Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Charlie Lamb on March 09, 2008, 10:54:00 AM
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Reading a recent post I was surprised that a couple guys I know had never tried bowfishing before.
I'd thought that was impossible since fish are such a natural and the fact that I've been doing it and enjoying it for 50 odd years now.
I thought it would be helpful for the new guys for a few of us to list our favorite gear for bowfishing.
Give them some food for thought and all.
Here's a simple rig that I've used since the beginning. Effective, but there is better/more efficient gear out there.
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/bigheadcarpandgar.jpg)
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Charlie, is that Dacron or FlyLine?
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The Sting-a-ree type point is a classic. It won't pull back out.... it can reverse if the fish spins and is prone to plane in the water.
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/Bowfin05R.jpg)
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That's either fast flite or heavy braided nylon... can't remember right now. Someone will know and it's tougher than all get out.
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50lb Bear Minuteman and a screw in version of Charlie's reel.
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I use a Bear 76er with an AMS reel and Muzzy arrows and points.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v663/soldier321/
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Curtis Kellar and a carp taken with his prefered rig... close face spinning reel.
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/curtiscarpR.jpg)
They are fast, place little drag on the arrow, and are relatively inexpensive.
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Here's my rig....56" Bear Grizzly 45# with AMS Retriever Reel, fiberglass arrow with Muzzy point....
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a365/yleecoyote23/bowfishing406008.jpg)
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a365/yleecoyote23/bowfishing406005.jpg)
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It's my opinion that someone new to the sport would be well served to fork over the money for the AMS system and skip all the cheap stuff.... That's how impressed I was with Jason Wesbrock's set up on a Texas trip a few years ago.
:thumbsup:
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My rig for the '07 Sweat...
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/SWEAT/DSC00100.jpg)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/robtattoo/SWEAT/TexasSweat022-1.jpg)
60" 58# Pronghorn, AMS retriever, big beardy guy.
For a first-timer I found the AMS to be faultless. Far simpler & less for me to get wrong than with a Zebco setup.
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Last year was my first time bowfishing, I used a 52" wing Redwing hunter and a tape on reel. This year I'm getting set up now, I have a 58" Grizzly and was going to put a AMS reel on it. But now I'm interested in what you others have to say about reel types, I like the looks of Curtis's setup now I'm undecided.
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I type to slow :banghead:
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Here's a pic of a "shoot thru" type reel... of course I'm shooting "over" it. Just couldn't get use to the shoot thru concept.
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/Garredemption.jpg)
(http://www.tradgang.com/upload/charlie/Travisbowandgar.jpg)
Last time I posted this pic the fashion police had comments about my choice of clothing.... I just don't meet enough women on these jaunts to worry about that stuff. ;)
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Like Charlie said; I prefer an AMS rig. I'm also fond of Muzzy and Shure Shot points with AMS safety slides. The particular AMS Retriever I use is going on about 15 years old now and still working great.
I first got started bowfishing 20+ years ago when my grandfather gave me his old green Bear spool and a fiberglass arrow. Since then I've used everything from closed face reels to shoot through hoops, but prefer the AMS.
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y138/wesbrock/bowfishing-gear.jpg)
One of the best things about Shure Shot points is that if I'm wading down the local river and I break a point, I can just screw a new one on and be right back in the action. With most other points, I'd have to bring an extra arrow since the body of the point is glued directly to the shaft.
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y138/wesbrock/Shure-Shot1.jpg)
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Browning Safari II 51# bow with simple Bohning spool to hold the line and fiberglass fish arrows have done me just fine. Im sure there are more efficient systems out there but for me you cant beat a simple and reliable rig like this and it compliments my old recurve quite well.
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For Me I've always used a 808 Zebco reel and I really like the Sting-a ree points like Charlie is Using they are one piece so You don't lose the tips if they unscrew.
I am going to try the AMS real this year just for something differant Everyone seems to like them and I have forgotten to push the button before. Probably be shooting a PSE coyote again this year 45# at 28"
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I like the AMS and use it mostly when chasing big gar but for numbers shoots and smaller fish, I don't think you can go wrong with the Zebco 808/888 or Synergy reel. For me, arrow retrieval is ALOT quicker with the spincast type reel. I like Muzzy, Sure Shot, and Sting-A-Ree points depending on the fish I am after and how warm the water is. Seems like I get alot more pull-offs in real warm water so I switch to the Sting-A-Ree. Bowfishing is one of my favorite activities with archery tackle and technically, how I got into traditional archery.
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PSE kingfisher 50#, screw in Bear fish spool, 300#braided line, Muzzy arrows and tips......lotsa fun in the off season....Nile perch favorite target
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I like the AMS reel, ShurShot points and safety slides. I feel a really good gaff is important as well. :bigsmyl: (http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r224/REALVTer/slang5-24-07001-1.jpg)
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AMS, Shure-shot with safety slides, Quinn Stallion recurve. I shoot a lot of fish each year and participate in the Great Lakes Bowfishing Championship. Probably 95% of the shooters there use AMS. It is not quite as fast retrieving your arrow but MUCH more dependable. I've had too many break downs on spincast reels to depend on them in a tournament situation. I like the Shure-shot because they hold fish well, easy to remove fish, and it has a shorter distance from the point to the fins then most other heads so it grips better on shallow hit fish.
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This set has always worked great for me...Bear A mag with number one limbs...kinda old school reel but it works OK...bowdoc (http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii175/bowdocsarchery/bf001.jpg)
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50 # Grizzly Saunders shoot thru reel. Dont care for the AMS.
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Howatt Hunter w/ AMS reel, muzzy point and safety slide.
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a79/bmnash/bowfishing/4Rcarpwbow.jpg)
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Can't beat the AMS Retriever. Not the best for fighting monster fish (50#+), but for "normal" bowfishing adventures they are the best.
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p105/carparcher/FeslerBowman.jpg)
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Another AMS fan here...along with a 56", 54# Shakespeare Necedah.
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d108/lwscott/MLCarp.jpg)
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I guess I'm going to have to try this at some point. For you carp shooters - what in the heck do you do w/ the carp - eat 'em?
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(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v613/shaunw/bowfish.jpg)
'70's 50# Bear Kodiak and Zebco 808, 200# FF safety slide on arrow. Have since added the rubber no glove rollers for shooting with wet fingers. Does have the "forgot to push the button" problem but otherwise works fine.
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I have two different rigs and each has pros and cons.....
Quinn Stallion w/AMS...
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d39/kylecook/Bowfishing/IMG_0174.jpg)
Hoyt GM w/ Synergy reel...
(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d39/kylecook/IMG_0450-1.jpg)
Of the two, the AMS is pretty much trouble free and user friendly. There just isn't a whole lot to go wrong. Arrow retrieval is kinda slow though.
The Synergy with it's lighter FF line will outshoot the AMS and line retrieval is smoother and faster. But, it requires more tweaking during setup and attention during use or bad things happen :knothead: .
As for points, I like the Grapple heads from Sully's. They hold as well as Stingray/Sting-a-rees but dont require constant re-tightening. I could always get an arrow to fly well easier with the Muzzys but had way too many pulloffs on soft fish.
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AMS and a synergy here. I like the synergy the most, but the light weight of the ams is hard to get rid of. Bow i shot longbows recurves and compounds, Shot my little home made longbow 56 inch 50 lbs for most of tournys, light weight and little (night shooting
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I've got a zebco 808, i think. With some gorrila wire 70lb. Muzzy heads. That real will flat out smoke.
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How far do ya'll shoot with the fiberglass arrows. The one I bought last year drops like a tank falling from the sky out of a 50lb bow. I only wade in flooded riverbottoms. Mike
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I have a 42# bow, is that too light for bow fishing?
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My whole family shoots AMS Retriever Reels, Muzzy arrahs with Muzzy carp or gar points and safety slides. I do use a "Gadget Adapter" on my bingham kit longbow....too purty to drill holes for inserts!!!
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/DSC00181.jpg)
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/DSC00183.jpg)
(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b147/fireman_3311/DSC00060.jpg)
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Originally posted by Gatekeeper:
I have a 42# bow, is that too light for bow fishing?
That should work fine. We need to schedule a carp shoot for this summer.
Bill
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42# is plenty...alot of times at close range I only half-draw my 45# Bear and it penetrates just fine. Alot of time less is better because you don't shoot through the fish and into the muck along the bottom.
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this year im going to try my new pse kudu 50 pound with rino rsc 3 reel 100 pound power pro with muzzy tips and ams saftey slides, the rest of my fish bows have wheels, one with a psincast one with ams reel,
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Charlie, I used to use the same type reel as you do, but have since changed to the Zebco like Curtis has.
When I used the spool reels I replaced the string that came with them with my old floating flylines. Well treated with silicone, you could gain a few feet
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Carparcher, whats the deal I've seen 2 pictures of You on here and both times You had a Gar? LOL!! where's Seminole? I've always wanted to try the Red River for some Monster Gar
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42 pounds is plenty. My son has a blast with a 25 pound recurve. It is plenty for most gar, mullet, and mudfish.
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Yeah.......most shots are close, so that should be plenty. At the lake I bowfish most,early in the season I take alot of long shots from high banks. The fish are staging and waiting to come up into the grass. I love taking those shots. The success rate is lower, but it's suprising how many you can connect on if your arrows are flying well. For that, a heavier bow helps alot, which I why I rigged up the GM with the Synergy. It's a better long range rig.
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I just use my TD bob lee. Previously i have used 58# limbs, but i bought some 49's, so ill prolly be using them this year.
The AMS reel with AMS safety slides has always worked for me. I've shot every reel on the market. The AMS is indisputeably the best IMO!! The only draw back to it is that you have no torque when reeling. Just fight the fish with your hands and then reel in the slack.
(http://i26.tinypic.com/2yv4efq.jpg)
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I'm glad this thread came up, I put in 29 hours overtime thats coming in this next check. I'm going to order Joe and my gear so were ready to go this spring. Joe wont be able to hunt turkeys till next spring so him and I will do some bowfishing together, he's growing up fast and I want to spend as much time in the outdoors with him as I can now.
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My Quinn Stallion and retreiver for me.
(http://funhunts.homestead.com/firstfish.jpg)