fish arrow question... off the rest or shelf?

[homerdave]

getting set up for pike , and i got a cool old bear  minuteman.
should i shoot off the shelf or get a rest...  what has worked well for folks?
thanks.

[bretto]

Get a stick on they are pretty durable and cheap. I bow fished with Minute Man for a couple of seasons and I let a friend talk Me out of it.  

Will You be using a spinning set up or a retriever reel?

[Stone Knife]

We have a 76er( Thanks Brett) it has a stick on Bear weather rest and it works great for bow fishing.

[Big Ed]

I would use the Weather rest also

[john mccabe]

I prefer a roller wheel rest, (that's what I call it )  it supports the weight of a fish arrow, you can tune it alittle and glue on types can come unglued.

[Guru]

Never had a problem shooting off the shelf

Like Dave, I'd like to hear more about it....we're not allowed to bowfish for them here in NY, but I'd imagine it's a blast!

[owlbait]

Shooting any fish has to be fun! Can't shoot pike here but you can spear them in the winter through the ice, go figure. Tried the AMS Wave rollwer rest this year on Carp Vader and really liked it. Can tune the arrow a little more and it was very solid and dependable.

[homerdave]

hey dave,
i have no idea how to go about it, just know that at the moment pike is all we can chase up here with a bow. i was going to try some lakes near me, but not only are the pike deep right now, but the two lakes with good pike populations are both in line for rotenone next year   :(
may look at trying to find some shootable fish around frbnks this fall when i am up there, and there are a  few of us planning to introduce proposals to make salt water finfish legal, and to make archery legal for salmon in some areas where they are open to snagging.
probably write a proposal for  sticking salmon sharks, but it's passing is not too likely in the first go-round.

[Paul Mattson]

I use the Wave Roller rest on my PSE Yote.  I also used a 76'er and shot it off the shelf.

When in Fairbanks and if you have a boat, try give Minto flats a try.  The sloughs around North Pole would be another good choice.  

Bowfishing for salmon?  That would be a blast. Is it still legal to snag in saltwater?  I caught a lot of Silvers and Pinks in Valdez that way.

[Big_Al]

I use a Wheel Of Fortune roller rest on my fishing bow.  Works great.

[robtattoo]

I've just switched from a Bear weather rest to a Muzzy Zero Effect rest. The only reason for the switch was I got sick to death of knocking my arrow off just as a big catty was swimming past! The Zero Effect is a darn great hook that stops this from happening.

[IndianaBowman]

I shot both off the rest and a roller for a long time. You guys are evidently a lot better shot than I am. I can't shoot good enough to tell the difference. Between the heavy arrow, string friction, and refraction I'm lucky to hold a 6" pattern at 10 yards. The only thing I've found to help my accuracy is to increase my poundage. I still stink!