Super User Bankbeater Posted August 23, 2015 Super User Posted August 23, 2015 Yesterday it was very cloudy, and on the way to the lake I thought I saw lightning off in the distance. I got out on the water about 5:45 AM, but I didn't like the look of the sky so I stayed pretty close to the boat ramp just in case. About 3 hours later you could here the thunder and the sky started going all dark purple, so I put on my rain suit and headed back to the boat ramp. About 30 min later it started pouring down rain and everyone was getting off of the water. Couldn't see the lightning, but it was thundering pretty loud. I sat in the car for about an hour when the rain slowed up to a drizzle and you couldn't hear thunder any longer. The sky was starting to get lighter so I went back down to the boat. By the time I got back on the water the rain had pretty much stopped, and it was just cloudy. I'm out on the water for 30 to 45 minutes, just caught a bass and was putting it back in the water, when there is a very bright flash of lightning up in the sky right over my head. The thunder sounded like a jet engine, and it got dark in like 30 seconds. I headed back to the ramp, but it was raining so hard you could only see about 100 ft. or so across the water. Finally got to the ramp and got back in the car. This storm lasted mayber 30 minutes, but when it stopped, I packed everything up and called it a day. 1 Quote
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted August 23, 2015 Global Moderator Posted August 23, 2015 Some of the scariest lightning strikes I've ever experienced on the water came out of nowhere with no warning other than the sky getting a little darker. 2 Quote
Super User BassinLou Posted August 23, 2015 Super User Posted August 23, 2015 Yesterday it was very cloudy, and on the way to the lake I thought I saw lightning off in the distance. I got out on the water about 5:45 AM, but I didn't like the look of the sky so I stayed pretty close to the boat ramp just in case. About 3 hours later you could here the thunder and the sky started going all dark purple, so I put on my rain suit and headed back to the boat ramp. About 30 min later it started pouring down rain and everyone was getting off of the water. Couldn't see the lightning, but it was thundering pretty loud. I sat in the car for about an hour when the rain slowed up to a drizzle and you couldn't hear thunder any longer. The sky was starting to get lighter so I went back down to the boat. By the time I got back on the water the rain had pretty much stopped, and it was just cloudy. I'm out on the water for 30 to 45 minutes, just caught a bass and was putting it back in the water, when there is a very bright flash of lightning up in the sky right over my head. The thunder sounded like a jet engine, and it got dark in like 30 seconds. I headed back to the ramp, but it was raining so hard you could only see about 100 ft. or so across the water. Finally got to the ramp and got back in the car. This storm lasted mayber 30 minutes, but when it stopped, I packed everything up and called it a day. Sounds to me you better download a weather app asap. I personally use weatherbug elite. This app also has a sub-app called spark. This program shows you in real time how far and where the lightening has been striking, as well as the direction of where the storm is heading. We have the technology, use it. Lightening is nothing to mess with. 2 Quote
Super User scaleface Posted August 23, 2015 Super User Posted August 23, 2015 Storms can form fast , Ive been caught in a few violent storms while fishing. One time it was a beautiful calm sunny day. I could hear a low roar. I trolled to the middle of the cove to take a look. There was a big wall cloud heading my way. I raced back to the ramp but the storm overtook me. There was a tornado in that storm but I didnt see it. It touched down a few miles away . 1 Quote
Neil McCauley Posted August 23, 2015 Posted August 23, 2015 Scary. Overcast weather is the most dangerous imo, because the low cloud cover prevents you from seeing anything approaching more than a mile away, you can't see the height of the clouds. Even radar isn't much help with the late afternoon "pop up" thunderstorms that don't show until it's raining. 1 Quote
Jaderose Posted August 23, 2015 Posted August 23, 2015 got caught on the water during a big storm just once. was up in Northern Minnesota and it came out of nowhere fast. Was in a cove and didn't see it coming. Barely made it across the lake in a little jon boat running an 8 hp outboard Would have actually been smarter to stay where I was and ride it out. Scared the heck out of me. I pay attention now. Not saying you weren't, it's just sometimes we underestimate the speed those things can come on us...especially when the fish are biting and you don't WANT to leave. 1 Quote
Super User F14A-B Posted August 23, 2015 Super User Posted August 23, 2015 Weather apps are fine, if you can get a signal.. If you spend much time on the water, you will get caught in bad weather. That's just the way it is.. 2 Quote
Super User BassinLou Posted August 23, 2015 Super User Posted August 23, 2015 Weather apps are fine, if you can get a signal.. If you spend much time on the water, you will get caught in bad weather. That's just the way it is.. Very true this will happen and if there is a signal and the technology is available it can help determine if its a brief passing storm or the kind of storm that you have to call it day and leave. Quote
Super User flyfisher Posted August 23, 2015 Super User Posted August 23, 2015 Glad you made it back safe. Nothing i have encountered fishing has rivaled some of my experience rock climbing though....those are scary as a mofo lol 1 Quote
lo n slo Posted August 23, 2015 Posted August 23, 2015 Weather apps are fine, if you can get a signal.. If you spend much time on the water, you will get caught in bad weather. That's just the way it is.. Yep Sometimes you may be fortunate enough to find a covered boat slip to duck into, or under a bridge. Heck, I got caught this morning on a lake with no cover at alI. So I donned the frogg toggs and hunkered down in a cove. No lightning though, just heavy rain. 1 Quote
Josh Smith Posted August 24, 2015 Posted August 24, 2015 My friend and I were overtaken by a storm when we were teenagers. It came in fast and the 15hp motor on Dad's boat didn't have the power to push us fast enough. The rain became blinding and the wind really kicked up. A huge old tree fell into the water close enough behind us after we passed that we rode the waves. It was an interesting time. The only folks who had a slower boat were a couple guys in a john boat with (I believe) a 5hp motor. They disappeared into a cove, or something. My friend and I were not experienced enough yet to know to do the same. Josh 1 Quote
Super User Bankbeater Posted August 24, 2015 Author Super User Posted August 24, 2015 I probably could have ducked into a cove and pulled the boat up on the shore, but there is a lot of weeds growing in the shallows of that lake. I didn't want to get the prop tangled and be dead the water having to clean off the weeds with lightning around. Quote
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