Even though the odds are in your favor that your boat may never be hit by lightning. Don't take a chance, protect yourself. If you are close to shore when a thunderstorm approaches, get in and off the water immediately even if the fishing is good. You might even consider a lightning tracker app. Lightning Tracker This is the one I use and was great for baseball practice too. (Image was Photoshoped for illustration) We did get into the whites at Phantom on 4/9/15 before the storm but I added the lightning.






The voltages involved in lightning are so high that even materials that would normally be considered non-conductive become conductors, including the human body. The voltages are so massive that if they start to travel through a boat's structure then meet with high resistance, like a jet ski hull, the current discharge, in its attempt to reach ground, may simply blow a hole in the non-conductive barrier.

Dr. Hart, I check the radar on the phone. It is time to leave when you even hear thunder in my opinion.

I agree I am very nervous around storms we shared a place at Fork for about 10 years and I talking to our neighbor standing in his boat house during one and lightning hit a tree maybe 25 yards from where we were and shook the ground. Makes you realize the power when one hits close. I have been caught on the water a long way from the ramp in a storm and will do all possible not to repeat that mistake

If you are close enough to hear the thunder, you are close enough for a possible strike. Not all strikes are limited to the storm area - a positive strike can reach out and touch you 5-10 miles away.

Also, I stay off the water for at least 30 minutes after a storm passes out of my vision or thunder stops.

You would be better off going and hanging from one of those high voltage electric lines vs being anywhere near a lightning strike - especially on the water.

Yes Sir! Very good advice.

Don: That is my rule. When I hear thunder or see lightning no mater how far off it's over . Reel the poles in and max speed back to the dock. Even that can be too late with a fast moving storm.

I was on lake Murray in OK in 2012 when a fast moving storm came up. It was not supposed to rain that day but it did. I had just made it to the dock when lightning struck the ground directly across the cove less than 100 yards from me. There was a girl in the water trying to tie up a boat and she felt a shock from it. I left everything where it was and got in my car until the storm passed. You can always get more fishing gear, boat etc.

Been caught out in one too many bad storms. We carry a lightning detector in the boat with us now. Alarm goes off when ligtning strikes within 25 miles.

Don't lesson to those guys!!! you get off the water when the fish quit biting. Just kidding it can be very dangerous when lighting stars striking. Stay safe my friend.