Fishing in Thunderstorms from a Fiberglass Boat

[Paul I]

Has anyone ever heard of anyone being struck by lightning while fishing from or just being on a Fiberglass boat during a thunderstorm. What are the odds of that anyway???

Or is it just always advisable to stay off the water during thunder and lightning storms regardless of the boats material.

Thanks in advance for responding

Paul

[Gator]

In my experience (I grew up fishing in Florida, thunderstorms almost every day), it is best to seek shelter immediately or leave the water when a thunderstorm approaches. There is simply no reason to fish through one. The fish will be there afterwards, just make sure you are too.

Tight Lines!!

Gator

[mac (Doyle McEwen)]

The Composition of the boat is not really much of a foctor..The fact that you are on the water and therefore are the tallest structure there is much more of a factor as to if you might get struck..Now throw in using a good graphite fishing rod, oops that should read lightning rod, you set yourself up to be a better target..

mac

[Beach Steve Biechman]

a couple of years ago.
Beach

[BOB G]

> a couple of years ago.
> Beach
several years ago i went out with a guide on lake fork and a storm came up .. he watched the storm approach and when it hit the other end of the lake he said we have to go in for a while so the guides there sure worry .. after about an hour and some lunch *( which he bought) we went back out ... DON'T TAKE A CHANCE.. you might be right ... but you also may be DEAD RIGHT !!!

[Urban]

Lightning storms are the only thing that really, really scares the snot out of me when Im on the water. I have had three experiences that absolutely were not cool and that scared me (to the point I was curled in the bottom of the boat for an hour), and each time I knew better than to let that happen. Once, it happened during a clear sky with an approaching front (the storm doesnt have to be ontop of you!).

Anyway, I wouldnt mess with it, fiberglass or not (your graphite rods look alot like lightning rods!). Lightning normally passess quickly. Get off the water during the flashes, then return when its gone.

[Eric Thoss]

Hinds County 05/19/04
Lightning Strikes Boat; Fisherman Killed

A Clinton man has died after lightning hit his fishing boat.

Hinds County sheriff's spokesman Steve Pickett says Paul Chennault, 49, and his brother-in-law, Kenneth Stumpf of Jackson, were fishing in a 15-acre private lake in the Brownsville community around 4:45 Tuesday afternoon when the boat was hit by lightning.

The bolt knocked Chennault from the boat. Stumpf did not require medical attention.

Two boats and a dive and rescue team searched for Chennault's body into the night and finally recovered it minutes before midnight Tuesday evening.

Another story....

It was an indirect lightning strike that injured a bass fisherman Sunday in the Everglades. Jeff Justice is recovering at Memorial Regional Hospital from the strike that burnedhim and left him temporarily paralyzed from the waist down.

“He’s moving around good,â€

[Ron C]

...stand a little lower than my fishing partner! (Har Har!). In all seriousness, I get off of the water as quickly as possible. I remember pre-fishing on Lake Mead for a U.S. Open once when a lightning storm hit. There was so much static electricity in the air that my graphite rod was literally buzzing. I knew it was time to go in when I cast an 1/8 oz darthead and the static electricity actually kept it the air! I also got zapped on my calf from my seat pedestal. The static electricity can also fry your trolling motor. If there is lighting in the forecast, go bowling (or something).

Good Fishing!

Ron C

[kopper_bass]

that was on TV yesterday that got struck by lightning on the road. It went right thru the windshield, thru the car, and into the road; (all while it was moving).

The ole' wise tale is that cars can't get struck due to the rubber tires. Yeah - right!

Definitely, boats, water and lightning don't mix.
Get off the water when lightning is around.

Fish Safe,

Kopper_Bass

[kopper_bass]

I'm pretty sure that fiberglass, wouldn't stop this either.

Kopper_Bass

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http://www.nbc4.tv/news/4458992/detail.html?rss=la&psp=news

[mac (Doyle McEwen)]

That was really weird..I would think that this miight be the first car struck..I know it is the first one I have ever heard or read about..

mac

[Noluk]

I came from a saltwater background, so I may have a bit of a differrent perspective. Static electricity builds up from contact between conductive materials(like water) and non-conductive materials (like fiberglass). During thunderstorms there is alot of unattached electrons in the enviorment. Your boat, especially running, actualy has much more attraction to a lightning bolt than the rest of the lake. You, based on your postion in your boat, is the shortest path that the lightning bolt can take to go from the sky (1 charge) and the earth or water.(the second charge) When the lightning strikes, it will dissipate the difference in potential (1000's of volts or more) in the form of heat through whatever resistance it finds in the way. (your body)
Slatwater boats use large copper plates under the water line to reduce the likelihood of that extreme static charge building up. Many larger boats actualy have a built in system to handle direct lightning strike. On a bass boat, we don't have that same level of protection. Please take shelter during a thunderstorm. But most importantly, do NOT "run" during a thunderstorm. That could build up your static charge and increase your chances of getting hit quite a bit. You can run for shelter before hand, but once the lightning is near you, slow down and get the best shelter you can.

From experience, lightning striking saltwater close to your boat will: deafen you for hours... break your Loran C and vhf radios, leave an ozone taste in your mouth for hours, and place impossible to remove outside of a fiberglass shop, black scorch marks on your gelcoat. And my boat did not recieve a direct hit. Several strikes did hit the water close enough that I could feel an electrical shock through my body as I huddled on the floor and contemplated what a nice life I had.

[MikeT]

"As I lay huddled on the floor" Holy crap that does not set well with me. First sign of a cloud in the sky I am gone.

Mike

[Urban]

"Several strikes did hit the water close enough that I could feel an electrical shock through my body as I huddled on the floor and contemplated what a nice life I had"

Yep, been there, done that, and I dont want to do it again. You know your close when the air has that strange feel and smell.

The thing that really sucks about being stuck in a situation like that is that, literally, you can get struck at any second, and thats what goes through your mind while curled in the bottom of the boat, every second is intense. With a tornado, at least you see it coming and have time to contemplate your next move.

[Pat]

One other mysterious occurance around a storm is often times the fish start biting like crazy as a front approaches. This will make it doubly hard to head for the bank, no one likes to leave biting fish! But don't let them lure you into a life threatening situation. As the others have siad, don't took a chance.

Pat

[Paul W]

Thunderstorms are a common occurance here in summer......a daily occurance actually. When the clouds start to get organized and start growing, I get off the water. Lots of people will wait until they see lightning or hear thunder, but thats way too late. Boats can easily get struck, and if the boat itself isnt a big enough attractor, all your fishing rods sure are. I usually play it real safe but 2 years ago I was fishing on a reef about 3 miles out hooking Barracuda when somehow a line of storms began forming and intesifying. As soon as we had the last line in to get out of there, the wind literally went from 5 to 30 in one minute. Seas went from a slight ripple to 3'-4's. It was absolutely FRIGHTENING. We came back in thru the rain w/ the meat of the storm a mile or two off our starboard side, throwing out occassional lightning gusts. We got back to the ramp 20 minutes later and the sky was black all around with lightning striking frequently less than 1/2 mile away. Dont play w/ the weather!!!

Paul W