texasfishingforum.com logo
Main Menu
Advertisement
Affiliates
Advertisement
Newest Members
TraeMartin, Power-Pole CS, T-Rigger, JoeGoes, EcKo
119150 Registered Users
Top Posters(All Time)
hopalong 120,565
TexDawg 119,511
Bigbob_FTW 94,876
John175☮ 85,892
Pilothawk 83,259
Bob Davis 81,478
Mark Perry 72,280
Derek 🐝 68,311
JDavis7873 67,416
Forum Statistics
Forums59
Topics1,037,801
Posts13,934,738
Members144,150
Most Online39,925
Dec 30th, 2023
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
T_Storm #14044529 06/27/21 12:43 PM
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,029
Rockfisherman Offline OP
Extreme Angler
OP Offline
Extreme Angler
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 1,029
How safe are you under a bridge during a T-Storm?

Or should you pull off the lake completely?

I know there are “degrees of safety” but anyone
Ever been struck under a bridge?


Thanks for anyone who has experience with this


[Linked Image]
PM me to let me know how it was!
Moritz Chevrolet - 9101 Camp Bowie W Blvd, Fort Worth, TX - Monte Coon (817) 696-2003
Re: T_Storm [Re: Rockfisherman] #14044553 06/27/21 01:15 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,218
Jimbo Offline
TFF Guru
Offline
TFF Guru
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,218
Lightning doesn't just strike in a downward direction as there are bolts that travel horizontal as well.
If the bridge is all you have and you are a long ways from the ramp or shelter of a car or building, then the bridge is as good as you can do.


Just one more cast!

Re: T_Storm [Re: Rockfisherman] #14044555 06/27/21 01:17 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 19,772
Donald Harper Offline
TFF Guru
Offline
TFF Guru
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 19,772
Back in the day when I felt bullet proof; I kept fishing and had my largest stringer during one.
- Set under bridges many times.
- Set in boat slips lots of times.
- Beached the boat and walked up the bank to covered shelters many times.
- Some have been so bad that we were smart and got off the water. This is my advice.


Each person you work with holds some promise to your future success.
Websiite Sponsors:
www.eletewater.com - Staying Hydrated
www.lakeoviachic.com - Booking Mexico Trips
20 Hot Spot Mapping - GPS Contour Chips - Custom Spinner Baits - Jigs -Spooks
Pure Extracts - Minnow-Night Crawler-Crayfish-Craylic


Re: T_Storm [Re: Rockfisherman] #14044569 06/27/21 01:24 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,218
Jimbo Offline
TFF Guru
Offline
TFF Guru
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,218
You don't even have to be close to the storm to get hit.
I was once fishing off a point with a tall dead tree on the bank about 150 yards from me in my boat, and another guy in his boat I was talking to while we fished.
There was a storm about 10 or twelve miles away, and you could see lightning strikes and thunder, but up above us was just grey cloud covered sky.
Suddenly a lightning bolt struck the tree and by the time I dove for the bottom of my boat it was over.
I looked toward the guy in the other boat, and he was shaken and said his arms were numb.
As soon as we gathered our composure we both made a mad dash for the ramp.


Just one more cast!

Re: T_Storm [Re: Rockfisherman] #14044697 06/27/21 04:50 PM
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 549
A
Alan Offline
Pro Angler
Offline
Pro Angler
A
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 549
I'm curious if anyone has had this experience. Back in the 80's a buddy and I were worm fishing with new Shakespeare Boron rods. A thunderstorm was in the distance. As we raised our rods up our rods made a humming sound. When we lowered our rod it would get softer. When we saw lightning it would quit then slowly start again until the next strike. The fish were biting but we got off the lake. Never happened again but when I asked other anglers if they heard anything like that before they thought we were crazy. We were in an aluminum bass tracker. I don't know if that had anything to do with it. No drugs or alcohol were involved.


2000 518dvx
200 efi Mercury
Re: T_Storm [Re: Rockfisherman] #14044722 06/27/21 05:26 PM
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 860
R
Rog Offline
Pro Angler
Offline
Pro Angler
R
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 860
Sometimes it depends. Many years ago on Roberts a bad storm blew in on a spring morning that caught everyone off guard. Headed to the Jordan ramp at first sound of thunder. The hail started at about the island and wind switched out of the north at around 50 mph. Lindey Roberts, several other boats, and I just sat in middle of cove idling in gear into the wind with a spare life vest covering my head against the pea size hail. I think 4 or 5 boats sunk on the ramp and bank in Jordan that day trying to get out.

Also I had friend that drowned on Roberts trying to ride out a storm at night tied under bridge and the boat sank. I say best call is seek shelter and if you can’t just bank it on a protected shore or if you can’t do either of those then get out away from structure and just ride it out in open water.

If your rod is humming like a light sabre , hair starts standing up or line starts floating off the water it’s time to seek cover soon! I try to get off when I hear thunder or see lightning

Last edited by Rog; 06/27/21 06:19 PM.
Re: T_Storm [Re: Alan] #14044726 06/27/21 05:30 PM
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 539
T
TinRangerJim Offline
Pro Angler
Offline
Pro Angler
T
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 539
Originally Posted by Alan
I'm curious if anyone has had this experience. Back in the 80's a buddy and I were worm fishing with new Shakespeare Boron rods. A thunderstorm was in the distance. As we raised our rods up our rods made a humming sound. When we lowered our rod it would get softer. When we saw lightning it would quit then slowly start again until the next strike. The fish were biting but we got off the lake. Never happened again but when I asked other anglers if they heard anything like that before they thought we were crazy. We were in an aluminum bass tracker. I don't know if that had anything to do with it. No drugs or alcohol were involved.

Never personally experienced it, but I have heard of several instances of that happening with graphite rods


"Rip Some Lips"
Nevadan by birth, Texan by choice
Retired USAF, 1966-1989
Jim C.
Re: T_Storm [Re: Rockfisherman] #14044732 06/27/21 05:37 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,537
C
Cmack Offline
Extreme Angler
Offline
Extreme Angler
C
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,537
Mid eighties on Sam Rayburn, we were fishing at the upper end of the black forest, the weather was heavy overcast and I observed our lines floating upward and the hair on arms standing up. There had been no thunder/lightning to this point but I cranked up and ran to the bank. About 15 seconds after getting out of the boat, lightning struck a pine tree about 50 yards away and in the next couple of minutes it struck 4 or 5 more times within a very close proximity. Had almost the same experience on Livingston a few years later. That time the guy in the back of my boat was waving his rod up in the air and laughing about the buzzing sound it was making and I saw that our lines were being drawn upwards. Got off the lake post haste and never did observe any lightening strike. Conditions were ripe though.


Re: T_Storm [Re: Rockfisherman] #14044769 06/27/21 06:47 PM
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 4,079
D
David Burton Offline
TFF Team Angler
Offline
TFF Team Angler
D
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 4,079
There was a recent strike victim during practice for a college tournament. Only lightning they saw was the one that hit him. He was treated and released at the ramp. I then proceeded to check. It is a fairly rare occurrence, but 90% survive. I was shocked. Figured the fatality would be higher.

Any port in a storm so to speak. If a bridge is the best you have, use it. Use a dock, use whatever.


David Burton
2015 Skeeter FX 21 +Ultrex +Helix 12 (x3) +Mega360 +MegaLive
Re: T_Storm [Re: Rockfisherman] #14044788 06/27/21 07:26 PM
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 169
M
Marlin Frederick Offline
Outdoorsman
Offline
Outdoorsman
M
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 169
When I first started fishing, my brother and I were caught on the lake in a sudden pop up storm. We knew we couldn't make it to the ramp, so we beached the boat and got out on the shore which was heavily covered by trees. A couple minutes after we got out, the lightning started slamming down all around. At one point, our rods laying on the deck all stood up and quivered. A bolt hit a tree very close to the boat at which point they fell back down to the deck. The butt ends of the rods never lifted off the deck from what we could tell. I'll never forget that.

Re: T_Storm [Re: Alan] #14045016 06/28/21 12:41 AM
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 35
T
Travis McBacklash Offline
Outdoorsman
Offline
Outdoorsman
T
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 35
Originally Posted by Alan
I'm curious if anyone has had this experience. Back in the 80's a buddy and I were worm fishing with new Shakespeare Boron rods. A thunderstorm was in the distance. As we raised our rods up our rods made a humming sound. When we lowered our rod it would get softer. When we saw lightning it would quit then slowly start again until the next strike. The fish were biting but we got off the lake. Never happened again but when I asked other anglers if they heard anything like that before they thought we were crazy. We were in an aluminum bass tracker. I don't know if that had anything to do with it. No drugs or alcohol were involved.


Not crazy - happened to me twice with graphite rods. We threw them down and hauled balls to the ramp.

Re: T_Storm [Re: Travis McBacklash] #14045053 06/28/21 01:46 AM
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 29,797
Duck_Hunter Offline
TFF Guru
Offline
TFF Guru
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 29,797
Originally Posted by Travis McBacklash
Originally Posted by Alan
I'm curious if anyone has had this experience. Back in the 80's a buddy and I were worm fishing with new Shakespeare Boron rods. A thunderstorm was in the distance. As we raised our rods up our rods made a humming sound. When we lowered our rod it would get softer. When we saw lightning it would quit then slowly start again until the next strike. The fish were biting but we got off the lake. Never happened again but when I asked other anglers if they heard anything like that before they thought we were crazy. We were in an aluminum bass tracker. I don't know if that had anything to do with it. No drugs or alcohol were involved.


Not crazy - happened to me twice with graphite rods. We threw them down and hauled balls to the ramp.


I got shocked holding a graphite rod a year ago. It wasn’t even storming that day (and I mean not even within the state of Texas). But something in the atmosphere was charged and I got shocked like five times in a few seconds and dropped the rod.


[Linked Image]
Re: T_Storm [Re: Rockfisherman] #14045076 06/28/21 02:04 AM
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 6,714
A
avid_basser Offline
TFF Celebrity
Offline
TFF Celebrity
A
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 6,714
Wait until you're out fishing when a storm rolls in and you cast but don't see your bait hit the water. You see your line levitating and your bait resting just above the surface of the water.

Me and good friend of mine were fishing on Brookevillle Lake, IN. He was making a joke about hearing buzzing as I cast and both of us in horror watched as my line floated. We immediately dropped everything and started the big motor. Just as we scooted out the way, the point we were fishing looked to get blasted with a bolt of lighting just on the other side where we sat.

Talk about scared for days...we ran to cover under a bridge to let it pass. Then decided to get the hell out of dodge and load up.

Re: T_Storm [Re: Rockfisherman] #14045098 06/28/21 02:43 AM
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 549
A
Alan Offline
Pro Angler
Offline
Pro Angler
A
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 549
I've had several people tell me about line levitating but I've never experienced it. I was a lineman in my younger days and we couldn't work in the rain so I would take my boat with me if rain was in the forecast. Had some great days in the rain. If lightning was near I'd find an empty boat dock and ride it out. Was young and dumb then. I'll find the nearest marina and take a break now.


2000 518dvx
200 efi Mercury
Re: T_Storm [Re: Rockfisherman] #14045179 06/28/21 11:08 AM
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 435
F
Fisherdad58 Offline
Angler
Offline
Angler
F
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 435
Sometimes under a bridge can be your safest option. Got caught out on Fork one time in one of those storms that just built up right over us. The stump field between us and the ramp would have made it too slow getting there and the closest shoreline was too steep to beach the boat, so the bridge was our best option. In the hour we were under the bridge it took a direct hit from lighting right above us and we watched a tornado touch down in White Oak.

Be sure to tie the bow and stern up with the nose of the boat into the wind and start your bilge pumps early. A bass boat can fill up with water quick.
Keep in mind that a fishing rod makes a good lightning rod.
If you decide to beach the boat, don't do it on a steep bank with waves coming in. They will get in the splash well and pull your boat under.
Don't be stupid when visibility is zero. You don't want to have to deal with anything but the storm if you can help it.

That day made me not want to go out with rain in the forecast but I've still been caught out since then. I did catch one a little over 8 pounds under that bridge right after the storm blew over though.

Be safe.


"Be as straight as you can be and as crooked as you have to be, for what's right"

Psalm 8
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread

© 1998-2022 OUTDOOR SITES NETWORK all rights reserved USA and Worldwide
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3