best bowfishing reels

[first year hunter]

what kind of reel is best for bowfishing

[Shedrock]

I had alot of luck with a Zebco 888. I used to live in Ne. Had alot of fun with the carp and gar.

[trashwood]

I like the Saunders Archery hand wind reel.  The one the bolts onto the sight boss.  I hunt the bank of the Trinity River (TX) in the spring.  It has some gar that you can not stop.  You put a float on the end of you line.  when the gar takes all the line off the reel ya let the float go.  You follow the float    .

I don't really mind the hand wind reels.  they sure aren't as handy as the spin caster and retievers for fish of the size it can handle.  I hunt for the bigger fish.

rusty

[gregg dudley]

Rusty, the AMS Retriever set up like they do for gator hunting would work like a champ on your alligator gar in Texas.

[Big_Al]

Another vote for the AMS Retriever.  Practically indestructible.

[DW]

Just posted this on the poll...NOT TRYING TO ARGUE just an opinion based on a lot of nights in a BowFishing Boat......Hey Guys, the AMS is an awesome system and I know you can land big fish on it but.....Here on Lake Guntersville and in the Gulf you have a really good chance of shoot of shooting really big...50-60 lb. Buffalo, Catfish up to 80 lbs., Grass Carp to 85 lbs.....We don't get shots at these fish often but often enough to make you prepare for the opportunity...A detachable bottle system would work OK BUT WE DO SHOOT A LOT OF Smaller FISH ALSO....These big fish are like hunting a trophy animal to us...And When and If you get an arrow in one, you don't want the bottle on your AMS turned wrong side out because you ran out of line and had no way to stop it. It's a tug of war match that you will lose..... We sell both of these Reels and Sell parts for them also. I have a good Idea about the strenghts and Weaknesses of both........AND go to the Muzzy Classic on Lake Guntersville see what the participants are using and check out the Average Size of the fish the winners have......Not trying to Argue, just telling Ya'll what works for us Rednecks......Don Wilson

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TGMM Family of the Bow

[Guru]

I love my retriever...but after a night of shooting off a boat with Don, Sky, and Conan it was plain to see that a spincast reel is far superior in quickness and line control when things get a little crazy with BIG FISH!  The ability to keep line from getting tangled on a boat is priority behind safe shooting.

My AMS will always be with me, but I will have a Muzzy reel set-up before I head back down to Don's!

[Jason R. Wesbrock]

I've always been partial to AMS Retrievers (slotted and regular), but spincasts are also good. I think it really comes down to a "Ford/Chevy" type of thing.

[Schafer]

AMS RETRIEVER all the way!

[Ike 403]

I use one of the round, hand-wind reels from Cajun Archery. It's OK for the occasional bowfisher like myself. You may not get to shoot as often as the AMS or 888 set-ups, but with zero moving parts, the failure rate is practically nil.

[toddster]

Well, my 2 cents.  I have used the spool reel's (drum), zebco 808 and 888, shakespeare's and muzzy's.  It really depends what you are looking to do, bowfishing is all catch 22's.  The drum reel's will last a lifetime, and have very low maintance.  But, if you plan on shooting alot, I can typically get 4-5 shots to one of my buddies with them using the drum.  With a closed face reel, you will need a reel seat and either a stabilizer hole or the adapter from great northern is great.  Problem with the closed face reel is the pin's and gear's get striped from alot of use with no rod.  I find for the shooting I do that shakespeare T10 are great.  They seem to last longer than the zebco's and cheaper.  The AMS system is good, zero drag on arrow when you shoot, and less maintance.  But I found that when I tie into a 30 plus fish have to hand play him, then have all this line in the boat.  That is the only reason don't like them.  I shoot alot of carp, buffalo, long and short nose gar.  If I was going after gator's, gatorgar, or sharks would go with the AMS for the float system works better.

[SKYLER W]

Todd hit the nail on the Head!!!!  

Originally posted by gregg dudley:
Rusty, the AMS Retriever set up like they do for gator hunting would work like a champ on your alligator gar in Texas.

X2 - I have used the retriever reel for gator gar and it works great. We used a slotted one and a 20 oz coke bottle taped to the bottom limb for a float (if you shot a real big one). I've shot up to 110# gar and not had to use the float yet.

Bisch