# bow fishing?



## muskie man (Apr 28, 2008)

Going to start bow fishing for carp from shore. is it hard or wuts the best way to do it???


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## slim357 (Apr 28, 2008)

Ive only seen it done from boats, having never done it my self im affraid I cant be of much help, looks fun tho


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## jkbirocz (Apr 29, 2008)

Seems like a waste of fish to me. My cousin does it all the time, I cannot see it being fun after the first one. Just shoot a target, or atleast something you are gonna eat.


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## Captain Ahab (Apr 29, 2008)

I am not a fan - why just kill the fish for no reason? 

Get a light rod and some corn, probably the biggest and hardest fighting fish you can ever catch in fresh water


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## nicdicarlo (Apr 29, 2008)

I agree with J and ESQ. I don't see much point in it really. I can't imagine fish fight real well with a big arrow through them.


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## DocWatson (Apr 29, 2008)

Gotta agree with J, Dave and Nic on this. Unless you plan to eat the fish or ar thinning an overpopulated lake to stop the numbers from stunting the size it's a waste of a valuable resource for both angling and the environment.

If the water they are coming from is clean (is there any water where you live that isn't ???), carp can be some excellent eating.
They were originally brought to, and distributed throughout, this country by the government as a food source.


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## Quackrstackr (Apr 29, 2008)

I shoot the heck out of them. Gar and carp mainly.

We shoot ours from a boat but I have done it in creeks from the banks.

Rough fish populations need a check just like everything else. Buzzards gotta eat, same as worms. Do some reading on Asian carp and see what they are doing to the ecoysystem if you don't believe me. Most wildlife agencies call for extermination of non-native species and I have no problem helping them out.

You might be surprised how hard a fish can fight even after being struck with an arrow.


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## muskie man (Apr 29, 2008)

well whare i want to shot the carp is in a big sponing pond for a lake and we think thay are eating all of the good walli spon. trying to get the walli spon back up.


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## Captain Ahab (Apr 29, 2008)

Why is this in fishing reports


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## Captain Ahab (Apr 29, 2008)

muskie man said:


> well whare i want to shot the carp is in a big sponing pond for a lake and we think thay are eating all of the good walli spon. trying to get the walli spon back up.



*
A WHAT?*


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## jkbirocz (Apr 29, 2008)

I agree that in some cases carp may need to be thinned from an lake. Asian carp are a complete different story than common carp. I really don't care that you shoot them, I just don't think there is much sport in it, thats just my opinion. I personally have never felt the need to feed a buzzard though. You do, however, have my permission to come to lake galena and shoot white perch. I will buy you arrows.


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## Quackrstackr (Apr 29, 2008)

esquired said:


> Why is this in fishing reports



why are you responding to it if you have no interest in it? :LOL22:


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## caddyjosh (Apr 29, 2008)

Bow fishing is big around here we have a huge carp population I want to also try it out I hate when people just throw them up on the bank so they can rot and stink there is certain people here that eat these and will take them if offered so they don't go to waste. Do you need a special bow?


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## Quackrstackr (Apr 29, 2008)

No special bow required.

Just the reel and fish arrow.


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## Jim (Apr 29, 2008)

Since it's not a report I dsecided to put it here. 

I would like to try it Once myself. Birds and rabbits are no fun anymore :wink:


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## shortfish (Apr 30, 2008)

dude bowfishing is awesome i have only done it from a bow though you have to get used to it though theres allot of snap shots where you dont have time to aim and everyonce in awhile you for get to aim low.

I imagine it is allot harder to do it from the bank because you need light to see them suckers and be kinda elivated. forgot to mention ive only done it at night. with lights and a generator and a platform deck up front.


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## mtnman (Apr 30, 2008)

Esquired wrote


> I am not a fan - why just kill the fish for no reason?


 AMEN!!!!!!! Put a muskie or 2 in there and the carp will woddle away slowly but surely. Probably everything else will too but it will solve the carp problem!!!!!!


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## Quackrstackr (Apr 30, 2008)

Different strokes for different folks.

PETA isn't real happy about all forms of fishing either but it probably doesn't bother you guys too much.

Any idea what the mortality rate is every weekend for bass tournaments happening all over the country? Far higher than the bow fishing take, I can tell you that.


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## Jim (Apr 30, 2008)

Some People agree, some disagree. Thats the Beauty of having civilized discussion about it. =D> 

If it is legal and you want to do it, no one can stop you.


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## mtnman (Apr 30, 2008)

quackrstackr wrote


> Any idea what the mortality rate is every weekend for bass tournaments happening all over the country?




The Pa state tournament is held 15 miles up the Allegheny River from my house every year in Tidioute Pa.in September and the mortality rate for them fish is bad. 2 years ago the holding tanks were so full that the fish were dieing from lack of oxygen and it pissed alot of people off. I think everyone one out theres has killed a fish inteninially or by accident but to have the tournament officials kill a majority of the catch is another thing! They were just to dam lazy to take the tanks down to the water and dump them. Thats Bull Shite!!!!! Alot of nice fish died that day for no reason other than stupidity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Jim (Apr 30, 2008)

I have entered 2 Tournaments as a non boater, and I can honestly say that there were 2-3 dead fish at each weigh in. The people did the best they could to revive them, but it happens.


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## mtnman (Apr 30, 2008)

I know what you mean and if the fishermen kill the fish that one thing and they are penalized for dead fish so they will do all they can to keep the fish alive or its a weight deduction but when the fish comission just stands back and watch the tourny officials sit up on there chairs as these fish die in a holding tank that is totally jammed full of beautiful fish I think thats wrong. Theres no reason they couldnt dump the tanks when it only a 75yrd walk to where they dump them. Fish were floating everywhere. I still have nightmares over it!!!!!! LOL.\
And as for the Bow fishing I guess its no different than someone going out and shooting a deer just for the trouphy rack but im sure if you would look around theres alot of people that would gladly take the carp off of your hands and eat them. Theres alot of hungry people in the US that would love a fresh fish dinner! My dad says his mother use to cook carp back in the depression and he also says that if its ground and cooked right its excellent. Id try it, what the most that can happen. I eat ground hog when my buddies wife cooks it and beleive me ITS GOOD!!!!


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## Quackrstackr (Apr 30, 2008)

I would gladly give someone all of the fish they could pack away if they wanted them.

It's pretty tough to find someone hanging out on the street corner that wants to pack off a bunch of bloody fish from the back of a truck nowdays though. :mrgreen: 

I hear canned carp tastes just like canned salmon. I hate salmon patties so canned carp will never be on the menu around my house.

There is a lot of meat on these fish but their skeletal structure makes it such that you just about have to can them. Too many stray floating bones to just fillet them like most fish.


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## Jim (Apr 30, 2008)

Same here, IT will take many beers for me to try Carp....Many beers. :LOL2:


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## Quackrstackr (Apr 30, 2008)

As far as the tournaments go, I used to work just about every weekend travelling with one of the big circuits when I was in high school.

There was always going to be some mortality. Even some that happened hours of days after the event.

It's hard on fish to haul them around in a sloshing livewell all day long then throw them in a sack to be wagged around until they are released sometime later, even if every precaution possible is taken. At least most larger tournament trails have backed off on the tournaments that they have in the heat of summer.


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## mr.fish (Apr 30, 2008)

Maybe Jim should add another subtiltle to the report area. Because the way I see it, is bowfishing has nothing to do with an actual fishing report. There is a very big difference in targeting a fish, and having the skill to catch it, rather then hitting it with an arrow after spoting it. This way, alot of people on this site can choose to read, or not read such reports.


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## Quackrstackr (Apr 30, 2008)

Good thing that it's in the Watering Hole then. :lol: 

Hunting down and shooting a fish takes less skill than blindly casting a lure or drowning a worm and waiting on a fish to inhale it?

Okay.....


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## slim357 (Apr 30, 2008)

esquired said:


> Why is this in fishing reports


Looks like its in the watering hole to me.


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## muskie man (Apr 30, 2008)

sry ever one im new to the site and i just wanted some help on bow fishing and i dint know where to post it? sry... lol


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## Quackrstackr (Apr 30, 2008)

If you have any questions about it, just shoot me a PM.

It's obvious that some on here are offended by it so there's no point in "making" them read things they don't want to. :mrgreen:


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## slim357 (May 1, 2008)

hmm seems this is in both the watering hole and fishing reports


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## Jim (May 1, 2008)

slim357 said:


> hmm seems this is in both the watering hole and fishing reports




It started in the fishing reports, and has been moved here. Just the link is left there when you move it. :wink:


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## scottbustech (May 3, 2008)

ill give my .02 since no one asked for it 
1 a cheep mid 80s too mid 90s round wheel steel cable compond bow in the 35 - 55 lbs draw weight range and a reel gets you started buy the kit that comes with the arrow and rest and USE THE CABLE STRING GAURDS THAT COME WITH IT i cant stress that enough couse you can catch your arrow and esentually partially dryfire as you release the string smacks the arrow and you have a mess on your hands as well as a blown up bow its hard too explain but youll see when you look at the kit
2 especially if fishing from the bank buy good polerized glasses helps see the fish in the water 
i also practiced in my folks swimming pool tie a milk jug too another milk jug partially filled with water and try and shoot it from pool side AIM LOW when you think you aimed low enough go lower i fish out of my boat and my fiance says it looks like im aiming at the side of my boat carp fishing is best when done during the hottest times you can stand too be on the water they spawn on the surface and youll get some twofers shiskabob style lol hope that helps


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