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Out of the blue...

Started by Woolly Bugger, July 07, 2022, 08:46:24 AM

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Woolly Bugger

They say that if you can hear thunder, you are in danger, just because the sky is clear above you, there is a chance that a bolt of lightning can come "out of the blue"

Sometimes it's difficult to stop fishing as foul weather approaches. You may think that you are safe because you are standing in the river with tall trees on the bank. That's what I think anyway, the lightning is more likely to strike up on a ridge above the riverbed.

The other day, despite hearing thunder and even being rained upon, I continued to fish. There was a heron pearched on a rock above me, and I thought, "well as long as the heron is standing in the middle of the river, I should be ok too. If he flies away, maybe I'll get out."

I also wonder if it would be deadly if lightning struck the river or a tree on the bank, would the high voltage travel onto the water? Anyway, when the storm started to get intense, I did seek shelter.

One time in the Smokies a bad storm hit as we were hiking out of Hazel. Lightening was striking all around us and trees were blown down across the trail. Fortunately, it passed and we were able to paddle across the lake after waiting out the storm under a tarp we set up.

The afternoon storms this week have been intense, and I've been reluctant to make the drive to the river in these conditions. I'm also assuming that most of the fishermen deaths occur while in boats on the water, and not fly fishermen standing in a stream.

"He who fights and runs away, may live to fight another day!"



Fun Facts: Fishermen Are More Likely to Get Struck By Lightning Than Anyone Else

Just yesterday, the Washington Post ran a little story about deaths from lightning strikes in the U.S. between 2006 and 2012. In that span of time, 127 people met their maker after being struck by a bolt. What's interesting about this story is that the statistical data on the strikes is broken down by leisure activity, and guess which one has the most lightning fatalities? Hint: It ain't golf.

Of the 127 people struck and killed by lightning in those 6 years, a whopping 26 of them were fishermen. That's 11%. Next in line was camping with 15 deaths (6%) and boating with 14 (6%). At the very bottom of the list, surprisingly, is golf, which only had 8 fatalities in 6 years (3%).

"NOAA has made a concerted effort to raise lightning awareness in the golf community since we began the campaign in 2001, and we believe our outreach has made a huge difference since lightning-related deaths on golf courses have decreased by 75 percent," said John Jensenius, a lightning safety specialist with the National Weather Service. Jensenius said the the relatively high number of fishing and boating lightning deaths has occurred due to the extra time required to seek shelter while on the water. "People often wait far too long to head to safety when a storm is approaching, and that puts them in a dangerous and potentially deadly situation," Jensenius said.

https://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/lateral-line/2013/06/fun-facts-fishermen-are-more-likely-get-struck-lightning-anyone-else/

Fishing leads U.S. lightning death activities

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"People often wait far too long to head to safety when a storm is approaching, and that puts them in a dangerous and potentially deadly situation," Jensenius said.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/06/24/fishing-leads-u-s-lightning-death-activities/

ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Phil

#1
You guys DO know that I got struck by lightning outside Blake Boyd's fishing house he use to own on the SoHo, right? It hit a telephone pole a few feet away from me, splintered it to pieces, and traveled through the ground to me.  <edit> the skies were dark, it had rained some on and off, we had stopped fishing, but the lightning bolt came "out of the blue."

Here's part of the pole --
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Here's the lineman fixing it a few hours afterwards--
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Onslow

It is odd there are years where there isn't much in the way of cloud to ground lightening, and some years are brutal. It is also important to consider how many NWS warnings do not square with actual conditions.

Just yesterday, I was in an area with no warnings had been issued, and the wind started whipping up to speeds in excess of 50 mph, and changing directions every 5 minutes.

In terms of out of the blue lightening, I was jolted a goodern years ago while float tubing down the Tar River between Rt. 96 and Cannady Mill Rd. A bud and I were within 200 yards of the take out bridge when a storm could be heard in the distance. Steve was highly allergic to poison oak and ivy and wanted to pull out at the bridge apron to avoid the lush growth on the banks. A bolt struck the river well ahead of the storm, and pushed current down the river.  Although the jolt wasn't as strong as an electric fence shock, it most certainly got our attention. 

What really sucks?  Fishing in Colorado at 11K with no cover, and being pelted by hail and watching helpless as the bolts fly.

When my son was at Northern Tier several years ago, a storm came up, and a bolt hit a tent full of girl scouts not far away.  They all had to be air lifted and were all injured, and I believe there were casualties.

Dee-Vo

I was in a vehicle that was struck years ago (pretty sure). When this took place my vehicle radio stations and time were reset back to factory settings. Also, I was driving and on a phone call and it disconnected my call as well as resetting the call time on my cell to all zeros instead of the duration of the call. Pretty neat. And scary.

rbphoto

Quote from: Woolly Bugger on July 07, 2022, 08:46:24 AMThey say that if you can hear thunder, you are in danger, just because the sky is clear above you, there is a chance that a bolt of lightning can come "out of the blue"


Fishing leads U.S. lightning death activities

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"People often wait far too long to head to safety when a storm is approaching, and that puts them in a dangerous and potentially deadly situation," Jensenius said.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/06/24/fishing-leads-u-s-lightning-death-activities/



The article seems to imply that the study differentiates between recreational boating and fishing from a boat.  Perhaps not, but that's the way it reads, to me.

I would think boating fishermen would be more likely than non-boating fishermen to be struck, unless one is at elevation or on water without trees around. 

In any event, if I know lightning is within 3-5 miles, I'm looking to seek shelter. 
"maybe procrastination is another word for fishing..." ben
"Just butchered my first silk kitty...." Wooly Bugger  January 26, 2018, 12:41:27 PM
You can't land an otter on 7x. Now I know - Dougfish

jwgnc

I was fishing the Yellowstone one day, in the park, and got out of the water when I heard thunder that sounded close.  Then I saw lightening and as I turned to head to the car, I felt a tingle, and a spark jumped from the heel of my hand to the reel seat.  Threw the rod down and laid on my stomach till I stopped hearing thunder.  Scared the hell out of me.

When I told this "unbelievable" story at Blue Ribbon Flies, Craig Matthews said "Oh yeah, It happens all the time."
Stalk softly and carry a green stick.

Phil

It knocked me down, knocked my glass eye out of my head, frizzed my hair straight up, and left me a mite confused for a few minutes. And later-- sore in every muscle of my body.  :o

trout-r-us

Been boat fishing a couple times where we could hear rods in rod holders buzzing.
Fishing for old drum once down around Oriental and my son felt a little tingle through a rod while casting. Been pretty nervous a bunch of times, but never struck.
Statistically speaking, seems like it's pretty rare to get hit. 🤞
"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
― Heraclitus

trout-r-us

And then there are some folks that seem to be prone to get struck.

"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
― Heraclitus

trout-r-us

"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
― Heraclitus

Woolly Bugger

Lightning strikes have killed 20 people across eight districts of the eastern Indian state of Bihar in just 24 hours


Hundreds die in India every year in lightning incidents during monsoon rains.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-62265957
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Trout Maharishi

Bad day for hikers on a NOLS course in Wy. A 22 year old was killed and another is in bad shape after a lighting strike in camp. https://buckrail.com/additional-information-on-tcsar-response-to-lightning-strike-victim/
"We're all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing."
― Charles Bukowski

Trout Maharishi

"We're all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing."
― Charles Bukowski

Woolly Bugger

If I went inside every time I heard thunder this year my fishing trips would be cut in half —

Signed Elias Wonder
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

trout-r-us

Whatever ya do, don't run under a tree.

"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man."
― Heraclitus