Join the Discussion "What do you do when a thunder storm comes up while you are fishing? Do you keep fishing or do you take action to protect yourself?" Ronnie
More of this Feature
• Part 1: A shocking boat wash  • Part 2: Praying in the storm:
Related Resources • Fishing and Lightning • It Was A Dark and Stormy Night
Past Articles One Year Ago - 7/29/02 - Crazy Fishing Critters Two Years Ago -7/23/01 - Night Fishing Three Years Ago - 7/17/00 - The Bassmasters Classic - Close Don't Count Four Years Ago - 07/19/99 - Netting Crappie Five Years Ago - 07/20/98 - Snakes I Have Known - Part 2 Six Years Ago - 07/21/97 - Bowfin - Fish or Monster?

At Lake Eufaula in a Top Six several years ago my draw partner and I were fishing a long shallow bank on the Georgia side just below the causeway. I had met him that morning and knew nothing about him, but I told him I would head for cover if a storm came up and he agreed.

Sure enough right after lunch the wind started howling and the thunder got closer and closer. We cranked up but the water was so shallow we could not take off, so I eased the boat to the nearest bank and grounded it. I sat down on the platform with my head bowed over to keep the rain out of my face.

The wind blew so bad the boat was pushed up on the bank. Lightning was popping all around us and I looked toward my partner. He was on his knees in the bottom of the boat with his hands folded under his chin, praying. He was as scared as I was! When the storm finally passed we both had to get out of the boat and push it back out into the water.

Later we found out a family that was crappie fishing in that storm had their boat swamped and a 15 year old boy drowned. Don’t fool around in storms!

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