Went fishing up in the mountains this weekend. Kicked azz but on the third day(sunday) we woke up to a light rain.

We headed out on the water at about 9:00 to the usual spot and trolled for about 30 minutes.Big black clouds started rolling in. As my girlfriend was reeling her 2nd fish in, each time she lifted the rod up gaining line i noticed a humming noise, like the noise you hear under power lines. I looked around and couln't figure out where it was coming from. In a minute or so she landed it,we restarted the motor and when she picked up her pole and grabbed the line she got a small shock. She told me this and i grabbed the pole and felt nothing, then just as i grabbed the line we both heard a crack that was about half as loud as a fire cracker, and i got a big time shock that raced up my left arm and stopped at my right shoulder blade and then began to hurt instantly. I looked at my girlfriend and our 6yr old and their hair was standing straight up, and it hit me, we are about to be struck by lightning. I grabbed both of them and shoved them to the floor with me and hit the gas and moved as quickly as possible. When we stopped, the noise was gone and the hair was down, so we motored over to my friends boat to tell him about the strange experience and as i am talking to him i hear this noise again and look over and my g/f and her hair is stranding straight up again, so we both motored off the lake as soon as possible.

At first we didn't put 2 and 2 together. But the more we peiced the story back together, it was obvious that we were right in the middle of an ion field that builds just before a strike. And that i either got struck or completed a circuit by grabbing the line and the pole, and the air, full of static created the juice.

This experience was not funny at all. And taught all of us a very serious lesson. I had never experienced anything like this. If i had known that sound and that taste in the air, we would have moved alot sooner and may have avoided injury alltogether. Then we get home and see the news issueing a severe dry lightning warning for the mountains and foothills.

I have been in dry hot weather many times edlessly trolling with downriggers and have never got any sort of spark from the boat, DRers, or trailer. So we ruled that out. Anyways, if you come across any of these strange occurances, move quickly or just get off the lake. I wouldn't want any of you to become toast while fishing. So keep your eyes ears and noses open.

FlyFishnFreak

FFF,

That exact thing happened to me and my nephew in British Columbia a couple years back. Plus, I knew a woman who went for a jog and was killed by lightning about 200 yards from her home. Now, the first time I see dark clouds and a rumble, I'm off the water in a hurry.

The best place to be (other than indoors) is in your car or truck. If that's not available look for the lowest spot of land and lay down, maybe look for a ditch. Do not stand under a tree. If the top of the tree gets hit, the energy will often travel to you.

Looks like you dodged a bullet. Congrats. Glad you weren't hurt.

FFF - Glad that things turned out okay. You just gave out a good piece of info.

The hair thing happened to my sister in Minnesota. Her canoeing partner saw the hair and suggested they head for shore - quickly. He did not mention it to her until they were onshore and on the ground.

SHOCKING!!

You had better go put some money down on this Wednesday's LOTTO. Do you feel lucky?

Yeah, no kidding Carl. Almost twice in one day...what are the odds......

Dont waste the money on the ticket. i think you used up a couple years of good luck up there>

You'll never guess what.....i won the stinkin lottery. I'm going out tomorrow to pick up the first check and gettin me a new Sierra pickup.

either youre jokin or you just adopted a new kid

There is a Red Flag warning in the mountains and Eastern Washington this weekend and are expecting dry lightning.

So be prepared if out this weekend.

BBVD yeah, i was dreamin again. Next week for sure!!!

Hey PT, thanks for the info. Scary stuff. I didn't even see it on the news yet.

Has anybody heard any thing on Graphite rods being a conducter of Electricity. Like a lightning rod. Was in a thunder shower one time with my rod and I kept it pointed to the ground.

Graphite rods do not conduct as well as steel but I have heard of people being shocked but no lightning strikes.

I get my weather info from the forest service site.

Being a former firefighter I have a habit of checking the fire weather everyday.

www.nifc.gov is the site

Heres a more direct link to fire weather.

www.noaa.gov/fireweather/