So Much for My Well-Laid Plans

Last Wednesday, I made a trip out to the marina to make sure my boat would be ready for a couple fishing trips I had planned. To my chagrin, I returned home to find a puddle of power-steering fluid marking the spot on the driveway where my van had been sitting. A call to my auto mechanic revealed he could check things for me as soon as I could get the vehicle to him.

Turned out I had a bad gearbox. An order was placed for a new one that arrived Thursday, but it had a defect, so another order went in, with promise of delivery the next day. As it worked out, however, the company didn't get around to shipping another new part until late Friday. It arrived early Saturday morning instead, and I picked up the van Saturday afternoon.

After spending part of Saturday evening revising my planned fishing trips, I awoke Sunday morning to the undeniable signs of an old-fashioned cold. Those signs only increased as the day wore on, and thus has been my plight ever since. Five days into the battle, I truthfully can't say I've turned the corner yet. Cough syrup follows more cough syrup, cold pills follow more cold pills...I think you probably get the picture.

I have to admit I may have aggravated the situation yesterday with a trip to the Hampton Bass Pro Shops. I had been planning for days to make this trip, 'cause I finally had scratched together enough cash to afford a decent rainsuit, and I wasn't about to let rain, nor sleet, nor a cold stand in my way.

I asked my better half to drive me to Hampton (figured I'd better pay attention to all those warning labels on the medicine I've been taking), and away we went. Ended up walking around, browsing for a spell but ultimately only purchased one of the Gore-Tex 100 mph suits that were on sale. It was a half-and-half Christmas present--you know the kind I'm talking about, where the man and wife split the cost.

By the time we got back home, it would be an understatement if I said I was feeling worse than ever. Besides the cold aches and pains I've been dealing with for days now, I was feeling the full effects of a major cluster headache--in other words, approaching what I sometimes refer to as the "4 alarm" level. It was one of those where I felt like I had a drummer inside my head banging it from one side to the other and back. I only saw one soul before we got home who appeared to feel even worse than me, and that was a pregnant older woman in Walmart, where we had stopped for a few last-minute items. I watched her make it to an end cap in the store, holding her belly with one hand, while grabbing the end cap with the other. If the pained look on her face matched the way she was feeling at the moment, that lady was hurting seriously. If not for the fact I didn't want to get anywhere near her with my cold, I would have offered a helping hand.

I have no way of knowing for certain, but if I had to venture a guess, I'd say my cold probably will last about another five days or so, provided it's the old-fashioned kind as I surmise. I will try and keep posting a little bit of stuff here in the meantime, but even this short item took three sessions at the computer to get it together. This much I assure you: Until I'm fully over this cold now, I'll be sticking close to home. Any more shopping will just have to wait.

Incidentally, if you're one of those brave souls who get out there and do battle with the Black Friday shoppers, be sure to keep one eye on your prize and the other on everyone around you. I've been reading some real horror stories in recent days about what happens to some people during this annual event. Even read about one 83-year-old woman who tackled a woman about half her age because the older woman felt the younger one had too many bolts of a particular fabric in her shopping cart. Just so happens the older woman wanted some of the same stuff, and there were no more bolts like it on the shelf. What the older woman didn't know is that the younger one had special-ordered this material several days earlier. Of course, that fact may not have made any difference to the older woman.

As any Navy pilot will tell you, "Keep your 6 covered."

For the Week Ending Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017

Monday, Nov. 20 (from Ron)...Fished in the very, very calm and clear Milldam Creek from 4 p.m. 'til dark this evening. Caught four dink bass and lost a nice chain pickerel yakside. All the bass were found mid-channel on XTS Minnow. Shoreline and points/pocket casts didn't produce a sniff. Serious temperature drop at sunset, brrrr!

Tuesday, Nov. 21 (from Ron)...Tried for some more stripers at the HRBT from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Caught four that were just short at 19 inches and one keeper at 21.5 inches (see right). Calm and not too cold this evening. Going to be a long month chasing them out there.

Wednesday, Nov. 22 (from Ron)...No HRBT this evening, too rough and windy. Instead, opted for a short trip to upper North Landing and caught a few, including three small stripers between 16 and 17 inches (all of which put up a great fight), as well as a tiny crappie on a Mini-King. Stripers hit the XTS Minnow. That was all, no bass.

Thursday, Nov. 23 (from Ron)...After a nice Thanksgiving dinner, featuring striper and a good nap, went to HRBT to offer the striper their own dinner from 7 to 10 p.m. Caught 10, with four between 20 and 22 inches. The 22-incher I kept weighed 3 lbs. 14 ozs. and should make for a good Sunday dinner. Going again tonight, as the weather and tides are just about right. Looking for another PB. Lost a real drag-screamer last night. I know they are out there, just gotta find 'em. Really want to break the 30-inch mark.

Saturday, Nov. 25 (from Doc)...Water was still low, with a temperature of 50 degrees. The fish were cold to the touch, but a few were feeding. I caught a total of four, all on shallow crankbaits, including two at 14 inches (weighing 1.3 lbs. each), one at 13 inches, and one at 12 inches. Not a lot to brag about, but it was better than just sitting around the house and wishin' I had gone. Plan to try and go again tomorrow.

Friday thru Sunday, Nov. 24-26 (from Ron)...Friday and Saturday nights, I fished HRBT. On Friday, caught six stripers but only one keeper. On Saturday, I spent two ours to find one, then caught another at the three-hour point, but both were short. Tried a change of pace today and fished Great Bridge Locks just to scope it out. Only caught one 8-inch white perch. It was very nice out there; will have to try again some day.

A Happy Thanksgiving to One and All!

As the leaves turn gold and yellow,

And the air turns crisp,

Thanksgiving comes...

A time to remember

Our blessings and make good cheer,

With all those who are so dear!

Wishing you a Thanksgiving

As special as all of you are!

For the Week Ending Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017

Friday, Nov. 17 (from Ron)...After a full week of travel, really was good to get back out. Fished Tecumseh this evening and caught some fish, including crappie to 12 inches, a white perch at 11 inches, a dink bass, and a 23.75-inch chain pickerel that gave a good fight. Not bad for a quick trip. Striper season and the water temps are about right, so will try the HRBT Saturday morning, from 3 a.m. 'till dawn. Report to follow.

Saturday, Nov. 18 (from Ron)...Was a bit sporty out there this morning, with the southwest wind at Willoughby boat ramp. The chop was rough, but once I got around to the HRBT, it was pretty calm. Never had such good luck. Usually, I have to pick through a bunch of throwbacks before I can find a keeper, but this morning, my first one was a 21.5-inch, and the second was a real pole-bender at 28 inches and weighing 10-8! Fished 0400- 0500 and had my limit. Stuck it out for another 20 minutes and caught three more in the 19-to-21-inch range. It was a real blast 'cause they fight like bandits. The big one gave me a bit of a tow. Tasty they will be!

Sunday, Nov. 19 (from Ron)...After a long day of painting in the house, saw a window of opportunity and launched at 3:45 in upper West Neck Creek as the wind died down. Caught three dink bass and was happy enough, but then, while trolling back to launch with an XTS Minnow, I caught a nice striper under the bridge: a 20-inch pole-bender. Made my night.

The Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving

(Some of my fondest childhood memories are of gathering at Grandma & Grandpa B.'s home for major holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was always such a treat, on several different levels. This poem is so reminiscent of those days, and I thought perhaps some of you might have had similar childhoods. For that reason, I'm sharing here.)

By Edgar Albert Guest

1881 - 1959

It may be I am getting old and like too much to dwell

Upon the days of bygone years, the days I loved so well;

But thinking of them now, I wish that I could know

A simple old Thanksgiving Day, like those of long ago,

When all the family gathered round a table richly spread,

With little Jamie at the foot and Grandpa at the head,

The youngest of us all to greet the oldest with a smile,

With Mother running in and out and laughing all the while.

It may be I'm old-fashioned, but it seems to me today

We're too much bent on having fun to take the time to pray;

Each little family grows up with fashions of its own;

It lives within a world itself and wants to be alone.

It has its special pleasures, its circle, too, of friends;

There are no get-together days; each one his journey wends,

Pursuing what he likes the best in his particular way,

Letting the others do the same upon Thanksgiving Day.

I like the olden way the best, when relatives were glad

To meet the way they used to do when I was but a lad;

The old home was a rendezvous for all our kith and kin,

And whether living far or near, they all came trooping in

With shouts of "Hello, Daddy!" as they fairly stormed the place

And made a rush for Mother, who would stop to wipe her face

Upon her gingham apron before she kissed them all,

Hugging them proudly to her breast, the grownups and the small.

Then laughter rang throughout the home, and, oh, the jokes they told;

From Boston, Frank brought the new ones, but Father sprang the old;

All afternoon, we chatted, telling what we hoped to do,

The struggles we were making and the hardships we'd gone through;

We gathered round the fireside. How fast the hours would fly--

It seemed before we'd settled down, 'twas time to say goodbye.

Those were the glad Thanksgivings, the old-time families knew

When relatives could still be friends and every heart was true.

Who Woulda Thunk a Bullfrog Could Be Worth So Much Green Stuff?

I'm talking about nearly (now don't croak) $1,700 for a single KGBullfrog Swimbait (see photo above) that weighs in at 10.9 ounces and measures 13.5 inches in length. That's how much...well, actually is was only $1,675, if you want to get right down nitpicky...that 27-year-old Kevin G. Brightwell of Harrison, Arkansas, netted for his homemade trophy-sized bass-fishing lure. You might be inclined to say, "Not a bad payday" for this full-time firefighter, who established his small-town KGB Swimbaits business in 2012.

Things started happening in a big way for Brightwell in August 2016, when he took an in-the-works sample of his bullfrog to Los Alamitos, California, for Big Bass Dreams, a bass-fishing film series produced by Oliver Ngy. He was the only basement-manufacturer in attendance, but his custom bullfrog created quite a buzz, and everybody started wanting one. Unable to decide who should get the first one, he decided to sell it on eBay. Starting bid was $100, but three days later, at the end of 63 bids from nine bidders, the bullfrog sold to a collector for a whopping $1,675.

For the sake of comparison, consider that high-end swimbaits coming out of Japan today usually retail for about $500 or $600.

So, what does the future hold for Brightwell? He plans to patent his bullfrog, which is made from plastic resin, with two saltwater treble hooks hanging from its belly. He plans to make more of them, too, but hasn't yet settled on an asking price. This much he does know: "It will be at least $150."

"I know it will catch bass," he said. "I use it regularly on big lakes around the Arkansas-Missouri border, including Beaver, Bull Shoals, Norfolk, Table Rock, and Taneycomo."

A lot of research and development went into the KGBullfrog. It took Brightwell a while to get the knee joints just right, so the bait would look like the real thing underwater. While some people told him they expected more action from the legs, he explained that they just don't swim that way.

Brightwell got addicted to fishing swimbaits while living in California from 2003 to 2010. A native of Harrison, however, he returned there in 2010.

The KGBullfrog has gotten some good reviews. As noted by one freelance outdoor writer, who specializes in fishing, "Hands down, this is the most realistic-looking bullfrog swimbait we've seen."

One question that remains, however, is at what point does a lure become a work of art? Would you fish a lure that cost you $1,700? The collector who paid that price on eBay said he plans to add it to his collection but "maybe will fish it a couple times a year." Then he's going to pass it down to his son.

For the benefit of those who would like to see a video of the creator and his work of art in action, click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o81jkn4rSs.

To visit his Facebook page and/or to find out how to place an order for some of his different swimbaits, click on this link: https://www.facebook.com/KGB-Swimbaits-1617810051773374/.

Those Things No One Ever Brings to the Scales

It seems a fairly safe bet that every man or woman who ever has wet a line has had at least one occasion when they were more than a little amused by the "other than a fish" specimen they ended up reeling in. Here are some that I found on the Internet:

We all know "bucketmouth" is one of several slang terms for a largemouth bass. Imagine the surprise of an angler, though, who once gave that nickname new meaning by landing an actual bucket while fishing the Hudson River. "I actually thought it was a fish," he said, "because I hooked it by the handle (on a jig) in current. It put up a good fight all the way to the boat, and I kept playing it like you would any big fish in current. Nobody was watching me, but I still embarrassed myself," he concluded.

Consider the case of a man who was fishing the Mississippi River in Minnesota when he snagged the skull and antlers of a bull elk. The thing was that elk hadn't lived in Minnesota in 150 years. According to scientists, the skull may have been 1,000 years old.

A coastal angler dropped his bait over the side of a boat, only to have something grab it and take off. He was clueless about what it might be until he reeled up a beer bottle full of octopuses. Reckon the one that had snatched his bait wanted to share with all his buddies.

While fishing a jig on the Arkansas River in Pine Bluff, a fella hooked something that took his line around a piling and hung him up. He made his way to where the hangup was and, once he had unwrapped everything, discovered that all he had left on the hook was a pair of men's drawers--Hanes, to be exact. The fish had long since departed.

Another angler described an incident in which he lost an anchor in a North Carolina lake. Three years later, he ended up hooking and retrieving the anchor close to the same spot. "The rope was in bad shape," he said, "but the anchor still was perfect."

On a night-fishing trip to a lake in North Dakota, an angler was dragging a crawler harness across the bottom for trout or walleye when he hooked and reeled in what appeared to be an animal skull--possibly that of a cat. "That was our sign that we were done fishing for the night," he said.

A Texas fisherman thought he had hooked the catfish of a lifetime. Turned out, though, that what he really had hooked was a submerged 50-gallon barrel. He managed to pull it up in 40 feet of water.

An Indiana angler was fishing a tournament on Kentucky Lake when he, too, hooked what appeared to be a pretty good fish, given the fight he was getting. His "big catch," however, proved to be nothing more than an aluminum lawn chair.

A Tennessee gent thought he had hooked a big striper while sauger fishing. "It twisted and turned with the strong current," he noted, "and its shiny glint could be seen in the depths as it refused to be subdued. Finally, however, after much lifting and reeling, it came to the waiting net"--an intact aluminum boat ladder, that is.

And last but certainly not least, by any stretch of the imagination, comes this report from Maine, where a guy was fishing the Kennebec River for striper. He was bank fishing when he saw what looked like a log in the river, and he heard a faint call of "Help!". The "log" turned out to be a young man who earlier had jumped into the river from a 114-foot bridge upstream. The angler called a 9-1-1 dispatcher, who told him to throw something to the man. The angler made a cast with his 7-foot spinning rod and 25-pound-test line. The topwater plug he threw landed beyond the victim, 35 yards offshore, but the angler managed to hook the desperate man's shirt. "It was a struggle to get him out of the current, so I could reel him in," said the angler. A police officer, responding to the 9-1-1 call arrived just in time to help pull the victim out of the water--in critical condition but alive.

Remembering a Good Friend

Dewey Mullins

1937 - 2012

It was five years ago yesterday, Nov. 8, after a long and courageous battle with illness, that we lost our fishin' buddy extraordinaire. Let us never forget it was he, who gave us the bass tournaments that we continue in his name today. Sure miss those fishin' stories you used to regale us with there in the West Neck Marina Store. Rest easy, ol' friend, knowing you never will be forgotten.

For the Week Ending Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017

Monday, Nov. 6 (from Ron)...Past few days have been tough. I can't seem to find any decent bass. Only a few days are left for the two-bass tournament, so I'm getting worried. Fished Tecumseh Sunday morning and Lovitt's in the evening, 6 hours total, and only caught six dinks total. Ugh... Fished Blackwater this evening and caught a 1-4 and a dink. Seems like they had lockjaw. Didn't see any bait or movement. Water was clear, with a slight breeze, and the gauge was at 2.5. Tried everything without any pole-benders.

Tuesday, Nov. 7 (from Ron)...Fished Milldam this evening from 3:30 to 5:30. Wind wasn't bad, and the water was clear. Bite was pretty good for first half hour, then went south. Caught a mixed bag but nothing scale worthy. Included were three dink bass, two crappie, a bluegill, and a small bowfin. Whopper Plopper, XTS and Beetlespin were working, though I tried a variety of plastics that didn't get a bump. The drizzle, combined with the temp, were not much fun.

Wednesday, Nov. 8 (from Ron)...Had to try, even though weather was miserable. Cold and raining, but the wind was light, the water clear, and the bite was OK in upper North Landing from 4 to 5 p.m. I caught two dink bass, as well as a 1-0, 1-1, and a 1-3 in the first half hour, then they shut down. Everything came on XTS Minnow. Just can't seem to find any long ones. Surprised I didn't get any bowfin, with the 1.2 gauge reading.

Thursday, Nov. 9 (from Ron)...Fished Milldam from 3 to 5:30 p.m. It was a bit chilly, with light rain, very clear, and a gauge reading of 1.7. The bite was very good from 3:10 'til 4, then slowed down. Caught 11 bass, with two at 1-1 and a 2-6, and all the rest were dinks. Managed one white perch at 11 inches. XTS Minnow was the ticket. Threw some plastics that drew taps but no hookups.  Tried topwater but no strikes.

Friday, Nov. 10 (from Ron)...Conditions this morning were tough. Caught a bunch mid-channel, nothing in the feeder creeks. All fell to trolled XTS Minnow. Didn't get a single one casting to shoreline. Final totals were 13 bass, only one of which rated the scale. Weighed in at 2-0. Also caught one wee yellow perch. It was cold and windy!

Saturday, Nov. 11 (from Ron)...Challenged the cold today with a trip to No Name Creek. Gauge was .5, and I wondered what it would be like. Fished from 9:30 to 12:00, then headed back into upper North Landing. While in No Name Creek, I managed seven dink bass and a 1-4, all on XTS, as well as two dink yellow perch. In upper North Landing, I found five more bass: three dinks, a 1-5, and a 2-0, giving me another 13-bass day. It was very cold--hat and gloves weather! Never did find the longer ones for the tournament. Oh well...

The Line for Free Window Washes Forms to Starboard

Took my boat to Wayne's yesterday for a couple of jobs, one of which was to replace the float switch for my bilge pump.

In his usual manner of not leaving anything to chance after doing a repair, Wayne used the garden hose at his place to fill the bilge with water until the switch activated. Once the overboard discharge had stopped, we battened down everything, and I headed back to my storage shed at West Neck Marina.

I was taking off from the first traffic light when I happened to notice, from my rearview mirror, that more water was pumping from the outlet on the starboard side of my boat. It stopped as quickly as it started, and I figured that would be the end of it. However, the same thing happened at each of the next three traffic lights, and I now noticed that all the traffic approaching from the lane to starboard was giving me a wide berth.

I couldn't help chuckling to myself, but I also knew there were others who probably didn't find much, if anything, funny about what had been happening. At least, no ragtops passed by until after all the residual water had pumped overboard. Otherwise, someone might have gotten the same treatment I once saw "dumped" on a carload of young dudes in a convertible at a stoplight.

Seems these young dudes were playing some very loud rap music, which the occupants in a hi-rider pickup beside them didn't particularly care for. To show their lack of appreciation, the driver took two nearly full Slurpee cups and unceremoniously emptied their contents in the laps and on the heads of several of those young dudes. Incidentally, the radio went silent.

Know How To Tell If You're Using the Right Lure?

A telltale sign is when you catch more than one fish at a time on the same lure. In most instances, a double, or sometimes triple hookup, depending on how many hooks the lure has, signals that you've stumbled onto a huge wolfpack of schooling bass, and they're literally fighting over your lure.

These groups usually are bigger in the wintertime, and while they may be harder to find, there are occasions when they'll be so aggressive your bait won't even have a chance to reach the bottom.

Winter haunts vary by region and lake type; however, here are a few common things to look for: (1) Current breaks. Summer bass use current, but winter bass avoid it. (2) Corners. Creek-channel swings and bends that gather baitfish are key areas. (3) Proximity to deep water. From winter through early spring, bass want nearby access to deep water as insurance against cold fronts. They basically just move up and down in the water column, while remaining close to their feeding areas.

Warming trends can trigger major periods of feeding aggression, especially in southern waters, where fish respond sharply to cold weather. Ahead of weather systems, the fish really feed up. You can see a difference, even when the temperature is in the upper 40s or low 50s.

Overnight temperatures are especially important this time of year. Extended periods of warm or at least stable weather during the daytime, with no severe temperature dips at night, are the ideal conditions. On the other hand, if you have cold nights and warmer mornings, the better bite usually will be in the afternoon. Warmer nights generally result in a better early bite.

Reaction baits are a good choice for wintertime bass. When fishing shallow, experts often recommend swim jigs and lipless crankbaits. Subtle, fluttering retrieves imitate sluggish and, therefore, vulnerable baitfsih. Erratic moves are more important than speed.

When fishing mid-depths, medium-diving crankbaits are recommended. Even though you're reeling slow, that crankbait is hitting and ricocheting off all kinds of stuff, making it look like a cold, crazy shad, and that is what triggers strikes.

When fishing deep water, spoons get the nod. Jerk, flutter, jerk, flutter--this simple cadence does a number on bass hoping for cold-stunned shad.

Another good option for triggering wintertime bites is a shallow-diving jerkbait. For some delightful underwater footage of the feeding frenzy one of these baits created, click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKA3jGsY9oQ.

You're Never Too Young...

To Dress Up As a Pro Bass Angler for Halloween...

(reprinted from latest issue of Jay Kumar's BassBlaster)

Or...

To Dream of One Day Being a Pro Bass Angler

(see accompanying video by clicking the link below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR5bd3A4zRg).

So how should you advise a young person if he/she ever walks up and asks you what they need to do to become a pro bass angler? Here's how 1995 BASS Masters Classic champion Mark Davis once answered that question:

"I believe that anything you plan to do in life requires a plan. I also think you need to have a backup plan in case the first scenario doesn't work. Go to college and get a really good education. While in college, take some public speaking, marketing and business courses because the real money in tournament bass fishing is not only in your skill of catching bass, but also in your ability to sell products for sponsors. If you become a tournament fisherman worthy of sponsorship, you have to remember the manufacturers are sponsoring you to be their spokesperson. So, learning to speak before a crowd is critically important.

"While you're preparing yourself scholastically, you've also got to prepare yourself as a fisherman. There are no shortcuts. You need to put in thousands and thousands of hours of fishing time. Achieving both a college education and a fishing education can be really difficult at a young age. The real key for me was being a guide. Guiding was my only avenue to becoming a professional bass fisherman. In the beginning of tournament bass fishing, all the serious pros were guides. But today, the second generation of professional fishermen aren't guides. They're usually individuals with good educations and often have family money that supports them while they're learning to become a tournament fisherman.

"You must have quite a bit of financial backing to make it as a tournament fisherman. If you have a limited budget, you're at a real disadvantage in a tournament, when you're fishing against competitors with an unlimited budget.

"Professional bass fishing is not unlike many other professional sports. Thousands of people want to be a pro bass fisherman, but only a few make it to that level. The college education will be an extremely big benefit if anyone wants to make a living as a pro angler. And if you don't get that dream of fishing professionally, a college education offers a great backup plan."

Look, Ma--No Brains!

That would seem a fitting caption for this photo, which appeared in the latest issue of Jay Kumar's BassBlaster. Incidentally, the fella holding the fishing rod while lightning dances across the sky is pro angler Skeet Reese.

Make no mistake--Reese is not a Lone Ranger. Similar scenes play out like this all across America's waterways each year, many of which likely have little, if any kind of paycheck possible at the end. Some people just are willing to toss caution to the wind and risk it all for the chance--in this case--to catch a few fish. The grim reality, however, is that, as in any game of chance, there are winners and losers.

I found a March 2017 article about some of those "losers" online. Actually, it's an analysis of lightning deaths in the United States from 2006 through 2016. The author is John S. Jensenius, Jr., a lightning safety specialist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

His research revealed that, during this 11-year period, 352 people were struck and killed by lightning in the United States. Almost two-thirds of the deaths occurred to people who had been enjoying outdoor leisure activities. The common belief that golfers are responsible for the greatest number of lightning deaths was shown to be a myth. The truth of the matter is that fishermen accounted for more than three times as many fatalities as golfers, while beach activities and camping each accounted for at least twice as many deaths as golf.

Here's what a fishing rod typically looks like after lightning
has struck it.

From 2006 to 2016, there were a total of 33 fishing deaths, 20 beach deaths, 18 camping deaths, and 16 boating deaths. Of the sports activities, soccer saw the greatest number of deaths, with 12, as compared to golf with 9. Around the home, yard work (including mowing the lawn) accounted for 14 fatalities. For work-related activities, ranching/farming topped the list with 17 deaths.

Males accounted for 79 percent of all fatalities, and more than 90 percent of the deaths in the fishing and sports categories. Females had comparatively fewer deaths than men in every category, with their highest percentages in the boating-related activities (37.5 percent) and routine daily/weekly activities (35 percent).

June, July and August are the peak months for lightning activity across the United States, and the peak months for outdoor summer activities. As a result, more than 70 percent of the lightning deaths occurred during those months, with Saturdays and Sundays having slightly more deaths than other days of the week.

Ages of the victims varied from young children to older adults, with the greatest number of fatalities between the ages of 10 and 60. Within that age range, there was a relative minimum in deaths for people in their 30s, possibly due to parents of young children being less involved in vulnerable activities.

Based on media reports of the fatal incidents, many victims either were headed to safety at the time of the fatal strike or were just steps away from safety.

Said Jensenius in conclusion, "Continued efforts are needed to convince people to get inside a safe place before the lightning threat becomes significant. For many activities, situational awareness and proper planning are essential to safety."

What constitutes "a safe place"? According to Steve Kuhl, a warning coordination meteorologist for NOAA, "A fully enclosed structure, such as a house or a marina, is truly the only safe place to be during a storm.

"If an angler gets caught in a storm before he/she can get to proper shelter," continued Kuhl, "the safest option is to get as low as possible in the boat and assume the 'lightning crouch' position." In this position, you rest on the balls of your feet, which minimizes body contact with any other surface. You squat as low as possible, with your head ducked, and you cover your ears with your hands.

Under B.A.S.S. tournament rules, anglers may leave the boat only in the case of an emergency. "I consider a lightning threat an emergency, and I tell all the anglers to go to a marina or do whatever they need to in order to stay safe until a storm passes," said Trip Weldon, B.A.S.S. tournament director. "Rules simply state that partners must stay within sight of one another if they are forced to leave the boat."

Added Weldon, "We also might delay the takeoff if a big squall line is coming through. The anglers' safety is of the highest importance."

For more on lightning and how to stay safe, check out the NOAA lightning awareness website at www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov.

And finally, here's a short video about "one of the lucky ones:" an angler who survived his personal encounter with lightning. Just click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10PZ_0GK_bU.