Bowfishing

Bowfishing is easy to get into

Bowfishing is currently the fastest growing segment of archery and once you try it you’ll know why!

Bowfishing has become so popular for several reasons

  • Easy and inexpensive!  You don’t need a $1000 bow setup, on old bow and less than $100 you can bowfishing, so it’s very appealing to everybody.  If you can try it with very little to get involved, people are much more prone to give it a shot.  We have never taken a single person that didn’t enjoy and wasn’t hooked after the first trip!
  • Easy access!  If you have water, you have bowfishing!  Non-game fish can be found in almost every body of water in the United States, from your local creeks to the largest lakes and rivers in the United States and other countries.    All public ground, all the time!  You don’t have to be a member of hunting club/lease, pay an outfitter, or hunt a high fence preserve to bowfish.  You can walk the banks, wade, or take a boat in almost any water, anywhere and you are bowfishing!  
  • No Limits!  Most of the fish targeted for bowfishing are non-game invasive fish which must be removed from our waterways!  If you google the effects of the Asian carp on our current waterways, you’ll see the thousands of articles on the destructiveness of this species and how detrimental they will be if they are not kept in check.  One of the most recent developments is a $2.3 Billion proposal specifically to keep these fish out of the Great Lakes, so you can see the importance in the removal of these fish.  Bowfishing is environmentally friendly and goes with the “Green” movement.  We are helping to save our waterways by the removal of these fish.  And contrary to popular belief, other fish we take are also very good table fare and we can showcase this as well.  This is an amazing chance to show the positive aspects of bowfishing.
  • No Seasons!  Bowfishing is a 365 day a year sport in most states.  No other hunting/archery related sport has a season like this that can translate to year round sales and peak sales when other hunting related items are at their low point.  Bowfishing gives consumers something to do when nothing else is going on.  A lot of bowfishing is done at night so it can be done in the heat of the summer when it’s simply too hot to do anything else. 
  • Everyone can enjoy it!  For bowfishing you can shoot as low as 20 lbs, so women and kids can easily join the fun.  You don’t have to be quiet and you can have a good time and cut up.   On a good night the action is non-stop, what other sport can you realistically shoot over 1000 times in one trip.  It’s a great way to introduce somebody to the outdoors and sports of archery, hunting, and fishing. 

Bowfishing is easy to get into and most any bow will work.  Whether it be an old compound or recurve, or a new bowfishing specific bow, it will work.  Most people choose not to use their deer hunting bow though.  Usually lower poundage is better, say 40 lbs or so, and most modern compound bows won’t go that low.  Also your bowfishing bow will take some abuse so you don’t want to destroy your $1000 deer hunting bow.  An old bow from a pawn shop is usually an inexpensive way to start.  Then all you need is a reel system, bowfishing rest, and bowfishing arrows.  There are several kit options available for these.

There are basically two types of reels.  The AMS retriever reels and the spincast type reels like the Muzzy Bowfishing reel.  Both work great and have their advantages and disadvantages.  A bowfishing type rest is a must because regular hunting rests simply aren’t designed for bowfishing arrows.  Bowfishing arrows consist of solid fiberglass arrows with special tips designed to reverse for fish removal.  Then all you need is to find some water.  You can bowfish by walking the banks, wading, or by boat.  Check your game and fish regulations for legal species and go to shooting!

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