Lightning Strikes while fishing question.

[Whitewolf]

I have always been told that when a storm comes in "with lightning" to get off the water asap. Yet I have never seen lightning strike the water in a lake. I know a couple of people were killed up here 2-3 years ago. Sadly young men fishing a lake. They ran and stood under a tree.....and guess what the lightning struck....THE TREE. (I realize some of that advice is aimed at the whitecaps that can swamp a boat, especially a low flying jon boat, and to get off the water quick. My bigger fiberglass boat isn't going to have that much trouble with the whitecaps I don't think)

I have never heard of a lightning striking a fishing boat on the water. Not sure what causes lightning to pick a target and short to mother earth. Water is a conductor....but lightning doesn't seem to just short to all the plentiful water in a lake.

I know lightning strkes commercial airplanes all the time and they are built to withstand it. That is one phenomena I don't really understand as lightning is generally electric charge looking for a path to mother earth.....ie ground.

So my question is this. I would think it would be dangerous to be fishing with a graphite fly rod in an aluminum boat on the water during the lightning phase of a storm.

Would it be dangerous.....or providing a path....since lightning doesn't seem to short to the water in a lake......would fishing with a "fiberglass fly rod" from a "fiberglass boat" be dangerous....or much safer? I don't see that as providing a path for an atmosphere discharge to tierra firma.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. Sometimes a storm comes up here when you are on the water....and it will soon pass and then be a great time to commence fishing again. Just anchoring and waiting out the storm....or even fishing during said storm....is that foolish?

[branhap]

one of the best conductors out there for lightning strikes is graphite. There are mutliple stories of graphite rods buzzing with electricity during or right before a thunderstorm. My wife is a meteorologist for the NWS and this is probably the biggest thing she cautions me on when I go fishing, whether it be in my boat, or along the river. Electricity will take the quickest path between the ground and sky.

Just always better to be safe than sorry. When thunder roars, goto shore...

Paul

[Ray Kunz]

You should remember that while you and your plastic boat are nonconductors your damp clothing, wet boat, moist graphite rod or even moist skin may provide a conductive path.

[DG]

You have to ask yourself, "Is it worth dying to test this hypothesis?" My answer to that would be a resounding "No".

http://www.texashuntfish.com/app/for...a-fishing-boat

Besides, it doesn't have to hit YOU to cause injury. We have an employee who was sitting in a vehicle during a lightning storm last year when a strike hit a tree about 50' away. She is still suffering from that.

[chewydog]

I wouldn't want to holding the end of this rod when this happened.

[dudley]

When lightning gets close enough to the ground, it's not looking for an insignificant wisp of graphite to hit.
That said, I have spent a thunderstorm or two curled up under my overturned beached canoe

[Kerry Stratton]

I would think it really doesn't matter that much what you are or are not holding during a thunder storm. Seems to me it would be simple common sense to get to the safest location you can whether your are fishing, taking pictures, or just out for a walk.

[ohiotuber]

Err on the side of caution. Lightning means get INSIDE. A single tree may be the worst possible escape & as already mentioned, let go of the graphite rod.
I think God's fireworks are beautiful to watch...from indoors.
Mike

[flyfisher7]

The material your rod or boat is made of is unimportant. Lightning will strike the highest point in the area. If you are in a boat on a lake, that would be you. An acquaintance of mine was killed by lightning some years ago, while wading a pond during a thunderstorm. FWIW, he was using a bamboo rod.

[Boyscout]

I do lots of 5 to 7 mile river floats in my canoe and when a storm comes up there is usually no safe place to be found. Several times I have seen trees and limbs fall from the high winds one of which was less than 100 yards from a pal. I usually find a shallow spot near the center of the river where I can lodge my boat in some rocks, put my rod and paddle down and wait it out. Yes, it is nerve racking but I figure it is better than getting crushed by a tree or limb. Never seem to have a cave or bridge handy to hide under.

Last trip with a lightening storm...