bow fishing??

swbuckmaster · Oct 28, 2007

How many of you have tried bow fishing?
Have any of you killed anything of any size. If so please post pictures and short story. I am thinking of buying some equipment and trying it out. I travel a lot and would like to shoot a few of the gar I have seen but don't know what type of equipment would be best.

wilecoyote76 · Oct 28, 2007

Bowfishing is tons of fun. My youngest brother and I use a 50# recurve with an AMS retriever reel. They are nice and easy to reel after the shot. Here's a pic of one carp that didn't get away.

swbuckmaster · Oct 29, 2007

Can you take the recurve down so it will fit into a suitcase?
Have you ever had an arrow get hung up in the real and come back at you?
By the way that's a nice carp. Do they fight after they get shot or do they just drag in?

gilamonster8 · Oct 29, 2007

Done it alot here in AZ. but i want to go to tha ILL. river and try the flying carp. Now thats looks like a blast. Cost is like 300.00 a day.

264Magnum · Oct 30, 2007

I have a couple of times. No pictures on my computer, though. My first time was by accident: Archery turkey hunting and saw some splashing in a flooded area and stayed there until I had lost all my fancy schmancy Easton arrows. I got one carp that probably weighed about 25 pounds.
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Farmers harvest. Hunters kill

hornsantlersandbigracks · Nov 7, 2007

me and my friends go all the time. between shed hunting and bowfishing i never go regular fishing anymore. AMS retriever is very safe. and the best one in my opinion. worth the $60

this is an average couple hours. dont take pictures often, but have had days that me and my buddy will have 20-30 apeice(and you miss alot) 10 pounds is average for where i go. have them over 15 often and the ocasional 20

swbuckmaster · Nov 7, 2007

that looks like a lot fun IMO. I think I will try it out. Do most people use recurves or compounds? Also what do you do with the carp you shoot?

hornsantlersandbigracks · Nov 7, 2007

i prefer recurve, but an outdated compound is fine. i use 45lb. anything 40-50 is good. i really really think you should go with an ams retriever. i have tried all of the setups and it is the best by far.

i use alot of mine for trot line bait. if i dont need it i catch and release. not really ethical i know, but alot of them live and the ones that dont become fish food or racoon food. we have alot of carp, people who catch them usually leave them on the bank to die.

its a blast!

swbuckmaster · Nov 8, 2007

Maybe they would be good for bear bait.
I will use the ams retriever because everyone says it is the best.

rugarm77 · Nov 8, 2007

Go onto youtube and type in bowfishing. The videos are of a species of carp introduced to the U.S. about 14 years ago. The sound of the boat motor makes them jump out of the water. ENJOY.