This week I update an old popular post - Anatomy of a Bowfishing Rig.

Since writing the original version of Anatomy of a Bowfishing Rig  I’ve changed my equipment just a bit.  So I thought I’d publish an update to once again go over my bowfishing rig and talk about the equipment we use.  We primarily shoot fish under 20 pounds from a moving boat on lakes at night.  Water depth is usually 2-5 feet and shots are typically less than 4 yards.  We also made our first trip to the Mississippi River a few years ago and felt there may be a few changes needed for that specific shooting.  I’ll point those out as we go along.  Also, for those of you who want to put out minimum funds or change minimum equipment I’ll discuss what I did in my early days of bowfishing from the bank and from a canoe. 

Bow:  I’m currently using a Strother Valor set at about 45 pounds.  It is a 33 5/8” axle-to-axle and 8 ¼” brace height bow which offers a good compromise between forgiveness with finger-shooting and maneuverability.  While our typical lake shots are less than 4 yards the shots out on the Mississippi were sometimes up to 17 yards.  I believe turning the bow up to 50 pounds for those longer shots would be beneficial. 

 The Strother Valor with AMS Retriever installed. 

No Glovs:  I’ve always shot a release for big game and used to for my bank bowfishing also, but for shooting from the boat fingers reign supreme.  The rubber grips of the No Glovs on the string above and below the nock makes shooting a whole lot easier on the fingers and allows me to shoot many, many times (common in bowfishing) before they get tired.  Trying to keep track of a shooting tab would be a mess.   As an added incentive for shooting a Strother all their bows come with No Glovs on the string – very handy. 

Muzzy “Fish Hook” rest:  For whatever reason I’ve generally always shot a one-finger-over-and-two-fingers-under method.  When using my previous favorite rest, the good, simple Muzzy Wheel of Fortune, I would sometimes pull the arrow off the rest and bounce it off my bow arm or get it stuck between the riser and the rest.  No matter what shenanigans I may be up to when drawing on the Muzzy Fish Hook rest the arrow is in the pocket and ready to shoot when I’m at full draw.  I highly recommend it.  Again, when I started shooting from the boat I switched from a 2-prong rest which is not as safe as there are more protrusions for the line to catch on to the Muzzy Wheel Of Fortune roller rest which I also still recommend. 

 The Muzzy Fish Hook rest.

AMS Retriever:  A handy luxury, the retriever features, “…no buttons to forget to push before the shot.”  The line loosely retrieves into a bottle preventing tight tangles and allowing it to dry somewhat.  Prior to buying the retriever I used the simple hand wrap drum mounted in the stabilizer hole.  It worked just fine.  I only switched after I won a $50 gift certificate to a sporting goods store that carried them. 

Hand sling:  A few years ago my visiting buddy on his first bowfishing trip shot at a fish and all we heard was a great splash – he’d let his bow follow his arrow into the water.  Luckily the water was pretty clear and shallow.  The next morning I was up with an air compressor and oil cleaning his bow.  Use a hand sling such as those from Straight “N Arrow Archery.

 Lynisa at Straight ‘N Arrow Archery picked these colors to match my Valor.

Sights:  I don’t shoot with any.  They are too cumbersome in low light situations and not quick enough for the fast moving nature of bowfishing.  When daylight shooting from the shore and a canoe I used the same peep and sight I used for hunting.  When I converted to mostly boat bowfishing I did away with the sights.  AIM LOW and PRACTICE OFTEN!  Shooting with a partner who can “call” your shots helps also.

Arrows:  Simple fiberglass arrows available just about everywhere work fine.  My buddy and I use fiberglass fence posts we buy in bulk, but we have to make the nock tapers and slightly reduce the diameter to fit the fish points.  No fletching is needed.  I’d recommend having at least two arrows.  Losing one, which will happen, can be the end of your trip.  Depending on the destination we carry two to five.

Fish points:  My personal opinion is that the Muzzy carp point is one of the best fish points ever produced and is on nearly all our fish arrows.  However, the longer shots and reduced penetration on bigger fish we experienced in the Mississippi convinced me to try the Warhead.  The barbs fold all the way down against the shaft and are closer to the tip than many other points.  I was hoping this combination would result in deeper penetration on longer shots.  This head does have the potential to allow “spin offs” where the fish spins causing the point to turn and release the barbs.  The Muzzy carp point’s construction won’t allow that.  We’ve found that the Warhead works well, but is not as durable in shallow water where your arrow may hit bottom.  Again, probably a good point for deep water and longer shots, but the Muzzy out performs it for closer shots in shallow waters. 

 The Warhead on the left and the Muzzy Carp Point on the right.

AMS Safety Slide:  SAFETY FIRST!  Please never attach your line directly to the arrow.  If your retrieval line catches on something, synthetic line snap-back can lead to the loss of an eye or other serious injury.  Always use a “cabled” (I couldn’t find a picture) or AMS Safety Slide affixed arrow.  Having used cabling early on we very much prefer the Safety Slides.  The cable eventually stretches leading to extra material that could get caught on a rest or other protrusion.  Both methods allow you to position the retrieval line at the end of the arrow reducing the chance for it to get caught on a rest or sight.  We have found no noticeable effect to arrow flight while using either.  The fiberglass arrows are very heavy and lead the way taking the safety assembly and line with it.

 AMS Safety Slide, a MUST HAVE. 

Extras:  Here are a few extras that will make your trip more successful whether from shore or boat. 

Whacker:   I apply an old mini-crow bar judiciously to the fish’s forehead.  This makes it easier to retrieve the fish, remove it from the arrow and make it part of your daily catch. 

Rag: Keep an old rag in your back pocket to dry your hands and wipe off the blood and slime.  

Extra nocks & glue, safety slides, point tips:  On the water repairs. 

Bow holster:  Allows you to rest your bow on your thigh so you aren’t holding its weight for long periods.

  A bow holster.

Multi-tool and/or hex wrenches:  Good for tightening up the screws and bolts on your bow or removing the retrieval line wrapped around the trolling motor propeller.  Besides a bow going into the water I also know of a Retriever that went in.  The fish took that one to places unknown although we still search the general area. 

Polarized glasses:  Indispensable for day shooting.  They cut the glare off the water allowing you to see “into” it. 

Wide brimmed hat:  Also indispensable for day shooting.  It shades your polarized glasses improving your ability to see into the water. 

Bucket or fish stringer:  Bring something to make the fish part of the daily catch.  Here in Wisconsin we must take the fish with us and dispose of them properly.  

Sun screen:  Day shooting necessity. 

Beverages/snacks:  Make your trip a good one. 

Small meat hook/gaff:  I like to have a small meat hook available to move fish around, pick them up for trophy pictures, etc.  These can be found in outdoor stores and butcher specialty retailers for less than $6.

 A meat hook turned fish gaff. 

Small duffel bag:  A handy place to put my kitchen sink, extra equipment, snacks and beverages.

happy hunting, dv

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Copyright © Jerry E Long, 2009-2011

 By Jerry Long, December 14, 2010

I lost this blog somewhere along the way, but in it I share why it is important to have extra bulbs in your boat’s tool box and I’m privileged to share pictures of my brother’s first fish.

Lookin’ out for fish.

After setting up our bowfishing boat in 2009, see Bowfishing Boats – Yet Another Option, Gary and I had a hard time making schedules match in 2010.  In August we managed to get out for only our second round of bowfishing this year.  Good, right?  Well, not so fast.  Turns out three of our five lights were burnt out and I only had one spare in the tool box.  We’d used one last time and I was supposed to pick up more.  Ooops.  I suggested we put in the one new one and redistribute one of the other good ones.  Bad call.  We broke the one trying to redistribute it.  After the light rays had settled we ended up with two good lights.  That sucked. 

I got a few whacks in, but missed everything.  As we were winding down Gary managed to connect on three, but only landed two.  Those two were nice and fat, though.  We now have 10 new bulbs in the tool box.

Gary took these fat ones.

My brother Terry in Kansas called around that time to say he’d finally made his first bowfishing outing.  To say I was excited is an understatement.  Couldn’t wait to see his fish.  He shot these during the day from the shore.  Nice.

Four nice fish from my brother’s first outing in Kansas.

I hope your bowfishing went well this year.  My thoughts are already turning to winter bowfishing.

happy bowfishing, dv

If you liked this blog you may like the following:  

• The Best Valentine’s Day Ever – Winter Bowfishing
• Bowfishing Boats – Yet Another Option
• The Bowfishng Boat – A Different Option
• Bowfishing With the Up North Journal Podcast Team
• Carp O’ Rama
• Friday Night Bowfishing
• Bowfishing – Preparing the Boat
• Anatomy of a Bowfishing Rig
• Winter Bowfishing?

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 Posted by Jerry Long, February 22, 2010

I don’t always hear all that well, especially with background noise, but I’m sure I heard Seth say, “This will be the best Valentine’s Day ever,” as we pulled the sled through snow and ice towards our first winter bowfishing adventure. 

A Quest

Since posting Winter Bowfishing I’ve been on a quest to shoot fish when the ice and snow are hanging about.  With the closing of deer season Seth started working intel on Lake Links while I worked logistics and dates.  As Seth will testify; once I pick a date I stuck to it like a pit-bull on an intruder – come heck or high-water, literally.  Gathered intel indicated we had two regions to pick from; central Wisconsin along the river (a 3.5 hour drive) or eastern Wisconsin along the lake front (a 1.5 hour drive).  Seth wisely advised taking the shorter drive and saving the longer trip for Camp Pug’s annual ice-fishing outing which I’d be up for anyway.

A Trip Turned Scouting

When the chosen Saturday arrived 8-9 mph northeast winds drove me into the gym for my weekly marathon-training long-run.  That should have been a warning, but as Seth commented on my disposition, “You’re not stubborn, just dedicated.”  Thanks buddy.  He once again warned me the effects that northeast winds would have on the lake, but I was dedicated (stubborn) and chose to drag us both along.  With some detailed directions from a generous Lake Link’s user we headed towards the designated spot.  We were greeted with lots of ice and 18-24 inch waves that definitely did not look safe to wade in.  After some scouting from different directions we determined we’d come back again when the wind was more from the west and slower.

Success, Finally

With commitments through the following Saturday I decided to return the following Sunday pending wind conditions.  As all looked well we loaded up and headed out.  A mid-week snowstorm had laid down significant amounts of ice along the lake front – as much as 2-3 feet.  It was absolutely not safe to enter the water along most of the shore.  Once in a person could never ascend the 2-3 foot ice walls and the waves would batter you to exhaustion.  We looked south to see two people and a dog in the misty fog so we headed in that direction.  As we arrived they were no where to be seen yet there was no where for them to go.  Magic, it seemed, turned out to be a stairwell we’d not noticed before.

The foggy, wavy lakefront. 

We climbed the stairwell and followed a cat-walk to find two trout fisherman dunking lures beyond carp 7-10 yards away.  Ahh, the one piece of intel we didn’t have was to climb the stairs and follow the cat-walk.  With hearts a-pumping we returned to the truck to gather equipment. 

Equipment

Our intel indicated we needed waders, that we’d be in the water shooting fish (shooting at fish…).  Having no experience with waders I consulted Seth (a waterfowler and sometimes trout fisherman) who recommended neoprene boot footed waders for general use.  Of course everything was too large for my short legs, but I found a pair of size 8, neoprene, $99 waders on sale for $59 at Gander Mountain that would do.

My first winter carp with ice and snow in the background.

Other than that the normal equipment discussed in Anatomy of a Bowfishing Rig served us well.  One major difference was the need to transport the fish between 1/4 and 1/2 mile from point-of-harvest to the truck.  In the short term we decided on a plastic sled with our normal carp bucket inside.  For the future we may go to some sort of cart for this location. 

Bowfishing, WI style.

With an air temperature at less than 30 degrees our AMS retrievers would freeze up and so would our hands, but due to the warmer water temperatures in this area we could dunk them in to unfreeze or warm them up.  I ended up wearing a heavy winter glove on my bow hand, but I can’t stand to wear anything on my shooting hand.  The AMS safety slides would also freeze to our arrows in undesirable locations, but would usually break free when drawn across the rest.    

Strategy/Technique

Shot opportunities came in two kinds; from the top of elevated structures along the lakefront and in the waves.  The carp would frequent and congregate in certain areas visible from the elevated structures offering us 5-10 yard shots.  That is a 5-10 yard instinctive shot at a moving target, with 12-18 inch waves while considering refraction.  A challenging shot indeed.  My first shot managed to find the eye-ball on a nice one.  However, despite a head-shot normally being a good anchor, the fish pulled off when I tried to retrieve it up to my level.  Disappointing.  From then on the shooter would drag the fish into the shoreline while the other person would help to retrieve the fish from below – teamwork.  The other problem here is that carp aren’t totally dumb.  A couple of shots were all a shooter would get off before they stayed away for a little while.  That was a little boring.   

The other shot opportunities came while taking a walk through the waves.  We’d circle down the beach to the south, enter the water and stalk back to the north in about 2 1/2 to 3 feet of water.  Shooting like this has always been a challenge for me due to my short carcass and the need to keep the bow’s bottom limb out of the water at the shot.  We learned to face our right sides to the waves to keep from being battered.  Doing this we also learned to look in the trough or slack water following a wave to spot fish.  Shooting from and into the trough allowed me to keep the bottom limb out of the water.    

Danger

Ice, snow, freezing temperatures, water, waders and intent to enter the water.  If that doesn’t sound like a recipe for disaster I don’t know what would.  Seth’s better half and mother caught on pretty quickly, labeled me as crazy and wished Seth not to go.  Mrs. dustyvarmint caught on a little later, but we both promised to be safe (and made sure our insurance policies were up to date).  As with any adventure having a partner to look out for you, notifying people of your intended location and employing common-sense go a long way.  There is no chance I’d enter the water in many sections of beach in that stretch, but in this particular location I have no fear of the conditions.  

Good “In-Between Season” Adventure

Eventually the wind kicked up the waves too high and we grew tired of waiting for the carp to come back to the elevated locations.  In total we took five fish with the largest being an 11-pounder.  We lost three-to-five more trying to retrieve them.  It was a blast.  If you are looking for something to do with your bow between deer and turkey season keep an eye out for an opportunity like winter bowfishing.  We had a great time, plan to go back and had, “the best Valentine’s Day ever.”

Seth poses with the results of our first winter bowfishing adventure. 

happy hunting, dv

If you liked this blog you may like the following: 

• Custom Turkey Call Interview On Up North Journal
• Packin It In And Out – Treestands
• No Bird Left Behind - A Turkey Tale
• Outfitter Report – Javelina And Hogs In Texas
• Boar Attack – Anatomy Of A Hog Shot Gone Wrong
• Pronghorn – Rained Out
• A Clothing System For Cold Weather Bowhunting

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Once I introduced Super Slam archer and friend Gary to bowfishing he was hooked.  I personally think it’s because he’s already shot everything on land and now wants to work over the water creatures.  Anyway, Gary already had a small 14′ jon boat with motor he wasn’t using that would serve as a starter for the joint project.  Previously used as a bass boat, it already had a casting deck up front.  We extended the carpeted deck which also added storage and installed a low-cost PVC light rail inspired by the Up North Journal patriarch, Michael Adams.  Relatively economical battery operated navigation lights were added since we’d be out after dark.  Five, five-hundred watt halogen shop lights were installed on the light rail.  The lighting system was hard-wired to the generator with a single plug rather than relying on multiple plugs and power bars in the bottom of the boat that might get wet.  We found a 3500-4000 watt Champion generator at Tractor Supply for $300.

In the beginning.

The extended deck with storage area underneath.  The light rails are in progress.

A close up of the light rail.

Our Generator

A note on generators – here in south east Wisconsin the lakes we shoot are generally quite populated with houses close to shore.  Using a loud generator at 1:00 a.m. will generally get you a visit from a Conservation or local law enforcement officer or screamed at by a home owner.  When shopping for generators we found the very quiet Honda series products would run in the 58 db range while the Champion ran in the 67 db range.  However, the Hondas were five times the price of the Champion.  We decided to chance the Champion and have been happy with it thus far.  However, it is very apparent when running it next by friend’s Honda that the Champion is quite easily the noisiest. 

Having learned a lesson on the UNJ boat regarding trolling motor shaft-length we shopped for and bought one with a 42″ shaft.   It was only $10 more than the 36″ shaft and makes a significant difference in the ability to stand and operate the controls from the bow of the boat – even for my short carcass. Gary fabricated a mount for the trolling motor.  Just as with the Up North Journal boat modification we turned the stern-mounted troller’s control handle 180 degrees so that it could be used as a bow-mounted troller.  This is usually an easy change only requiring the removal of one screw.  However, if the trolling motor ever needs warranty service I recommend changing the handle back to its original configuration to save you any controversy.

The trolling motor mount with the control handle rotated 180 degrees.

That was pretty much it for functional modifications.  Lessons learned over time, though, led to a few more additions.  A $5 plastic tool box went in the storage compartment loaded with a screwdriver that fit the lenses on the shop lights, extra bulbs for same, a ratchet and socket that fit the trolling motor propeller nut in the case someone’s retrieval line gets wrapped up in it (I’ve seen it twice over the past two years), another socket used to adjust the shop light angles and, finally, extra batteries for the navigation lights.  A waterproof Rubbermaid tote keeps our extra clothing dry.

Gary poses with the final product. 

On our maiden voyage we shot four or five fish, got lost, forgot to open the vent on the motor causing it to die repeatedly and got stuck in some serious quack grass forcing us to paddle our way out.  Our next voyage on a new lake found a GPS in the tool box, we changed out one broken bulb, and shot four fish of personal record size for both Gary and I.  Additionally, Gary shot his first dogfish.

Gary poses with fish from our second voyage. 

In total we spent about $800 on the boat, no small amount, which would get you started on a nice fair-chase hog hunt.  However, we get to shoot fish more often and for less overall cost.  We have a few other odds and ends we want to do, but at the end of the season the boat is ready to go.  We’ve already got plans for the third weekend in April of 2010…

happy bowfishing, dv

If you liked this blog you may like the following: 

• The Bowfishing Boat – A Different Option
• Bowfishing With The Up North Journal Podcast Team
• Bowfishing – Preparing The Boat 

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We’d all like to have a 16-22 twenty foot fan boat set up for bowfishing, but that isn’t always possible on everyday budgets.  My friends Michael and Mike Adams from the Up North Journal recently did an outstanding job setting up their boat, the Fowl Mouth Two, for a weekend of fish shootin’ here in Wisconsin.  Although Michael already did a blog on it over at Hooks and Bullets I wanted to share this with Mostly Archery readers. 

In my opinion there are three key components of a decent bowfishing boat; a platform big enough to stand on and shoot from, a lighting system (including power) and a trolling motor.  To address these requirements they started with their already existing, basic 14 ‘ V-hull aluminum boat with a 51″ beam.  Bowfishing buddy Seth and I were concerned about the draft of a V-hull boat limiting how well it could navigate shallow water.  I can assure you it was not a problem.  I was being ultra conservative when driving, but Michael took us into water so shallow that the trolling motor had to be raised. 

Using 3/4″ Oriented Strand Board, or OSB, and 2 x 4s they cut and fit a shooting platform into the forward portion of the boat wisely leaving storage under it.  Mike, an avid fisherman, notes that the platform makes a nice casting deck and also says that he may add a bass casting seat to it.  They are considering installing a hinged addition to the platform which will extend to the rear of the second seat creating even more shooting space up front and further storage.  The entire platform can be easily removed if not wanted/needed.  The addition of some indoor/outdoor carpet or non-skid paint will help with traction and protect it from wet weather. 

The shooting deck.

Having shot from the platform I can tell you that it is stable and safe to shoot from.  It will accommodate one shooter comfortably, but Michael and I both fit while shooting at some rascally gar and doing some underway mechanics.  Near the end we started shooting in tandem; he from the front of the boat and I from the rear standing on the boat’s normal deck.  This actually worked quite well and allowed me to back him up on shots he either missed or couldn’t get into position for. 

Addressing the need for lights is where Michael’s genius really came through.  He attached mounts to the newly installed shooting deck and then formed PVC into a railing system for affixing the lights.  They added six 250 watt halogen work lights to the rail utilizing conduit clamps and ran the cords aft toward the expected location of the generator.  There is something going on with how the lights performed on the water that I can’t put my finger on.  Intensity seems sufficient, but I was often unable to see fish until it was too late to shoot.  I did experiment with angles and they seemed to perform better when angled further out than I am used to.  I’ll be posting some pictures on Bowfishing Country USA and asking for feedback to satisfy my curiosity.    

The light rail.

A detail of the light bracket. 

Here in Wisconsin we shoot a lot of lakes into the wee morning hours where houses are crowded along the shores.  Lake homeowners do not appreciate (nor would I) loud generators and will call the police to report a noise disturbance.  My buddy Seth uses a 3000 watt Honda rated at 49-58 decibels.  Michael and Mike borrowed a similar Honda generator from family rated at 53-59 decibels.  Both work well and we had no problems.

A quiet generator. 

Finally, they added a 55 pound thrust trolling motor.  Originally mounted on the stern this thing would scoot that boat right across the lake.  However, for bowfishing the optimum location for a troller is in the bow so that a shooter or shooters can control it.  Seth, Michael, Mike and I spent a couple of hours working out a solution to the problem.  First, we removed the control handle and rotated it 180 degrees on the shaft.  Then, we began fabricating a mount.  After one failed attempt on the port, forward side of the hull we looked toward the “pointy end”. 

With a little woodworking, lots of teamwork and no bad words we got it worked out.  You can see the result in the picture below.  Depending on the weight in the bow the entire trolling motor wasn’t necessarily submerged even with the shaft fully extended.  However, it was quite stable and performed well.  We originally wired the battery to the back of the boat, but a difference in battery posts caused us to move it all the way forward.  It worked well in that location, helped to add a little weight in the front and was very convenient.  The forward navigation light was operable, but isn’t quite set yet.  Michael is going to work on that.   

Trolling motor mount.

This is a very worthwhile project for anyone who wants to get into bowfishing at low cost.  In lake trials the Fowl Mouth Two performed well.  Both Michael and I took fish.  What more could you ask for? 

Insert a couple of fish taken from the boat.

You can download the Up North Journal podcast, Episode 112, where they discuss setting up the boat here and Episode 114, where they discuss their Wisconsin Bowfishing Adventure here.

happy bowfishing, dv

If you liked this blog you may like the following:

• Carp O’ Rama!
• Bowfishing – Preparing The Boat
• Anatomy of a Bowfishing Rig 

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Mike Adams poses with his first carp and Michael with his first quillback.

After a second night of shooting Mike shows off his first gar and sheepshead.

Michael’s second quillback on night two.

My shooting was off this night, but I managed to connect with this 13 pound carp and a 6 pound dogfish (a new personal record).

Sharpshooter Seth shows off his catch – look at that monster 18 pound carp (a new personal record).

Lexus helps me send Michael and Mike off after a great weekend.

happy bowfishing, dv

If you liked this blog you may like the following:

• Carp O’ Rama!
• Bowfishing – Preparing The Boat
• Anatomy of a Bowfishing Rig 

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Gary poses with his first fish, a mirror carp no less!

Gary and Seth pose with our catch -$43 in gas money.

happy bowfishing, dv

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Coming up on Mostly Archery

• Boar Attack – Anatomy of a Hog Shot Gone Wrong
• Preparing a European Skull Mount

Seth poses with our Friday night fish.

happy bowfishing, dv 

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Coming up on Mostly Archery

• dv’s 2009 Turkey Season Review
• Boar Attack – Anatomy of a Hog Shot Gone Wrong

Earlier this spring my outdoors buddy Seth called me and said it was time to convert his boat, the Carp ‘N Quack, from Quack to Carp.  The sixteen-foot, modified V-hull john boat with steering console primarily gets used for two things; bowfishing and waterfowl hunting.  A little bit of “normal” fishing gets thrown in.

The Carp ‘N Quack “Before”

So, I met him on a Saturday afternoon and got to work vacuuming all the leaves out and off the plywood bottom deck.  This deck is painted with haze-grey non-skid for traction and covers some construction foam for added insulation and buoyancy.  Given my Navy background and aversion to being deployed the haze-grey non-skid gives me a few involuntary chills, but I try to focus on all the upcoming shooting.  Next, we put in the combination extended shooting deck/storage area.

Constructed from two-by-fours and plywood, this home-built extension gives us about twenty inches more horizontal, elevated shooting room and a place to store the small kitchen sink I usually bring along on all my outdoor adventures.  The deck extension and bow are covered with indoor/outdoor carpet for safety when things get bloody and slimy.  While this whole area seems like a lot of standing room we do sometimes fit three shooters in the bow.  Even with just two shooters I can’t tell you how many times I have inadvertently fallen off the back of it into the carp tubs in the heat of the moment.  For the record the hardest beverage I’ve ever seen drank in the boat is Mountain Dew.

Installing the extended shooting deck and storage area. 

The extended shooting deck installed and closed up. 

Next are the plug-in strips that the shooting lights plug into.  They are installed in the deck extension storage area with the cords run aft along the gunnels between the ribs and the boat’s skin to the generator’s general location. 

The combination light bars/ankle-safety rails go on next.  Although they look like a commercial product Seth constructed the rails from ready-made supports and electrical conduit.  The rails get screwed to the gunnels.  We ran the cords from the 300 watt halogen shop lights, four on each side, to the plug-in strips and tested everything.  All went well. 

Safety rail, lights and cup holders.

A custom made, three tube arrow holder is attached to the steering console (shown in picture above).  Finally and importantly the onboard cup holders are functionally tested.  Before we added those last year my sodas always rolled into and spilled in the storage area when we accessed it or they ended up “with the fishes”, literally in the tubs. 

With the exception of firing up the generator we were ready to hit the water.  Rumor had it that buffalo and suckers were running in some of Wisconsin’s rivers already.  The excitement was mounting!

My biggest carp thus far for the 2009 season – 12.13 pounds.

First gar of the 2009 season.

happy bowfishing, dv 

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Coming up on Mostly Archery

• dv’s 2009 Turkey Season Review

As we gear up for bowfishing I thought I’d go over my bowfishing rig and talk about the equipment we use.  Primarily we shoot fish under 20 pounds from a moving boat on lakes at night.  Water depth is usually 2-5 feet and shots are typically less than 4 yards.  We made our first trip to the Mississippi River last year and felt there may be a few changes needed for that specific shooting.  I’ll point those out as we go along.  Also, for those of you who want to put out minimum funds or change minimum equipment I’ll discuss what I did in my early days of bowfishing from the bank and from a canoe. 

Bow:  I use an early 1990′s Hoyt Spectra Fastflite bow set at 45 pounds.  It is a long axle-to-axle and brace height bow which is good for finger-shooting.  This bow is still in good enough condition to act as a back up hunting bow if need be and has done so.  While our typical lake shots are less than 4 yards the shots out on the Mississippi were sometimes up to 17 yards.  I believe turning the bow up to 50 pounds for those longer shots would be beneficial. 

A Hoyt Spectra Fastflite set up for bowfishing. 

No Glovs:  I’ve always shot a release for big game and used to for my bank bowfishing also, but for shooting from the boat fingers reign supreme.  The rubber grips of the No Glovs on the string above and below the nock makes shooting a whole lot easier on the fingers and allows me to shoot many, many times (common in bowfishing) before they get really tired.  Trying to keep track of a shooting tab would be a mess. 

A close up of the roller rest, No Glovs, carp point and Safety Slide.

Roller rest:  This is a good, simple, $10 Muzzy Wheel Of Fortune that is safe for bowfishing.  At least two manufacturers produce them; one in brass, one in UHMW plastic.  Again, when I started shooting from the boat I switched from a 2-prong rest, not as safe as there are more protrusions for the line to catch on, to a roller rest. 

AMS Retriever:  A handy luxury, the retriever features, “…no buttons to forget to push before the shot.”  The line loosely retrieves into a bottle preventing tight tangles and allowing it to dry somewhat.  Prior to buying the retriever I used the simple hand wrap drum mounted in the stabilizer hole.  It worked just fine.  I only switched after I won a $50 gift certificate to a sporting goods store that carried them. 

Hand sling:  Last year my visiting buddy on his first bowfishing trip shot at a fish and all we heard was a great splash – he’d let his bow follow his arrow into the water.  Luckily the water was pretty clear and shallow.  The next morning I was up with an air compressor and oil cleaning his bow.  Use a hand sling. 

Sights:  I don’t shoot with any.  They are too cumbersome in low light situations and not quick enough for the fast moving nature of bowfishing.  When shooting from the shore and a canoe I used the same peep and sight I used for hunting.  When I converted to mostly boat bowfishing I did away with the sights.  AIM LOW and PRACTICE OFTEN!  Shooting with a partner who can “call” your shots helps also.

Arrows:  Simple fiberglass arrows available just about everywhere work fine.  My buddy and I use fiberglass fence posts we buy in bulk, but we have to make the nock tapers and slightly reduce the diameter to fit the fish points.  No fletching is needed.  I’d recommend having at least two arrows.  Losing one, which will happen, can be the end of your trip.  Depending on the destination we carry two to five.  

Fish points:  My personal opinion is that the Muzzy carp point is one of the best fish points ever produced and is on nearly all our fish arrows.  However, the longer shots and reduced penetration on bigger fish we experienced in the Mississippi last year convinced me to try the Warhead this year.  The barbs fold all the way down against the shaft and are closer to the tip than many other points.  I’m hoping this combination results in deeper penetration on longer shots.  This head does have the potential to allow “spin offs” where the fish spins causing the head to turn and release the barbs.  The Muzzy carp point’s construction won’t allow that. 

AMS Safety Slide:  SAFETY FIRST!  Please never attach your line directly to the arrow.  If your retrieval line catches on something, synthetic line snap-back can lead to the loss of an eye or other serious injury.  Always use a “cabled” (I couldn’t find a picture) or AMS Safety Slide affixed arrow.  Having used cabling early on we very much prefer the Safety Slides.  The cable eventually stretches leading to extra material that could get caught on a rest or other protrusion.  Both methods allow you to position the retrieval line at the end of the arrow reducing the chance for it to get caught on a rest or sight.  We have found no noticeable effect to arrow flight while using either.  The fiberglass arrows are very heavy and lead the way taking the safety assembly and line with it. 

Extras:  Here are a few extras that will make your trip more successful whether from shore or boat. 

Whacker:   I apply an old mini-crow bar judiciously to the fish’s forehead.  This makes it easier to retrieve the fish, remove it from the arrow and make it part of your daily catch. 

Rag: Keep an old rag in your back pocket to wipe off the blood and slime.  

Extra nocks & glue, safety slides, point tips:  On the water repairs. 

Bow holster:  Allows you to rest your bow on your thigh so you aren’t holding its weight for long periods. 

Multi-tool and/or hex wrenches:  Good for tightening up the screws and bolts on your bow or removing the retrieval line wrapped around the trolling motor propeller.  Besides a bow going into the water I also know of a Retriever that went in.  The fish took that one to places unknown although we still search the general area. 

Polarized glasses:  Indispensable for day shooting.  They cut the glare off the water allowing you to see “into” it. 

Wide brimmed hat:  Also indispensable for day shooting.  It shades your polarized glasses improving your ability to see into the water. 

Bucket or fish stringer:  Bring something to make the fish part of the daily catch.  Here in Wisconsin we must take the fish with us and dispose of them properly.  

Sun screen:  Day shooting necessity. 

Beverages/snacks:  Make your trip a good outing. 

Small duffel bag:  A handy place to put my kitchen sink, extra equipment, snacks and beverages. 

My friend Seth with our first 2009 Batch of Fish

happy bowfishing, dv 

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Coming up on Mostly Archery

• Bowfishing – Preparing the Boat
• dv Completes a Half Marathon