bowfishing arrow rig question

[John Krause]

I have been bowfishing for a long time and have went thru the drum reels, spincast, tying to the back of the arrow, safety slides etc.

The last couple of years I have been shooting a spincast reel with a safety slide. I know that doing it this way you can't tell if the button is pushed as you draw. I am paranoid about pushing the button.  I also keep my drag loose and tighten it after shooting a fish if need be. I recently read that you should not use a safety slide with a spincast reel.This is the first time I have ever seen this. Is this common knowledge and I missed it somehow?

Is tying to the back and risking a snap back that way (with a spin cast reel) better or do you think the way I do it is safer?

Thanks

[swampbuck]

If it gets caught and snaps back it's because it got caught on the bow string and it's the bow that sends it back at ya not the elasticity(sp) of the string as if it hit a dead stop inside the reel or perhaps the button wasn't pushed.I always thought that about the push buttons but watched a slow motion video and have been using the slides ever since

never heard any bad things about the slides as of yet anyway

[Jerry Jeffer]

John, just like every thing else about trad is.... I keep it simple.  Drum spool, reel by hand and I use the slide system.
 

[smokin feathers]

I use the slides with both zebco 808's and the ams retriever and have had no problems. Turn the anti reverse off for added safety. Had more arrows fly back at me and the string cut my face from spools than all others put together, epecially on the coast when the action is hot and heavy and you shoot several hundred times a night.

[LC]

Been bowfishing along time myself in my opinion the only time you should use slides on a spin cast set up is IF you are using a rod extension on the front of your reel rest. Without the rod extension you can forget to push the button or inadvertantly bum the crank and have the reel lock up and still be able to draw the arrow while using slides. With the pole extension and slides you can not get full drawn without the arrow being pulled off the string. Tying to the back of a arrow you'll never pull the bow a inch without it pulling off the string if the reel gets locked.  I've never heard of a single snap back on a spin cast where the line wraps around the bow string. It's been well documented with the retriever because of the slack line  that freely hangs out of that reel and again most guys thats had problems had used 400lb test line for a thicker string so the retriever grabs the string better on reel in. Again just my opinon, if you want to stay absoutely safe without any chance of ever getting hurt stay home in bed and be very careful rolling over.

[BONES 1]

Safety slide wtih an AMS reel is really the way to go....BONES

[Stone Knife]

 Safety slide wtih an AMS reel is really the way to go  

[2treks]

I am no expert at this game but in my efforts to avoid a wound, I got what was told to me, to be the best of all worlds. for the type of fishing we do. Carp and smaller mostly. works great and I had a blast. AMS PRO w/slides.   Chuck
 
 

[INBowfisher]

The odds of a snap back occuring using trad equipment is lower than when using a compound bow. The string tends to get wrapped up in the cables more than a primary string. The reason a slide could be a problem using a spin cast reel is due to the amount of line let out in front of the arrow before the shot. If you have excess line and forget to push the button when you release the arrow will snap back at you. I personally tie to the back of the arrow and keep the line taught to the riser. If I forget to push the button the arrow will just pop off the string. I should also mention that I shot off the shelf and that my method will not work if using any kind of a rest.