This afternoon I headed south to the Marais Des Cygnes River knowing that it was out of it’s banks and expecting to find some good bowfishing. It’s not an exact science but I use the National Weather Service website and my own past experience to guess when I think the fish will be swimming over one of a few different roads and/or dams. Ideally the water would be 12-18″ deep running across a specific road with a good current.
I spent a couple of hours wading up and down the road finding almost constant action but difficult shooting. For the most part it was too shallow to find good fish crossing but a nice mix of fish were in the much deeper water off the shoulders of the road. I targeted big buffalo and mostly ignored small gar, which were everywhere.
I finished with 9 buffalo, the biggest being right at 20 lbs. I also had 6 carp and 5 gar, the biggest being 17 lbs. That was a personal best for me and the only nice gar I saw. I had the only grass carp I saw pull off, which would have been a personal first.
Bowfishing in a flood is really not a very complex activity. Old tennis shoes, a bow, and lots of rain, are the only things you need. There’s no planning, no practicing, no scouting, no being quiet, and no pressure. It’s just a fun way to get outside and enjoy yourself. If you’ve never tried it, I highly recommend you give it a shot. A rigged up bow can be had for less than $50 if you use the spool type reels. For a few dollars more you can add an AMS reel and an IPOD, then you’re really rolling. Sun, water, fish, music, and shooting: what else do you need?
Obviously be careful going into a flood plain, particularly if you are unfamiliar with an area and it’s water.
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