Teach me to Hit fish

[tracker12]

So I consider myself a pretty good shot.  I am comfortable shooting most methods be it point-on gap or instinctive.  That being said I absolutely stink when shooting fish.  I'm at the point that I am thinking of putting a sight on the bow to help make me shoot low enough.  Any suggestions?

[Charlie Lamb]

Always be sure to cant your bow when shooting at fish that are close and "underneath" you. The steeper the angle downward the more you should cant the bow.

Sometimes you can't shoot low enough. If a fish is in shallow water but more than about 10 yards you have to account for refraction AND planing of the arrow. Very difficult to impossible to shoot low enough. The same applies to deep water shots.

Like a lot of things sometimes you have to wait for the right shot.

Aim low, and when you think you are low enough, go a bit lower. I have found that the best way to figure it out is to shoot lots of fish. If I go for a pretty good while between trips, I have to relearn a bit every time.  Also, once they get below about 2' deep, it's just hard to get it right. The refraction is worse the deeper you go, and the fish has more time to react too.

Finding fish in really shallow water (like 1' or less), and shooting straight down at them really makes it easier!

Bisch

[Charlie Lamb]

   

Something that helped me many years ago was a suggestion I picked up here.

To get a good idea of what is happening when you "see" a fish, the natural light is refracting (bending) the image of that target.  Just take an arrow (stick), slip it into the water and watch the angle of the arrow change dramatically at the surface of the water.  

As the guys have pointed out, you must aim "LOW"..how much low you'll figure out by a combination of what you learned by the refraction and, of course, shooting alot..

[tracker12]

Tony
The guy I was with last night did just that.  When he stuck the arrow in the water I was amazed at how much refraction was present in just 1 1/2 feet.

Charlie
What does canting the bow do with the shot.

[shag08]

Just keep after it and you will figure it out. A sight really wouldn't help you at all when the fish are always at various depths and distances...matter of fact, I think it'd probably hurt.

As others have said, aim low. Once you get the hang of it, you won't have to "aim" at all. I love me some bowfishing!

[Bowguy67]

I mostly shoot carp. If that the case it's easiest when they're close/closer to surface. Time makes you better too

[Charlie Lamb]

I think I can describe what it does but John Schulz kind of explains it in his shooting videos. I know it opens up your sight plane and you can only shoot so low with the bow vertical.

[Charlie Lamb]

I just looked up the Schulz video on YouTube. You'll find it at 9 minutes in.

   

[tracker12]

Thanks Charlie

[LBR]

Lots of practice.  It can be very tricky, especially in deeper water.  If nothing goes wrong, I'll be headed to FL in a little over a week for our yearly string ray bow fishing trip.  Salt water can really mess you up...if it's flat and clear, 4' of water may look like 2', and it's not hard at all to miss a target bigger than a garbage can lid.  For me (take it for what it's worth), canting the bow has nothing to do with it unless I'm off the bow of the boat and have to cant to avoid hitting the side.  Otherwise, bend at the waist just like any other angled shot.  Getting lots of experience is the best way to learn that I know of.  I don't think sights will help either.