Bow fishing question

[rluttrell]

Ok gutsy I have been told 30 to 45 pound bow for fishing. I don't have a clue and  need some advise
Thanks

[Stone Knife]

I use a 45# Bear Grizzly and that works great.

[macbow]

It all depends on the type of fish and the terrain.
For small fish especially carp a light bow is fine especially if you have lots of shooting.

If you have large fish like long nose gar and big buffalo.
I like 45 to 55 pounds.

Alligator gar etc heavier is better.

Terrain, if shooting in rocky bottoms and banks heavy bows will ruin points faster.  If mud bottoms heavy bows will stick in the mud and roots and be hard to pull out.

Over all I like 50 pound bows.

[KenH]

I use a 30# horsebow for bowfishing all the time.  As mentioned, works great if the fish aren't too deep or the bottom too rocky.

As with many things a good fishing arrow or two are the most important factor. -- heavy enough and with a good sharp point and good barbs.

Here on the Gulf Coast I bowfish Gafftopsail Catfish and occasionally mullet off the stern of my boat in the marina.  Inland I also bowfish tilapia in a couple of private ponds to which I have access.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I have used 40-47 lb bows for fishing, Personally I think its too light and had a lot of pull offs with carp.  If you are only fishing the spawn and all the fish are on trhe surface you may get away with it.

I find 50 lbs to be an Ideal weight.

[Stone Knife]

Originally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
I have used 40-47 lb bows for fishing, Personally I think its too light and had a lot of pull offs with carp.  If you are only fishing the spawn and all the fish are on trhe surface you may get away with it.

I find 50 lbs to be an Ideal weight.

Charlie if your getting pull offs I would think it's because your points are dull. I shoot Muzzy points and keep them touched up with a file, my 45# setup blows through some pretty big carp time after time.

[Fletcher]

My main fishing bow is a Grizzly that I probably shoot about 43 lbs with.  It does very well for me unless I get into some really deep water or BIG fish.  Much less weight than that and they had better be pretty shallow.  I find the Innerloc to be a great point and the barb design really helps with penetration in bigger fish.

[Paul_R]

Never had a problem with my 40# super mag 48

[beendare]

I spend my whole spring bowfishing the San Joaquin delta- yes I'm addicted!

 #1 most important factor is arrow flight- just like in bowhunting,
Close behind is arrow weight. i like those yellow jackets but any fiberglass arrow works. I notice a difference in penetration between the heavy Alu fish arrows and the heavier yellowjackets.

 If you are shooting fish on the surface or only a foot or so deep- light bows are fine. The same bow shooting fish 3' or more deep is sorely lacking. When we are shooting fish 4' deep or more I use a compound thats 55#-60# or more. [don't shoot me for the C word, my shoulder can't handle 300 shots with a heavy recurve at a steep angle downward like that.

As I said, don't discount arrow flight. When you shoot into the water there should be no splash what-so -ever. It should just be a sucking sound of arrow hitting water. You may have to play with the heavier points to get good arrow flight with a light # recurve to get good consistent arrow flight. It helps to have a riser with arrow rest that you can adjust, IMO.

[LB_hntr]

I think I can honestly say I love bow fishing more than big game hunting when it comes to good time with friends and lots of action.
We bow fish from ice thaw to freeze up. Often dodging ice bergs to get into early action.
Did I mention I love bow fishing...lol

Any bow above 30 will work but the heavier the better.I use a 63# longbow and still very rarely shoot thru 30 pounders and bigger. My wife shots 40# recurve and gets aa lot more pull outs than I do. Big fish have very tough scales that you can't even chop thru with a machete. Totally different than game animals. So I suggest a heavier how for big or deep fish. But like mentioned any bow will work. Shoot what's comfortable but if looking to get.a new bow go on the heavier side if you can.

[ChuckC]

My one question that keeps me from enjoying that sport... What do you do with the fish ?  I need to find a way. . . .

ChuckC

[Gatekeeper]

45# is what I am using.

ChuckC, I feed the coons, turtles, crawdads, fish and other scavengers with the carp that I shoot. Of coarse that's after pictures have been taken.

[stalkin4elk]

DEFINATELY UNDERPOWERED to shoot through the ice this time of year....maybe ok in the summer!  

[LB_hntr]

Originally posted by ChuckC:
My one question that keeps me from enjoying that sport... What do you do with the fish ?  I need to find a way. . . .

ChuckC

Best fertilizer you can have for your garden. Then give extras to those around you with gardens. Then give all others to local farmers they have you dump them right in their fields and then they disc them in for fertilizer.
 I have tried every natural fertilizer I could find and nothing works better than carp. Cut off heads and tails with axe and bury in garden..done.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Originally posted by ChuckC:
My one question that keeps me from enjoying that sport... What do you do with the fish ?  I need to find a way. . . .

ChuckC

Chuck,  I use as fertalizer and also...

Bait Snapping Turtles, they are tasty.  

When I was in WI there would ususaally be a bunch of Hmong Population that would line up for the carp. Also there was a Mink Farmer who loved them for feed.

If the body of water is clean, you can fillet the best you can and then grind like hamburger.  you can make fish Patties much like crab cakes.  yum.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Jim,

You could be right.  I do touch mine up on a grinder at home, then with a file.  

with a 50 lb bow, I had great penetration on one at 23 yards. Barely had enough string and practically was clout shooting to get it out there.

[Paul_R]

Originally posted by ChuckC:
My one question that keeps me from enjoying that sport... What do you do with the fish ?  I need to find a way. . . .

ChuckC

My dogs go nuts for the stuff especially when I take em with fishing.

[Stone Knife]

Originally posted by ChuckC:
My one question that keeps me from enjoying that sport... What do you do with the fish ?  I need to find a way. . . .

ChuckC

I compost mine in with horse manure, I have several landscapers and some friends that come and take the finished product and they love it. I also feed the coons around my place, nothing goes to waste it is just re purposed in a different manner. Just because your not eating it directly does not mean that it is being wasted, I also put my compost on my food plot areas. I always run out, there is never a surplus.

I've taken 100+ pound gar with a 52# recurve. I don't think I could make myself go as low as 30#, but would have no problem with 40 or 45#.

Bisch

[johnnyk71]

45# Hatfield is my go-to. Plenty of punch for surface shooting. Those scales are tough, though! I once center punched a scale and that was all I reeled in, haha!