When the Lightning and Thunder Rolls, Put Away All Those Fishing Poles

Back in 1980, or thereabouts, Eddie Rabbit recorded a tune that began with the following lyrics:

Well, I love a rainy night

I love a rainy night

I love to hear the thunder

Watch the lightnin' when it lights up the skies

You know it makes me feel good.

I've always liked this tune...even unto today. However, I never have liked bass fishing in a thunderstorm. The mere thought of being caught with a "lightning rod" in my hands, just as a bolt from above hits, sends goose bumps up and down my spine. As with most things, though, there are those who would dare to be brave...or, more likely (in my opinion), stupid enough to test the powers of Mother Nature.

For example, I read about a fella and a buddy of his who got caught in a thunderstorm.

"We only had fished for about 20 minutes before it started lightning, thundering and pouring-down rain. We sat through it all for five hours and got out safely."

Unfortunately, it's probably a safe bet these two guys only were emboldened by having dodged a bullet on that occasion, but what about next time, or the time after that?

I also read about another fella who said this: "Whenever I fish in a thunderstorm, I never take any chances. I will NOT pick up any rod over 7 and a half feet in length without first donning my rubber gloves. Go ahead and call me a chicken; I'm just not a risk-taker."

The only thing I might call this latter fella is brain-dead.

Finally, there was one angler who offered the following comments: "I love the phenomena of thunderstorms. Like many of you, I'm fascinated by the crackle of lightning bolts and house-shaking thunderclaps. Also, like too many people, I've unwisely continued fishing while a storm approached when I should have been long gone to safety. Lucky for me, I miraculously survived that ordeal. Honestly, even a record largemouth bass is not worth getting fried over."

For those who don't already know it, lightning kills 80 to 100 people yearly in the U.S. A little more than half of the victims are engaged in outdoor recreation, like fishing or boating. Ten times as many are struck but survive with severe, lifelong injuries or disabilities.

Lightning can strike as far as 10 miles away from its source cloud. This is why it's recommended that you stop fishing and move indoors as soon any you hear any thunder.

The debris clouds trailing behind a thunderstorm can produce their own lightning. Therefore, fishermen should wait 30 minutes after the storm has passed to begin fishing to be completely safe. While indoors 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 seeing lightning, if you can count to 30 before hearing thunder, the odds are that 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 ten equals two miles, etc. However, be aware that thunderstorms can move as fast as 50 mph, so the next bolt of lightning could be right on top of you.

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 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're trapped outside during a thunderstorm, reducing your exposure is critical. Here are some ways to do that:

     * Lay down your fishing rods. They could act like an antenna and draw a lightning strike to you.

     * Because boaters always are at great risk, 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 any VHF radio and/or GPS.

Lightning strikes the U.S. around 25 million times each year, with most of those strikes in Florida. However, NOAA notes that lightning occurs in all 50 states.

Lightning can occur at any time, but late afternoon hours are the most dangerous periods. Folks spending time outside in open areas, like fields or beaches, are the most common victims. So make yourself aware of the weather forecast before heading out to fish, and if the predictions include thunderstorms, plan on returning home before the storms are due to bubble up.