Flashover to a resin bonded carbon fibre fishing rod from an overhead power line: doubt about the mechanism

The question is raised whether breakdown to a carbon fibre fishing rod held a few metres from an overhead 33 kV power line might occur as the result of the discharge of accumulated charge on the rod arising from a rectifying action. The discharge might provoke muscular contraction in the person holding the rod so that the rod was sharply brought into contact with the energised conductors. Or perhaps the discharge might trigger long distance breakdown through the air. (4 pages)