[citadelmarineservices]

So long story short I was poling recently in a newer to me area, had fished it a handful of times but didn't know it very intimately. Didn't see an overhead powerline against the tree line until it was too late and the top of my push pole struck the explosed power line over the marsh. I got electrocuted and got some pretty bad burns on my right forearm and hand. Pole had previously been repaired with a ferrul kit and epoxy, and it basically exploded at that point.
I've spent a crazy amount of time out in my local waters and can't remember another area where I've seen lines that low with even the thought of hitting them when on the platform with a pole. This is just and FYI for anyone out there to watch for this because it could potentially take a life.
And If anyone has any useful or interesting info feel free to share. Open discussion. You can call me a dumb ass too...

 

[Smackdaddy53]

That is crazy! Glad you are alive and not injured too badly, I’ve seen some absolutely horrific electrical injuries. It could happen to anyone, you are not a dumbass unless you intentionally touched it.

 

[hipshot]

It’s often those never before encountered, totally inconceivable occurrences that ambush the most careful people. Sorry that it happened to you, but relieved the outcome wasn’t worse. Thanks for opening our eyes.

 

[Sublime]

Wow!

 

[Indoman]

Holy crap. Glad your ok. That had to scare the absolute sheet outta ya.

 

[Water Bound]

Holy crap, glad you are able to share your experience!

 

[jonny]

Wow
You are very lucky to be here. My dad was a safety administrator for two large power companies. I grew up seeing horrible pics of those less fortunate. Glad you made it through it in one piece.

 

[Dskiff25]

That is insane. Glad you are ok.

We are holding giant conductive poles and need to be careful with lightning also.

 

[mwolaver]

So long story short I was poling recently in a newer to me area, had fished it a handful of times but didn't know it very intimately. Didn't see an overhead powerline against the tree line until it was too late and the top of my push pole struck the explosed power line over the marsh. I got electrocuted and got some pretty bad burns on my right forearm and hand. Pole had previously been repaired with a ferrul kit and epoxy, and it basically exploded at that point.
I've spent a crazy amount of time out in my local waters and can't remember another area where I've seen lines that low with even the thought of hitting them when on the platform with a pole. This is just and FYI for anyone out there to watch for this because it could potentially take a life.
And If anyone has any useful or interesting info feel free to share. Open discussion. You can call me a dumb ass too...

Are you gonna go back to a fiberglass pole? lol Glad you made it mostly healthy!

 

[Edfish]

I don’t want to ask you to reveal your fishing spots, but I’m curious generally where in the world this happened? I feel like some of the lines around ozello get low but I’ve never seen one that low. Then again, I’m not ever looking for them.
Glad you’re ok!

 

[MariettaMike]

Glad you’re ok.

There’s been a local trend for trailering with the pushpole fork towards the stern to make it easier to attach a red flag to it. When the pole is reversed while preparing for launch or load I’ve seen guys come really close to power lines around the ramp. Although there are lots of lines over water around Homosassa. Several have lures and tackle hanging from them.

 

[jay.bush1434]

Wow! Glad you are ok man. That seems like the power lines were awfully low. Whereabouts did this happen?

 

[SteveRetrieve]

Wow, glad you're okay. I work for an electric T&D company and we have several incidents a year where customers touch our wires while trimming trees or whatnot and they don't make it.

Also in this part of the world, if we're aerially crossing a navigable waterway (Army CORPs jurisdiction) our wires have to be a minimum 22' above the nearest bridge. So theoretically, if the bridge is low, the tide is really high and you have a long push pole on top of a platform, you could be close to that wire with your pole.

 

[ElLobo]

Which flat? Just so I know to avoid it . But in all seriousness glad you are ok and were able to walk away from that, sounds terrifying.

 

[TurboBonefish]

I don’t want to ask you to reveal your fishing spots, but I’m curious generally where in the world this happened? I feel like some of the lines around ozello get low but I’ve never seen one that low. Then again, I’m not ever looking for them.
Glad you’re ok!

Just a guess but I'd say somewhere in SC

 

[BrownDog]

Damn! Glad you are OK. Could have been much worse. Hope you had someone with you on the boat to help.

If you are laid up and need a hand with anything off the water let me know.

 

[Fishshoot]

Glad you are okay!! Sounds like a close call. Reminds me of my rock climbing days, it seemed more great climbers died doing easy things than pushing their limits. It is often the simple stuff we take for granted that gets us in trouble imo. Hope you heal up quickly.

 

[jonterr]

So long story short I was poling recently in a newer to me area, had fished it a handful of times but didn't know it very intimately. Didn't see an overhead powerline against the tree line until it was too late and the top of my push pole struck the explosed power line over the marsh. I got electrocuted and got some pretty bad burns on my right forearm and hand. Pole had previously been repaired with a ferrul kit and epoxy, and it basically exploded at that point.
I've spent a crazy amount of time out in my local waters and can't remember another area where I've seen lines that low with even the thought of hitting them when on the platform with a pole. This is just and FYI for anyone out there to watch for this because it could potentially take a life.
And If anyone has any useful or interesting info feel free to share. Open discussion. You can call me a dumb ass too...

Well
If u pole in 4” of water and have a 24’ pole, it’s possible

 

[Smackdaddy53]

Well
If u pole in 4” of water and have a 24’ pole, it’s possible

It happened so…

 

[lemaymiami]

Glad you survived and I'm guessing it was a carbon fiber pole (or enough moisture in the air or on the pole to make whatever pole you were using conductive). For those not aware - our early pushpoles (back before graphite and now "carbon fiber" poles were ever available) - were actually "hot sticks" made for FP&L, Florida's electrical outfit. Not the best poling gear - actually meant for handling hot power lines since fiberglass is not an electrical conductor at all.... The same guy making them for the power company would make poles for anyone wanting one -to whatever length you could handle (fiberglass pushpoles were heavy - don't think I ever saw anyone with a 24' long fiberglass pole...).

Me? I'm spooked whenever we're in lightning conditions - and a long way from safety... More than once over the years I've been running in a very heavy static field -with my anglers sitting on the floor of my skiff, not touching each other (or anything else) and me - crouched down behind my small center console so low I could barely see over the top of it to be able to run.. And yes, I was doing my best to be a hard to hit moving target while lightning was snapping and popping around us....

Lightning or high voltage from any source isn't funny at all. Be careful out there. A member of the fishing club I belonged to years ago almost lost his son and his brother to a lightning strike a few miles off of Elliot Key by Miami one summer day... It was afternoon, and in summer - every afternoon the usual thunderstorm was over south Florida -while offshore a few miles they were in clear blue sky conditions... "Out of the blue" they took a lightning strike that killed the 15 year old boy (the friend of the club member's son - three total on board that day...) outright. He was holding onto the metal steering wheel when the strike occurred... The other two were knocked down and when the remaining boy came to he thought his uncle was dead as well as the other boy. Although all of their electronics were gone (this was back in the seventies when outboards were a lot more simple) he was able to start the motor and make his way back to Black Point... The uncle turned out to be fine - only unconscious but the young boy that was killed outright had been opened up like a flaming sword had split him open...