Ivey Loc: South Central Tennessee, Tim's Ford Lake

Want to relay this little story to you guys for future references. Fishing a small club Smallmouth tournament one summers night on Wilson Lake and had a very close to shocking experience. My partner and I had struggled to put a 5 fish limit in the boat and time was running out quick. Our club had put in at a small harbor close to Wheeler lake in North Alabama So we decided to spend the last couple hours fishing a shallow underwater island very close to the ramp. This island was situated just under some massive power lines and towers that span the river close to the dam. Soon after arriving at our spot we boated a really nice Smallmouth that we thought at that time just might get us in the money. Even though we had our 5th fish we decided to continue fishing because we were only a couple minutes from the ramp and weigh in. This one night I had set my spinning gear aside to cast a spinnerbait on 12 pound test and a 1/2 oz. bait and had caught three of our 5 fish on the thumping big bladed bait. My partner was using his usual 1/8 oz jig on 6 pound test and was struggling to work it around the rocky underwater island structure. I was casting away in the front of the boat obvious to a dark cloud coming up behind us. Being so close to the ramp we noticed almost all of the other boats in the tournament had come in a bit early for weigh in, but we were determined to fish the last few minutes and maybe trade in a smaller fish for a bigger one. Creeping my spinnerbait through the rocks I got hung up and started easing the boat over to try and free my lure and while I was tugging away at my bait I heard my partner say "Ivey, you ever seen anything like this?" I turned around to see his line in the black light suspended in mid air and his jig in the water. It was really weird to see the line so far up in the air and even as he pulled it still just hanging there. Well luckily we were almost directly under one of the big power line towers because just a second or two later there was an audible zip in the air followed by a bright light and almost deafening boom from a lightning strike that hit the tower just above our heads. Now these towers were the night roost of dozens of aquatic birds and before we could get to our seats to get the heck out of there we both heard the bing, bing, bong splash of several of these birds bouncing off the tower bracing and hitting the water, dead as a wedge. I cranked the motor and floored it back to the ramp to meet several of our opponents standing on the ramp laughing their heads off. They were very amused at the spectacle of how fast we got off the lake. Come to find out it had started raining on the other end of the lake from where we were and drove most of our opponents off the lake and the first lightning strike we heard was right above out heads. Lesson learned, if you ever make a cast and your lure hits the water but your line doesn't, GET OFF THE LAKE, it's very likely there's a thunder storm approaching. To this day I still shutter thinking haw close that strike was,, and I laugh now thinking back on those poor birds bing, bong, bing, bouncing off the tower supports.

Brent M Loc: Richfield Utah

I have heard that from other people too, that the line wouldn't hit the water and the next thing their hair stuck straight up. Get down as low as possible, lightning is about to strike, and get out of harms way asap.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Ivey: I had a similar experience while wade fishing in the Gulf of Mexico in a place called the Boliver Pocket. We had anchored the boat and were wade fishing in about waist deep water fishing top water lures for trout (weak fish) It was in May and there were thunderheads in the distance all around and the sky was cloudy. I noticed lightening in the distance and there was the unusual effect of our mono lines would remain elevated in the air until the lure hit the water. I suppose this closed the circuit and when the lure landed, the line would settle down to the water. Had never experienced this and assume there was a lot of static electricity in the atmosphere. My partner and I both limited out (10) trout that day, so it was probably dumb for us to continue to fish in and around nearby thunder storms, but when you are catching its hard to quit!

Up in the morning I was landing a small trout, holding my rod almost vertical. The fish was close and jumped hitting the back of my left hand holding the rod, sticking me with a treble hook. I was able to jerk the hook out. Not five minutes later, a Spanish Mackerel hit and as I reeled it holding my rod up in the same manner, before I could think, it jumped and also stuck a barb in the back of my left hand. This time I could not jerk it out! I called my buddy and we both got back in the boat, he pushed the hook on through and cut it off with some pliers and pulled it back out. I poured on some monkey blood and a bandaid and kept fishing. It did allow me to write a story of how I had caught a 225 lb. mullet, me! RJS

badbobby Loc: Humble Texas

It can get dangerous when we least expect it
My partner and I were fishing in a slough on Lake fork in Texas.
It was a beautiful clear blue sky with just a tinge of dark clouds on the horizon.
All of a sudden there was tremendous BANG.
My partner was in the water,either thrown or fell(He claims thrown)
It was a lightning strike.
when we went to the dock we were informed that there was a tremendous thunderhead 30 miles north of us,and the lightning came from there
It happened guys

Ron620DVS Loc: Guntersville Alabama

Lightning while fishing???

SO, WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET CAUGHT IN A LIGHTNING STORM WHILE FISHING?

FIND SHELTER...


Lightning Safety Tips for Fishermen...

Facts about Lightning & Fishing...
You Must Stop Fishing during Lightning.
Lightning can strike as many as ten miles away from its source cloud. This is why it is recommended to stop fishing and move indoors as soon any thunder is heard.

William Becker, of the University of Florida, notes that lightning is very unpredictable and bolts contain as much as 100 million volts - a minimum of 500,000 times the electricity needed to power a sparkplug! Lightning follows Ben Franklin's 'path of least resistance' rule, and guess what? The path can easily be through a fisherman's body, which happens to conduct electricity quite well. So, if it's impossible to seek indoor shelter and you are trapped outside during a thunderstorm, reducing your exposure is critical.

Lightning Safety Tips for Fishermen
What to do When You See Lightning?
If you are on a Boat

Boaters are at great risk during lightnings. They are often the highest object on the water's surface. Even distant thunder or lightning flashes should trigger an immediate move toward shelter on land.

Lower all fishing rods and radio antennas
Then crouch down without contacting any metal railings, wiring, or the motor; don't get in the water or dangle your legs or hands in the water.
Disconnect the VHF radio and GPS
This way they may survive a lightning strike. Lightning protection systems are available for some fishing boats but getting off the water is safer.



https://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/215841/travel_tips/lightning_safety_tips_for_fishermen.html


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Ivey Loc: South Central Tennessee, Tim's Ford Lake

Glad to hear others have seen this because I have been laughed out of the house more than once about this story. I'll save this post for the next time someone don't believe it.

badbobby Loc: Humble Texas

I'm still wondrin bout that 225 pound mullet Robert???

bugeye Loc: North of the gnat line in Georgia

Me and my buddy were putting up the mast on his catamaran at Tampa, clear sky all around with a black cloud at least 20 miles out to sea.
Lightning hit the mast and hit my buddy in the head and me in the butt where I was backed up to a line.
So yes it can happen.

Jeremy Loc: America

The EMF between high power lines and the ground will light up a fluorescent bulb if you just hold it below lines. if you parka vehicle below power lines and touch the body of the car it will shock you.

Sitn Loc: Osyka, MS.

I guess things happen to us so we cat relate them later on in life. My mom was ironing some shirts one day at home. Shad a small ironing board that folded down from the wall. Lightning hit the house and blew the electrical socket from the wall onto the ironing board. She never ironed any thing else there.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Ivey: That 225 lb. mullet was me! I thought I had said so. RJS

bassman57 Loc: Kinston, NC

That wouldn't be too good, holding a lightning rod in your hand, while in an aluminum boat. But have been dumb enough to stay until the last minute

greenfrog Loc: Central NJ

Time to leave.

Big dog Loc: Bayshore, Long Island, New York

Holy smokes, that’s one SCARY picture.
And I’m absolutely amazed that I’m still alive after my closest lightning encounter. I was trout fishing below a dam when I saw the storm approaching. Still wearing my waders, I drove around and up to the dam and walked out onto the dam, still wearing my waders. The storm came rushing up the valley and started throwing bolts of lightning all around, some actually striking the chain link fence on either side of the dam. The lightening arched up from both sides coming together over my head. The thunder was instantaneous and so strong it knocked me down to my knees. That happened 5or6 times before the storm moved on and I left the dam and went back below the dam to continue fishing.
And just to let anyone else dumb enough to try it, DON’T. It really was a stupid idea!

Gordon Loc: Charleston South Carolina

Scary