So, the next time you insist on taking one more cast, with electricity dancing across the sky all around, you perhaps might want to ask yourself this question: Is it really worth the gamble?
It's the smart angler who follows the example in this scenario:
"Super moisturized air, whipped by strong southwest winds, had baked all afternoon under an intense June sun as we fished for bass. The heated, humid air rose sharply into an unstable atmosphere, and soon, towering cumulous clouds darkened the sky. The process of convection (basically, the transfer of heat) had begun.
"It wasn't long before we heard the first rumble of thunder and could smell the metallic odor of ozone, a byproduct of rapid condensation in rain or storm clouds. Considering the forecast called for severe thunderstorms, now (remember they just had heard the "first" rumble of thunder) was the moment to pack up our fishing tackle and seek shelter inside the nearest gas station or fast-food joint. We didn't want to get struck by lightning. Not even a record largemouth bass is worth getting fried over."
Before NOAA initiated the first nationwide Lightning Safety Awareness Week campaign in 2001, lightning strikes killed an average of 73 people every year in the U.S., more than hurricanes and tornados combined.
A little more than half the victims were engaged in outdoor recreation, like fishing or boating. Ten times as many were struck but survived--many with life-long injuries or disabilities. Thanks to that annual NOAA campaign, the average number of yearly deaths today has dropped to 37, but the need to keep educating people about the dangers of lightning remains, especially with the height of lightning season upon us once again.
According to the National Weather Service, lightning can strike as far away as 10 miles from its source cloud. This is why it's recommended that you stop fishing or whatever as soon as you hear any thunder. And because debris clouds trailing behind a thunderstorm can produce their own lightning, fishermen should wait 30 minutes after the storm has passed before resuming any fishing. While inside during a storm, stay away from doors and windows, plumbing, wiring, appliances, and telephones.
A somewhat less conservative response to seeing lightning involves the "30/30 rule." Upon spotting lightning, it you can count to 30 before hearing thunder, the odds are you're out of range of the lightning. A count of five before hearing thunder equals roughly one mile of distance from a lightning strike, a count of 10 equals two miles, etc. However, thunderstorms can move as fast as 50 mph, so the next bolt of lightning could be right on top of you.
Research by the University of Florida has noted that lightning is very unpredictable. Bolts can 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 resistance" rule, and guess what? The path easily can 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.
The first thing to do is lay down your fishing rods, which could act like an antennae and draw a lightning strike right to you.
Boaters are at great risk because they often are the highest object on the water's surface. Even distant thunder or lightning flashes should trigger an immediate move toward shelter on land. As a last resort, crouch down, avoiding all contact with metal railings, wiring or the motor.
Lightning strikes occur in all 50 states of the U.S.--to the tune of around 25 million times per year, with Florida receiving the most annual strikes. Late-afternoon hours are the most dangerous periods for lightning strikes, with people involved in outdoor activities the most common victims. So make yourself aware of the weather forecast before heading out to fish, and if thunderstorms are in the predictions, plan to return home before they start bubbling up.
There are those anglers who claim they love the phenomena of thunderstorms. One I read about said, "I'm fascinated by the crackle of lightning bolts and those claps of house-shaking thunder. Also, like too many people," he admitted, "I've unwisely continued fishing while a storm approached, when I should have been long gone to safety."
Be smart about your fishing, as well as your boating, and check out all the information available at this link: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/severeweather/resources/ttl6-10.pdf.
"It wasn't long before we heard the first rumble of thunder and could smell the metallic odor of ozone, a byproduct of rapid condensation in rain or storm clouds. Considering the forecast called for severe thunderstorms, now (remember they just had heard the "first" rumble of thunder) was the moment to pack up our fishing tackle and seek shelter inside the nearest gas station or fast-food joint. We didn't want to get struck by lightning. Not even a record largemouth bass is worth getting fried over."
A little more than half the victims were engaged in outdoor recreation, like fishing or boating. Ten times as many were struck but survived--many with life-long injuries or disabilities. Thanks to that annual NOAA campaign, the average number of yearly deaths today has dropped to 37, but the need to keep educating people about the dangers of lightning remains, especially with the height of lightning season upon us once again.
A somewhat less conservative response to seeing lightning involves the "30/30 rule." Upon spotting lightning, it you can count to 30 before hearing thunder, the odds are you're out of range of the lightning. A count of five before hearing thunder equals roughly one mile of distance from a lightning strike, a count of 10 equals two miles, etc. However, thunderstorms can move as fast as 50 mph, so the next bolt of lightning could be right on top of you.
The first thing to do is lay down your fishing rods, which could act like an antennae and draw a lightning strike right to you.
Lightning strikes occur in all 50 states of the U.S.--to the tune of around 25 million times per year, with Florida receiving the most annual strikes. Late-afternoon hours are the most dangerous periods for lightning strikes, with people involved in outdoor activities the most common victims. So make yourself aware of the weather forecast before heading out to fish, and if thunderstorms are in the predictions, plan to return home before they start bubbling up.
There are those anglers who claim they love the phenomena of thunderstorms. One I read about said, "I'm fascinated by the crackle of lightning bolts and those claps of house-shaking thunder. Also, like too many people," he admitted, "I've unwisely continued fishing while a storm approached, when I should have been long gone to safety."
Be smart about your fishing, as well as your boating, and check out all the information available at this link: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/severeweather/resources/ttl6-10.pdf.
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