Death vs. Fishing (thunder/lightning)

Another question:

I was out on the Housatonic this weekend, when some thunder clouds
rolled in. Just as the thunder rumbled, the fish went wild. Every
cast I had a hook up. The clouds moved in further, lightning flashed
in the distance. All the other fisherman left the water. Finally, I
did too. Though, man, was it hard to leave those leaping browns.

My question: does anyone actually know just how dangerous it is to be
fishing - standing in the river - when there's thunder and lightning?

I'm not talking about situations where lightning's striking constantly,
visibly touching ground in close proximity to you, rain in sheets, the
really scary/exciting kind of storms. It seems fairly obvious that
it's not a good idea to stand around anywhere outside during those kind
of storms. I'm talking more about, maybe a lightning flash once a
minute, some thunder rumbling, maybe some of it loud, some rain coming
down. But not, if you weren't standing in a body of water, something
you'd be concerned about.

Another part of this question: in the Housatonic, at least, the river
is the lowest point around. There are hills all around that seem much
more likely to attract lightning. Unless if the combination of
water-conductivity and you standing in said water holding a 9' graphite
pole trumps the fact that you're standing in a low area.

I'd love any scientific, accurate, knowledgeable answers and/or links.
Though I'll accept people just adding their .02, sharing what they do
in these situations, based on fear, wives tales, whatever...

wrote:
Another question:

I was out on the Housatonic this weekend, when some thunder clouds
rolled in. Just as the thunder rumbled, the fish went wild. Every
cast I had a hook up. The clouds moved in further, lightning flashed
in the distance. All the other fisherman left the water. Finally, I
did too. Though, man, was it hard to leave those leaping browns.

My question: does anyone actually know just how dangerous it is to be
fishing - standing in the river - when there's thunder and lightning?

I'm not talking about situations where lightning's striking constantly,
visibly touching ground in close proximity to you, rain in sheets, the
really scary/exciting kind of storms. It seems fairly obvious that
it's not a good idea to stand around anywhere outside during those kind
of storms. I'm talking more about, maybe a lightning flash once a
minute, some thunder rumbling, maybe some of it loud, some rain coming
down. But not, if you weren't standing in a body of water, something
you'd be concerned about.

Another part of this question: in the Housatonic, at least, the river
is the lowest point around. There are hills all around that seem much
more likely to attract lightning. Unless if the combination of
water-conductivity and you standing in said water holding a 9' graphite
pole trumps the fact that you're standing in a low area.

I'd love any scientific, accurate, knowledgeable answers and/or links.
Though I'll accept people just adding their .02, sharing what they do
in these situations, based on fear, wives tales, whatever...

It is very dangerous to fish during a thunderstorm. A number of years
ago, a gentleman by the name of George Pooler was killed by lighting
while fishing on a local pond. At the time of his death, he was
president of the Western Mass Sportsmen's Council, and an experienced
outdoorsman. Every year I read in the paper about people killed or
injured by lightning while playing golf, softball and baseball, and
fishing. When I see lightning in the area, (it doesn't have to be real
close), I leave. IMO, it just isn't worth the risk to stay.

On 31 May 2005 08:40:31 -0700, wrote:

Another question:

I was out on the Housatonic this weekend, when some thunder clouds
rolled in. Just as the thunder rumbled, the fish went wild. Every
cast I had a hook up. The clouds moved in further, lightning flashed
in the distance. All the other fisherman left the water. Finally, I
did too. Though, man, was it hard to leave those leaping browns.

My question: does anyone actually know just how dangerous it is to be
fishing - standing in the river - when there's thunder and lightning?

I'm not talking about situations where lightning's striking constantly,
visibly touching ground in close proximity to you, rain in sheets, the
really scary/exciting kind of storms. It seems fairly obvious that
it's not a good idea to stand around anywhere outside during those kind
of storms. I'm talking more about, maybe a lightning flash once a
minute, some thunder rumbling, maybe some of it loud, some rain coming
down. But not, if you weren't standing in a body of water, something
you'd be concerned about.

Another part of this question: in the Housatonic, at least, the river
is the lowest point around. There are hills all around that seem much
more likely to attract lightning. Unless if the combination of
water-conductivity and you standing in said water holding a 9' graphite
pole trumps the fact that you're standing in a low area.

I'd love any scientific, accurate, knowledgeable answers and/or links.
Though I'll accept people just adding their .02, sharing what they do
in these situations, based on fear, wives tales, whatever...

FWIW, there are different types of lightning, including air-to-ground,
but all (at least AFAIK) air-to-ground is not just the charge coming
from the cloud, but a charge coming up from the ground, too: a leader
from the cloud meeting up with a streamer from the ground along a
charged path of air. I suspect that there is plenty of info on the 'net
(or maybe in the Federal Register). But if it were me, I'd not take
chances with lightning as far as fishing - the first "nearby" strike
could be the one that kills you - because, at least to me, I'd like to
be able to fish another day. YMMV...or not, if you get fried...

TC,
R

wrote in
oups.com:


I'd love any scientific, accurate, knowledgeable answers and/or
links. Though I'll accept people just adding their .02, sharing
what they do in these situations, based on fear, wives tales,
whatever...

Lightning can strike 7 miles ahead of the cell. Holding a piece of
carbon fibre, pointed at the sky, in the open, in the well-earthed
water makes you the path of least resistance in many ways. It really is
best to get out of the water when the rumbles get louder. Moreover,
when a cell line passes by (not just a single shower), do not assume
it's passing means it's safe. Leading cells retreat as they lose
energy, essentially reversing direction back over you again. I have
witnessed this first hand and had it confirmed by meteorologists.

You remind me of a time I was fishing for fall run brown trout in the
Lake Ontario region. The stream was crowded, but the runs were heavy.
I drove from bridge to bridge, disgusted by what I saw, mobs of people
everywhere. A lightning storm blew in, and EVERYBODY left. Impressed
by the lack of fishermen on the water, I waded out to have a look.
There were so many fish out there I had to start casting. From then
until sundown, I hosed them in a biblical fashion. The wind whipped,
the lightning flashed. Didn't rain that much, but I caught so many big
trout, and was so utterly alone that I could not leave. I was even sort
of sad when the sun set, that perhaps the finest session of catching I
would ever experience was drawn to a close. Very dangerous, no doubt,
but for an hour and a half I felt like a cross between King Possiedon
and Mickey Mouse atop the mountain commanding the elements!

Pete Collin

I stop fishing when my flyrod buzzes when held overhead. Seriously,
has anyone else encountered that phenomenon? Pretty wild.

bruce h

wrote in message
ups.com...
I stop fishing when my flyrod buzzes when held overhead. Seriously,
has anyone else encountered that phenomenon? Pretty wild..

Presupposes that the fly rod buzz can be distinguished from the background
buzz.

Wolfgang
who would like to know how that's done.

with my ears.

bruce h

I stop when the sparks fly off the end of the rod. If Gregory Peck (
capt Ahab) can do it with a harpoon, then why not with a fly rod.
I think this has been said here before but lighting can follow streams
and do damage several miles from where the strike occurs. Small
streams on rocky areas are supposedly where it has happend.
Lightning is a well researched area and how it happens and when is
pretty well known except when it doesn't behave.
If your ever on a stream or boat and the hair on you arm or head stands
straight out, put down your fly rod. Take off your lanyard, bend over,
put your head between you legs and kiss you a.........

wrote:
I stop fishing when my flyrod buzzes when held overhead. Seriously,
has anyone else encountered that phenomenon? Pretty wild.

bruce h

"Jonathan Cook" wrote


I've had several similar experiences,

might as well add my anectdote to the listing: my eldest son, ash, my
second wife, and myself went on a fishing vacation through the northeast in
the late summer of 1980. one morning we fished the yellow breeches, near
carlisle, pa. ash and i were working a long, languid run while lane, my
wife, sat reading on the bank of the stream. we began to hear, faintly in
the distance, the rumbling of thunder. the visible sky held no ominous
cloud formations; just big, puffy cumulous here and there.
suddenly, my hair (which was quite long back then) rose right off my
neck and from around my ears. i had just an instant to turn towards lane
when, on the bank just above her, and maybe15 yards to her right, what
looked for all the world like a mortar round blew the **** up. bright flash
of light accompanied by a very loud "kaa-POW"! my boy and i ran to lane.
she was stunned, as if someone had slapped her really hard, and shaking like
a leaf, disoriented. she came around after a few minutes, but she began
rubbing her ears, and complaining of pain in them. she was wearing big gold
loop earrings, and i noticed the area where her ears were pierced were
bright red. the damned lightning had burned her by way of her jewelry.
strange, but her rings and fingers were not affected.
anyway, while we were no more than thirty yards from the bolt, standing
knee deep in water, with 7 feet of graphite in our hands, and the strike
occurred on clear land, we never have forgotten that experience. since
then, the sound of thunder gets me off the creek and in any nearby car,
building, or grove of trees, right away.

yfitons
wayno