I started because I was seeing huge carp while out fishing. I finally bought a Fred Bear Whitetail Hunter bow and put a spool on it. To get in to bowfishing you don't have to spend a fortune. Go to a garage sale and buy an old bow, slap on a reel and you're good to go.
Now Muzzy makes a bowfishing reel that looks like a giant Zebco. Last year I got their Muzzy Xtreme Duty Bowfishing Reel. I've always used 60-pound string but it'd probably be best to go to 120 or so.
Fishing arrows are made out of fiberglass but now I've seen some carbon ones. I've never used carbon so I don't know how they work. I've used a lot of different types of tips and arrows but I like either a Muzzy Stingray Point or a Muzzy Classic Fish Arrow with Quick Release Carp Points.
Years ago in small streams I'd use aluminum arrows and chase them down because I got tired of the string hanging up on brush. But, aluminum arrows bent if you hit a rock or if the fish was deep it would deflect since they are so lightweight. Fiberglass penetrates the water better.
If you're shooting deep it can be tricky. Even a heavy fiberglass arrow will deflect upwards somewhat. To further complicate things you have the refraction factor which makes the fish look shallower than he is so you have to aim below him. He's deeper than you think. Wear polarized sunglasses to cut the reflection off the top of the water so you can see the fish better.
I love hunting them in the spring when they're spawning and have hit three in one shot before when the males are in a line following females, but I've had great times later as well catching them in the willows or up in the flats feeding.
To hunt in shallow marshy water it's best to use a Jon boat with a Minn Kota trolling motor so you're quiet. I've shot a million wading around but the ultimate is hunting them out of a Jon boat with an elevated stand. Being up high you'll be able to see them a lot better. On good days you can literally fill your boat.
It doesn't take a powerful bow. Fish flesh is extremely soft and half the time your arrow will zip through them anyway. So don't feel out classed if you don't own the ultimate bow. You'll be OK.
My buddy Scott McGann tapes up his fingers with athletic adhesive tape so he doesn't get burned pulling in the big ones.
One last tip. I'm not sure if it actually helped or not, but on the last trip I thought I'd play off the current craze everyone has for tattoos and body piercings. I periodically announced that the green Jon boat was offering free body piercings via the Tattoo Queen (my bows nickname). I think we started getting more shots after each announcement. (To see more on Bowfishing go to outdoorsite.com and at the bottom of the page click on Tom Claycomb for the author).
Tom Claycomb writes a monthly outdoors column for the Humboldt Sun.
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