Danger! 2024
pad slammer reply :
So your fishing in your fiberglass bass boat and a storm roles in. Your 45min away from the dock. How dangerous is this? What's your best move?
Grey Wolf reply :
PRAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
scrutch reply :
get to shore...fast!
or...don the scuba gear and go for a dive.
fishfordollars reply :
Go to the nearest bank.
backwater4 reply :
Shore anywhere. x3
billsarima reply :
I fish the ocean and straits for salmon and have been in some nasty weather with my fiberglass Arima. I do head for shore if its to bad but I also trust my boat. When I fish lakes I use my aluminum boat or my stealth 2000. I've been in my little stealth 2000 when the water is white capping and blowing and the boat reacts fine. If the water gets to extreme I'd head for shore. I guess it depends on the type of boat and actual conditions for me. 
firefightn15 reply :
a port in any storm.... 8-)
skey44 reply :
I understand why a strong storm is dangerous in any boat, but why fiberglass in particular? I thought it would be an insulator, and hold up to a beating pretty well. Something that crossed my mind is that my Gloomis IMX rod has two little warnings about electricity stamped on it... I guess that is not the rod you want in your hand if you are fishing anywhere close to lightning!
Eddie Munster reply :
I agree with the get to shore comments but I would probably try to get to open shore instead of somewhere with trees.
Matt Fly reply :
ideally, you should get to a protected bank. The worst storm I've ever been stuck in was on Toledo Bend with some 6+ swells blowing south to north with 40+ mph winds.
Saw one guy take it to the wind blown shoreline, when it was over, his boat wasn't in the water.
"When on the water during an lighting storm, you and your rod are the talliest thing above water, in other words, you are the talliest lighting rod available on the water for lighting to strike".
AS most remember, my cousin took the day off from pre fishing a tourney on lake Fork a few years back on the 4th of July, his co worker fished with his partner that day and was hit by lighting and killed on the spot.
BE SAFE.
Catt reply :
It depends on the boat, the boat operator, the body of water, & severity of the storm 
If we are talking a 19'-22' boat with ample horsepower & a competent operator I would run for the launch.
I have personally seen Toledo Bend & other bodies of water eat even 19'-22' boats!
Some thunderstorms spawned by frontal conditions aint worth chancing...head for the hills!
pad slammer reply :
OK, let me add some details... If you are on a small inland lake. What I'm trying to get to, Is the boat itself a threat to be struck by lightning?
tyrius. reply :
QuoteOK, let me add some details... If you are on a small inland lake. What I'm trying to get to, Is the boat itself a threat to be struck by lightning?
Lightning will hit the highest point and since that's you in the boat if lightning were to strike the lake it will more than likely hit you.
J Francho reply :
Head for a windward shoreline.
Catt reply :
QuoteOK, let me add some details... If you are on a small inland lake. What I'm trying to get to, Is the boat itself a threat to be struck by lightning?
Make like a sheep herder & get the flock out of there!
Gatorbassman reply :
The boat's not a threat of being struck by lightning but you are. Beach the boat in a cove and get on the bank.
FishingBuds reply :
QuoteI understand why a strong storm is dangerous in any boat, but why fiberglass in particular? I thought it would be an insulator, and hold up to a beating pretty well. Something that crossed my mind is that my Gloomis IMX rod has two little warnings about electricity stamped on it... I guess that is not the rod you want in your hand if you are fishing anywhere close to lightning!
http://www.kmbc.com/r/19730665/detail.html
pad slammer reply :
QuoteQuoteI understand why a strong storm is dangerous in any boat, but why fiberglass in particular? I thought it would be an insulator, and hold up to a beating pretty well. Something that crossed my mind is that my Gloomis IMX rod has two little warnings about electricity stamped on it... I guess that is not the rod you want in your hand if you are fishing anywhere close to lightning!http://www.kmbc.com/r/19730665/detail.html
Wow!!!! 
BassThumb reply :
Try to find a sandy shoreline, beach the boat, tie it to a tree on shore if you can, grab your bug spray, and walk into the woods and kill some time.
Racing across the lake when it starts to rain can really sting.
unageo09 reply :
You want to avoid being the tallest object in an open area. A good rule of thumb is if that you can hear the thunder you can be hit by lightning. It has actually happened this summer in Alabama where a couple were swimming and they got struck with the sun shining. The storm was off in the distance.
farmpond1 reply :
QuoteQuoteI understand why a strong storm is dangerous in any boat, but why fiberglass in particular? I thought it would be an insulator, and hold up to a beating pretty well. Something that crossed my mind is that my Gloomis IMX rod has two little warnings about electricity stamped on it... I guess that is not the rod you want in your hand if you are fishing anywhere close to lightning!http://www.kmbc.com/r/19730665/detail.html
The father attributing the graphite rod as what may have saved his son's life is kind've reaching. Ultimately, it may have been what attracted the lightning strike in the first place. If he'd been holding a long metal pole, would the father have said the same thing? I doubt it. In any event, I'm glad they survived.
CAdeltaLipRipper reply :
CRANK THE 250 MERC PRO XS AND SHOW THE WAVES WHOS BOSS YA! 
geeheehee
shutupnfish reply :
QuoteSo your fishing in your fiberglass bass boat and a storm roles in. Your 45min away from the dock. How dangerous is this? What's your best move?
Let go of the aluminum t-top frame! Had some pretty nasty squalls hit us on the Gulf. On one particular trip we just made it out of the jetties (10 miles across the Laguna Madre) when it got pretty bad. I asked one of the guys "Ya ain't scared are ya?" He said, "I'm watching you and you don't seem to be worried yet." I thought to myself well it's a good thing I don't get a worried look when I crap my pants! After what seemed like an hour we hit sunny skies and smooth water.
Steve
NBR reply :
The boat is apt to be struck but even more the angler sticking up out of the boat can be struck. If thunderstorms are a part of the equation I head for shore or closer to the ramp or a place of shelter at first boom.
Lund Explorer reply :
Gosh, don't ask me to try to find the story as it is 15+ years ago. Anyhow, two guys fishing on Lake Wawasee in Indiana had their boat hit by lightning while trying to get back to their launch site. As best the investigators could tell, it hit the gas engine, traveled up the throttle cable, into driver's right arm, and out his left foot.
Both of them were blown out of the boat, but the rider was able to swim over and then drag the driver into the boat. Gas motor was shot, but the 24 volt trolling motor, on a different electrical system worked and was used to reach the nearest shoreline where a cottage owner called EMS.
Driver of the boat lived, but lost his entire right arm to the shoulder.
My advice. I don't care if it's upwind, downwind, or crosswind. Get to the nearest shore as fast as possible and take cover away from any tall trees. No fish is worth being nominated for a Drawin Award.
scrutch reply :
The story of my close call...
One day about a month and a half ago, I had the bass boat out on a local lake with my wife and three kids. We were pulling the kids around on our "big mable" tube when I looked up and saw what I consider "warning clouds". I told my wife that we needed to get off the water "right now!". The response was "why?? we're having so much fun".
The skies were mostly clear except for some altocumulus clouds coming in from the west. (I've attached a pic of what the "warning clouds" looked like that day)
I then explained to her that it would probably be storming on the water very soon.
So with three upset kids, and an angry wife, I loaded the boat and started down the road for home.
Within 30 minutes after getting off the lake, a massive thunderstorm arrived, moving at around 60 mph, bringing heavy lightning and rain and 70 mph straight line winds. That storm also produced an F2 tornado 5 miles north of the lake that we were on less than an hour before.
The water is now one of the few places that my wife actually trusts my judgement!
VolFan reply :
I was fishing Lake Calderwood,one of the "Finger Lakes of the Smokies" in a kayak when a storm rolled in. My after a cast, the slack line actually went up and kind of suspended in the air. My carbon fiber paddle was also giving off a slight hum, as were my spare rods in their holders. I made for shore and found a nice little cave-like overhang, made a little fire and had lunch while the squall blew through. Freaked me out pretty bad though.
bigbill reply :
Been there before we had a micro burst come thru and were heading out and all of a sudden the dark clouds rolled in and were in the middle of it with 4' waves. My only thoughts were the stuff in my takle boxes which took me many years to fill them. I could swim if i had too but my tackle? We were full steam ahead to the boat dock, we were the last ones to get out. I kissed the ground.
I got caught once before with a micro burst on my street legal twostroke dirtbike. I was flying all the way home. There were trees down all over the place too.
WRB reply :
We are conductive lightning rods and need to find shelter from lightning strikes.
The idea of getting under a tall tree is wrong, do not get near or under anything that is tall and conductive because it can attract lightning. You want to get under cover that isn't tall or conductive if possible. You should get under low lying cover for shelter, you don't want to be the highest conductive thing out on the open water.
The sound of thunder travels about 4 to 5 seconds per mile, you will not hear lightning that strikes next to you, you may hear a load cracking sound. If you see a flash and hear a boom, count the seconds to determine how far away it is; less than 5 seconds it's too close and you may be in danger!
WRB
Catt reply :
I can show y'all what lighting will do to aluminum
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