Wowzers ! And I was right next to you guys (with shoes on) and never felt a thing.

That is spooky stuff. Lance has a couple of burn spots on his arms.

Bob it happened right when we were near you! Here the whole time we thought it might have been something electrical on the boat...

Wow he does? Now that's even scarier. He kept saying he feels it burning down his arms. Remember you actually said with one being an EMT and another a fireman we had the right people on board. But with Lance being the fireman Ben would have had to help him. I thought I had seen it all out on the lake. Well come to think of it I haven't. I've yet to see Ray in a speedo out there! LOL! I love you Ray....

The old Yellow Speedo!!!

Something similar happened to me on cooper one day, small storm developed a few miles away, nothing over head,

If you held your rod much higher than your head it would humm and buzz.

When you cast the line would hover 2 - 3' above the water.

Bee lined it to the ramp.

D

In general terms, what you guys experienced was "feelers" which come down from the clouds and when there is a strong enough attraction, a lightning bolt is formed from the bottom of this "feeler" to the cloud, yep..lightning does indeed start from the bottom and work it's way up. If you would have been stationary longer and not moved, chances are a lightning bolt would have triggered very close to where you were. Scary stuff indeed. Glad everyone is ok!

When Lance was hit we were in a mini boat show. Fishing line hovering over the water is some weird [censored]!

strange

I've heard of that before Frank. Never witnessed it myself.

Glad you guys got in okay.

Thats nutso, Frank! Glad you guys got out of there quickly. Good to know for the future. Im amazed that Lance even had burns from it!

I am running that tall tower crane above the harbor and Friday afternoon there was a lot of electrical buildup in the area. "Google Saint Elmo's Fire" it's usually blue and not all that uncommon. I have had my crane hit by lightning while I was in my cab on two different occasions. Both were on the leading edge of a storm.

I watch storms all the time from up here. Lightning regulary strikes a several miles ahead of or around a storm cell. If you can see lightning you are close enough to get hit by the very next bolt!

There are personal lightning detectors that can detect a lightning strike up to twenty miles away and give you an aproxement distance to the strike.

Had that happen to me and dad on Lewisville several years ago. We were fishing for crappie at the time with four rods in holders. We were talking having a great time, and noticed a buzzing sound, it was a perfectly calm sunny day, and after hearing the buzzing, I noticed the rods buzzing, and the lines making small ripples where they entered the water. I looked Northwest, and saw a thunder storm several miles away, at the time, I had never heard of such a thing...crazy. We got out of there right away. I've heard several stories of this happening to other folks since, but haven't heard of anyone being burned, hope its not too serious.
Glad everyone is OK.

Wow fellas this is some great information! Who said the old dog can't learn some new tricks... I've learned a lot in this thread. Especially from others who have experienced the same thing. In my younger, formative years, about 3-5 years ago, nothing would have sent me in! Not now. Will never stay out there again if anything is remotely close storm wise. It's not worth the risk. The fish will be there. BTW just to clarify the post from Johnny Procell was actually an article in the paper- not a post. I did a Google like was mentioned to do:

http://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climate-weather/atmospheric/st-elmo-fire.htm

It is nothing, he just has a shocking personality.

But on another note, I have heard stories of this but never experienced it myself.