I am new to bass fishing, and see that it is supposed to rain during my trip to Clearlake next week. I am wondering how you decide if there will be lightning or not. Do you just fish until the first flash, then rush back to the dock? (Since I am in a kayak, I could be an hour away from the dock.) Is there some way to guess if there will be lightning before I make the 2 1/2 hour drive?

Thanks, Opie

Download a good weather program onto your cell.  Most of the good ones have lightning trackers, as well as stormtrackers and Radar.  I use mycast, its really well put together and easy to use.

Remember the old saying "A bolt out of the blue". Comes from someone being struck on a clear day. Lightning can travel a long way from cloud to ground. There are many types. If I hear thunder I become very wary. Saw the guy hit in the Rayburn McDonalds tournament out of Jackson Hill Marina last May .Knocked him right out of the boat. Thankfully he survived after a few days in the hospital. It ain't something to mess around with. If your rod buzzes are you notice your mono floating in air instead of falling to the water it's past time to get off the water.

Hmm...

Guess you might not "take it from the old guys".

Been there, done that:

If you can see it, move away.

If you can hear it, dive for cover!

Dead may not as bad as crippled for the rest of your life.

>

If your rod buzzes are you notice your mono floating in air instead of falling to the water it's past time to get off the water.

I'll have to remember that   ;D

Remember the old saying "A bolt out of the blue". Comes from someone being struck on a clear day. Lightning can travel a long way from cloud to ground. There are many types. If I hear thunder I become very wary. Saw the guy hit in the Rayburn McDonalds tournament out of Jackson Hill Marina last May .Knocked him right out of the boat. Thankfully he survived after a few days in the hospital. It ain't something to mess around with. If your rod buzzes are you notice your mono floating in air instead of falling to the water it's past time to get off the water.

if i hear thunder fatboys heading back to the boat ramp.

It's truly amazing how wide that yellow streak that's running down my back can get when I hear thunder.

You do not want to be on Clearlake during this storm.

The waves are no joke there. I watched a SAR team search for a drowning victim ejected from his boat last winter.

It is plenty scary in a 20' bass boat. Lightning isnt a problem though.

Doesn't the weather reports tell you if there's going to be lightning ?

Doesn't the weather reports tell you if there's going to be lightning ?

Once I used the term "lightning tracker", which I got from swilly78's post, I got all sorts of info on lightning from the weather websites, and in some areas I can even see where and when lightning strikes have happened. I don't have a phone that is nice enough to download Mycast, but at least now I can see that lightning is not expected in the coming storm. Running for cover if I see or hear lightning, or if my line floats in the air and my fishing pole buzzes,

is something I was already planning on doing.

Fourbizz, I have read that Clearlake is known to generate big waves, but the weather underground says the coming storm will have maximum wind speeds of 9mph, and most of the time, Monday through Wednesday, winds will be below 7mph, so it should be manageable.

Thanks everyone,

Opie

If I hear thunder I'm heading in, no doubt. 

Fourbizz is right if there is wind with the coming storm Clearlake gets hug rollers. 4 to 5 foot is not uncommon. I have had white knuckles out there a few times.

The second you start asking yourself if it is safe or not when your out on the water is your time to head back to the marina or ramp!

A reminder of what lighting can do to a boat 

Storms coming off the Pacific Ocean from Alaska this time of year are not normally thunderstorms with lightning. The weather develops as it compresses against the coastal mountains with little real time forecasting available, other than estimates as to what may develop.

These are not spring thunderstorm events, it's winter, be very careful. High wind is a real possibility along with cold temperatures.

WRB

PS; great pics Catt, good reminder that mother nature can be a female dog.

If your rod buzzes are you notice your mono floating in air instead of falling to the water it's past time to get off the water.

I'll have to remember that ;D

No joke, it really happens. Thats my signal to book it.

get a gps with weather on it. a gps is better than a cellphone beacuse if you get lost in the storm you can find your way back.

Invest in a cheap weather radio that picks up National Weather service broadcasts. One of these is invaluable, especially in areas with shotty cell phone reception