Bowfishing

[jamesh76]

Does anyone use wood arrows for this or just fiberglass?

If you do use wood, what fish point do you use?

James

[FerretWYO]

I am not sure that wood would work to well if you had to shoot very deep into the water. That is the point of the heavy fiberglass arrows. Though I have never tried maybe someone here has.

[KentuckyTJ]

Fiberglass. Wood wouldn't last long.

[bretto]

There are times when You could get by with wood arrows. Shallow water where the fishes backs were exposed for example.

The problem I think would be attaching Your head so it wouldn't detach or break off the shaft.

Fiberglass arrows are heavy so they can penetrate the water and not distort the arrows path. Some companies are making solid carbon fish arrows now and there used to be someone who made a solid aluminum arrow.

[bobman]

SOLID fiberglass is the only way to go

[Stumpkiller]

Wood arrows do work . . . but.

I used to live on the Chenengo River and in the spring certain areas would dry out and strand carp.  A neighbor and I would take our bows and have at 'em.

BE VERY CAREFUL if you lash a line to a wood arrow.  They weigh 1/3 as much as a fiberglass arrow and if the line snags or balks that arrow can come back at you.  My neighbor had his come back and gouge his upper limb.  So we just used free flying blunts thereafter.  

Advantage to wood is they float nock up if you miss.

[ksbowman]

Like Bretto said a wood arrow wouldn't hold up long at all(probably one shot) or have the weight needed to penetrate well. I've shot a lot of fish and some roll and others take off like there on fire, so a wood would snap immediately. Remember too that your string is attached at the nock basicly when it runs up the slide and the fish is out on the front 1/3 of the arrow.

[tradshooter]

I have never used wood, always fiberglass. The extra weight and strength of a solid fiberglass arrow gives you the ability to hit a fish slightly underwater and the arrow won't break when bringing the fish back in to the boat. My experience is limited to shooting only carp, but even a 15-20# carp can be pretty hard on your arrow. I think a reasonable sized carp could snap a wood arrow, but it was done years ago, before we had the fiberglass arrows. Maybe they let them swim more, or didn't have a line attached to the arrow....and probably lost some arrows?. I can only imagine what some of the gar or saltwater fish could do when arrowed.

[jamesh76]

Thanks for the great responses guys. I got an old Shakespeare sierra thats 50# I am planning on putting a stabalizer insert and setting it up for bow fishing. I have no experiance with it but think that it would be a fun outing for my son and I.

James

[rimes]

I always have a blast bow fishing. I would not think that a wood arrow would hold up well on some of the stingrays we have put on the boat. A couple of those things have put up quite a fight.

Kris

[Michael Golden]

I've used wood arrows without a string and field points, just make sure you are shooting down and pin them to the banks!

Mike

[Swinestalker]

I have been bowfishing for years and just don't think wood could take the abuse. Maybe smaller species, but not the gar we go after.

[seabass]

i fish by stalking them in a river by my home.the river rocks would kill my cedars very quickly.i have yet to break a fiberglass arrow.this year i will be shooting a solid carbon arrow.looks like it will last a lifetime.good luck to you on your bowfishing this year,steve

[motorhead7963]

solid fiberglass with an aluminum arrow for extra stiffness. Can't wait until the local lakes open up for the season!!!

[jamesh76]

You gentlemen talking about these solid carbon arrows. Do you by chance have any links so I can view them?

james

[gsmitty]

James, many quality archery vendors should carry carbon fishing arrows.  Check out the arrow that Cabela's carries:

 http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cajun-Sting-A-Ree-Tournament-Bowfishing-Arrow/745813.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch% 3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dfishing%2Barrows%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26x%3D15%26y%3D9&Ntt=fishing+arrows&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

[bobman]

nice arrow but they sure have become expensive

[seabass]

i paid thirty some dollars for my solid carbon arrow.it does come with an abs safty slide on it,and a muzzy gator point.seems like a really tough arrow.come spring,i will give a full report of how it works.i really never had a problem with the fiberglass arrow.one thing i want to say is get the safty slide.it works great.it lets you keep the string up front where it belongs,steve