Fishing during thunderstorms

[William Snee]

I need some help guys. I plan to go fishing tomorrow but there is a 50% chance of rain with scattered thunderstorms. Forecast to have a south wind at 10 MPH. I plan to fish till Noon and  don't mind getting wet. Am I wasting my time?

[Jar11591]

If you're fishing during a thunderstorm, getting wet is not what you have to worry about. I can't speak for the fishing during a thunderstorm because if there is thunder and lightning in the area, I am off the water. Lightning is something I don't mess around with especially considering a graphite fishing rod can literally double as a lightning rod. Fishing before or during a front can be very good though, and thunderstorms sometimes are a sign that a front is moving in.

[Oregon Native]

Personally I don't think so....when and if the rains get real real heavy along with the noise I will pull under cover for a bit...it usually passes quickly.  But then I fish the smaller reservoirs.  Wouldn't be out in the middle of large water.  Nature puts on quite a show.  Be careful.

[senile1]

Fishing during a rain:  No problem.

Fishing during a thunderstorm:  Make sure your life insurance is up-to-date.  

 

[A-Jay]

Cumulonimbus Clouds are the Enemy of everyone & anyone on the water.

With today's available weather radar technology, an angler can have a pretty good idea what's coming.  Clearly, not an exact science, but when it looks like this, why risk it ?

 

 If & when one pops up, and they often do, get off the water and / or Seek Shelter is my course of action.

A-Jay

[Mike L]

Thunder means lightning!...'Nuff said

 

Mike 

[Bluebasser86]

Check the hourly forecast and watch the radar. I go and hope for the best. 

I like to push it way further than I should, but I have enough life insurance that my wife and kids would never have to work or worry. As long as it isn't too close I don't worry too much. Once it starts popping a lot and getting close I take cover. 

[MassYak85]

I've had some good days of fishing right before thunderstorms rolled in. Caught one of my biggest in the middle of the summer from my kayak in 20+mph winds with thunderheads way off on the horizon. Be smart though, it's one thing to fish in the rain or when the storm is approaching.....just DO NOT fish IN a thunderstorm. Last summer I got caught on the opposite side of a pond from where the launch was and ended up having to beach my kayak on the shore, put all my rods down and get out while the storm just barely skirted along the opposite shore (this pond isn't even a mile across at it's widest mind you). I got wet but it sure beats getting struck by lightning, lesson learned. If you are fishing sketchy weather just know when to call it quits and make sure you leave yourself enough time to get off the lake if the weather turns bad. 

[avidone1]

Your question seems to be "Can I catch fish in a thunderstorm?" Trust me, your asking the wrong question.  In Florida we know a thing or two about thunderstorms and they are dangerous.  Seriously.  Don't think of them as just a heavy rain.   The lightning is the threat and being out on the water waving a graphite rod around makes you a delightful candidate for a strike.   There is a reason why tournaments are postponed during thunderstorms.  they kill people

[jdw174]

If you can hear the thunder, you can be struck by lightning.  I was fishing a pocket on Ky Lake near Paris Landing one morning while a storm was passing further north in Kentucky.  Without warning, a bolt hit a tree right next to where I was fishing.  I got the hell out of Dodge and learned a valuable lesson that day.

[RHuff]

Lightening hit a tree about 100 yards from our summer camp and came up through the ground and hit my father in law that was standing 10 feet away from me. It took him down and stunned him for a few minutes. We took him to the ER and he checked out okay, thank goodness but it was one of the scariest things I’ve ever witnessed. When he asked the Dr how he looked the Dr said “Your here, aren’t you”? “With a lightening strike there is usually no in between, either your here or your not.” 

 

You don’t play around with lightening. It can fry your ass. 

[Montanaro]

If I hear thunder I still fish.  Lightning often occurs between clouds.  However, if I see lightning or the wind and rain becomes torrential I lay my rods down and find shelter (watch out for widow makers) and ride it out.

[Wurming67]

There's always tomorrow it's not worth dying over,i live in Florida and it's been bad outthis  last week with rain and thunder it's killing me not going out today because of the weather but it's not worth it.

 

 

PS gonna spend the day watching John Wayne movies and shopping for more lures?

[greentrout]

Always err on the side of caution when dealing with mother nature...went through Katrina...

 

"A man's got to know his limitations".

 

Harry Callahan -- Dirty Harry

[Darren.]

Carbon (graphite)-based fishing rod = Lightning rod,

and I don't mean the Berkley ones. I get off the water

ASAP when I hear thunder.

[Glaucus]

It can be good fishing before a storm. As far as during a storm, I dunno, since I've never been dumb enough to risk my life for a fish.

[lo n slo]

we got caught in a bad thunderstorm about 5 years ago. it came up quickly at 10 am, and by the time we checked our weather app on the smart phone, a run back to the ramp was not an option. we were fortunate enough to find a covered boat slip to hide under, but even with that, it was scary. the wind, hail, and lightning was all around us and every time a bolt cracked nearby my heart skipped.

 

no thanks ?

[geo g]

When there is a threat of thunderstorms I go fish places with bridges.  I will tie up under the bridge until it passes.  If I’m on open water I trailer the boat and go home.  Open water and lightning can kill you!

[scaleface]

You can definitely catch fish during the rain . If its a light drizzle I will  give a buzzbait a good go at it .

[NHBull]

There are several great lightning apps out there and we use them for athletics all the time.  That said, ANY dock in a storm is legal and encouraged. I had an issue a couple years ago, when there was no way of making it through the channel so I was seeking shelter on the back side of an island. A home owner saw me out there and started flashing her porch light and dock light.  I pulled in to wait it out and was invited in for a cup of coffee.  While there are some real *ss’s in the world, there are some Good Samaritan’s too

[Sam]

BANK FISHING

Fantastic fishing in the rain.

Lightning can hit 5 miles out from the storm.

 

BOAT FISHING

Fantastic fishing in the rain.

Lighting can hit 5 miles out from the storm.

 

SUMMARY

Fish in the rain for as long as you can and have a blast.

Once you hear the thunder, no matter how far away, get out of there, fast.

For some unknown reason standing in or around water holding a rod in your hand and pointing it at the sky during a thunderstorm may not be that smart.

[keagbassr]

fishing ahead of a t-storm can be fantastic. Also it's a little easier to keep track of these so when I see or hear them I head for the launch. The storms you have to beware of are the 'pop-up' storms as they can literally come out of nowhere as I once found out.

 

[Catt]

Summary!  ?

 

 

 

[Bankbeater]

Five or six years ago there was a van at the boat ramp that had a pretty good size dent in the top of it.  The driver was being treated by paramedics. 

We thought there had been a traffic accident on the ramp, but we were told that lightning had hit the top of the van while it was parked on the ramp.  The driver had been outside leaning inside the van when the strike happened.

As far as I know the driver made it through without anything serious.

 

[BrianinMD]

fishing is not worth dying over