouldn't buy a good funeral wreath for.

It's not worth the horrible reality of waiting too long. I've pushed it a few times, but I always end up going for cover if at all possible, or at least getting down in the bottom of the boat with no long fishing rods in my hand to make things worse. I try to minimize my risk as much as possible and that usually means stopping fishing and taking cover.

[MaizeNBlue]

Rod tips a buzzing, line a floating, hit the deck, been there, not fun!!!!!

[UPBert]

What is the proper thing to do if you get caught out in a lightning storm?  (I realize that it is best to not be out there at all, but sometimes stuff happens...)

A few years back, I was on an electic motor only lake, and was close to a mile from the landing.  The lake is surrounded by cliffs/big hills and this storm came up real fast.  I just pulled up close to a very steep bank / cliff and waited it out, taking care not to be touching anything metal or conductive.  Funny side note - during this time the rain is coming down and the wind was whipping pretty good, and I happen to notice one bush about 20' almost directly up from me that is moving independently of all the commotion.  Then I see the reason, there is a bear rooting around it!  All I could think was, if that bear slips and falls into my boat, I will probably get shredded by by the bear just trying to get the heck out of the boat and away from me...  It worked out well, nobody was struck by lightning, nobody was gored.

UPBert

[djkimmel]

Now you sound like you think you have my luck - that fits the pattern of the odd type of death I expect someday... I've done what you did in Lightning with no other choice. I would hope it's better than sitting out in the middle of the lake?