Lightning and graphite rods make a deadly combo

[Gad]

Taken from Fishing World Email Newsletter

18 Jul 2011

TWO American fishermen recently discovered the dangers associated with fishing with graphite rods during a storm.

Gabe Neal and his 17-year-old son, Christian were lake fishing when a nearby lightning strike startled them.

"Lightning hit and it was about four seconds, and I thought, 'That's pretty close,'" Gabe Neal told KMBC.com. Seconds later, they found out just how close it was.

"About the best way I could describe it is if someone hit you in the chest with a sledgehammer," Gabe Neal said. "And I was in the water immediately - 'boom' and in the water."

"And I felt like someone had just beat me and lit me on fire," Christian Neal said.

"I was paralyzed from the waist down. I couldn't move my legs or my toes or anything else.

"Immediately I realised my legs would not work, and it felt like they had been blown off. That was a pretty dark moment," Gabe Neal said.

Disabled Iraq war veteran Andy Flippin had been fishing a few yards away with his girlfriend and father.

"I just heard this loud crack," Flippin said, adding that his Army combat training kicked in and he raced over to help.

"As I got to (Gabe), he was getting ready to drown," Flippin said.

"Then I went to Christian, who was still smoldering, and I dumped some water on him to put his hair out. I could tell he was the one who took the main hit from the lightning."

"My heartbeat was so erratic, they said if they didn't do something, it would kill me," Christian Neal said.

Paramedics arrived just in time to take the men to hospital. Both are expected to fully recover. Christian Neal has suffered scarring from the ordeal which is expected to heal while Gabe Neal, who makes fishing rods for a living, said he thinks his graphite rod served as a lightning rod.

He thinks the lightning struck the rod first, instead of his son, and that may have saved his son's life.

[Guest]

Enjoyed the read, thanks Gad

Cheers

Darren

[Uthrax]

something to remember if you or someone near you is waiting to catch a train with a fishing rod

[Zim man]

i was fishing a comp back in zim a few years ago and the land around the dam was flat as making me one of the taller objects. i was fishing soft plastics and every time the tip of my rod (7ft long) was raised to shoulder height and above, it started to make a buzzing sound, pretty loud. Both my fishing partner and myself were having this. there was a massive storm brewing and the air was super charged for a strike. it was pretty freaky.

here is a pic of a rod that was hit by lightning, saw it on the net yesterday

[Manni79]

Could it have been that fact that they were in a metal boat ? :whistle:

[ellicat]

i was fishing a comp back in zim a few years ago and the land around the dam was flat as making me one of the taller objects. i was fishing soft plastics and every time the tip of my rod (7ft long) was raised to shoulder height and above, it started to make a buzzing sound, pretty loud. Both my fishing partner and myself were having this. there was a massive storm brewing and the air was super charged for a strike. it was pretty freaky.

here is a pic of a rod that was hit by lightning, saw it on the net yesterday

[attachment=37242]0711p51-a-fishing-rod-after-being-struck-by-lightning.jpg[/attachment]

Looks like a camo stick. Do ya reckon he'll be looking for Orca's phone number ?

[Orca]

i was fishing a comp back in zim a few years ago and the land around the dam was flat as making me one of the taller objects. i was fishing soft plastics and every time the tip of my rod (7ft long) was raised to shoulder height and above, it started to make a buzzing sound, pretty loud. Both my fishing partner and myself were having this. there was a massive storm brewing and the air was super charged for a strike. it was pretty freaky.

here is a pic of a rod that was hit by lightning, saw it on the net yesterday

[attachment=37242]0711p51-a-fishing-rod-after-being-struck-by-lightning.jpg[/attachment]

Looks like a camo stick. Do ya reckon he'll be looking for Orca's phone number ?

yeah you are probably right Brian - another dodgy warranty claim coming my way! lol

[Orca]

This is why all of our Graphite/Carbon rods have a sticker on them warning anglers of the danger. It is a very serious risk factor in storms.

[Manni79]

Baaahahahahahahahahahahaa !!!!