i am new to bow fishing and would like some tips on how to bag more fish with my recurve

shoot lower

Great answer.  I'm new as well (second year) although I've been shooting a recurve for 45+ years.  Bowfishing is great fun.  Not sure where you are located but at this time of year the carp, gar, suckers etc. will be in very shallow water - it's the spawn.  Take your curve and walk the shoreline of a river, creek, lake cove etc.  Be still - you will see their tails if the water is low enough.  There are a number of sites on the internet devoted to bowfishing.  Just google bowfishing forums.  Heres me and some I got last weekend in So.IL.  Best wishes to you and have tons of fun!!!   Ron

Along with what Ron said, you will want/need polarized glasses. I use the fitover type and like the dark amber/brown color better than gray.

Nice catch, Ron.  Where are you shooting?

Aim low, and when you think you are low enough, aim a little lower...

My first bow kill was a carp at about 10 feet.  It wasn't until I had shot at about 5 of them and missed before I realized I just kept shooting over them.  The water actually makes the arrow look like it changed directions.  Lots of fun though!

Rick

"Aim low, and when you think you are low enough, aim a little lower..."

LOL I always tell guys to aim 6" under what they think is low enuff

QuoteOriginally posted by Fletcher:
Along with what Ron said, you will want/need polarized glasses.

I agree. For me, polarized glasses are almost as necessary for bowfishing as my bow and arrow.

Polarized a necessity - the brown or amber - not yellow ones seem better than the green or grey but individual choice i suppose.  These fish were taken at Rend Lake in So. Illinois, but I'm about four hours from there _ closer to chicago - and fish a lot locally - desplaines, kankakee, illinois rivers - carp, gar and them flyin asian carp are a hoot.

Ron

I don't remember if u asked but that's a 70's Bear Grizzly that pulls 45# but I draw 26 inches so I'm shooting in the high 30's - PLENTY = they're FISH! Not elephants!!!  LOL

As already stated, need good pair of polarized glasses.  Now I have been doing this awhile and for a starter, cheap walmart okay, go with what they have, but a tan, grey or yellow tint.  Tan/brown is best overall, grey great on clear day, yellow tint, with overcast.  The clearer the water and less cloud's the better.  As far as aiming, aim for the belly to hit the fish in the back, head to hit it toward tail.  This all depends on how deep the fish is.  When I go out on my boat, I take my fish arrow, I have different color tape placed at certain depth and I see what the depth of clarity is, then I know if a i can see a fish a foot deep I should aim a minimal of 4" lower than normal.  If you can only see 6" or less, don't worry, if you aim at the fish should be good to go.  Gar, if a gar is swimming straight for you it is a hard shot, just because the enamel scales are so tough.  but likely he will be on the surface, so aim where the mouth first comes out and bam should hit in head.

When you start shooting under fish you will finally start to figure out refraction