Building a Fish hunting bow. How do..?

[Firstarrow]

I'm building a bowfishing rig, a set up that I will now use for bowfishing only.

How do you position / install the insert for holding the reels? (The wheelie guys call them stabelizer holders    

Is there anything I need to know or worry about?

Thanks for your help.

[fireman_3311]

Personally, I prefer the AMS Retriever Reel, that attaches to the sight bushings, up on the side of your bow's riser!  You can get inserts for either kind, at a number of vendors....Or, get a "Gadget Adapter", that straps to your bow...they work great!!!

[Jerry Jeffer]

I use a bear reel that just screws into the front in the "stabilizer" hole. I find it to be the most simple and worry free.

[Firstarrow]

So are there any precautions that I need to take when drilling out the riser for the insert?

thanks!

[hunt,trap,fish]

I took a old recurve that had a big sight window, and i drilled 2 holes and bolted my ams retiever on. it works great.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

centerline drill, stop at a depth so the insert is just below the bows back/handle area. Also make sure you have enuff meat in the handle to do it....

[macbow]

I prefer my reel on the side of the bow like the retrevers. I just don't use the retrevers. I use the zebcos etc. with a side mount. the side mount gives you a better balance holding the bow all day.
I just put the bushing in the side of the bow that are used for sight mounts.
Ron

[Charlie Lamb]

Make sure the bushing is low enough that the reel doesn't interfere with the arrow. Also try to drill so that the plane of the drilled hole is in the same plane as the arrow....so the reel doesn't end up tipped down or up.

A sharp bit is essential for a neat job.

[toddster]

Okay, the only place I found to get the insert's is 3 rivers and/or saunders.  You will need to ensure the bow has enough "meat" wood to support this.  For the most part any longbow will not work, to narrow, but you can always us a strap on adapter, from great northern, work great.  Any other recurve should work.  just place you had where you grip the bow normally, look at it, and on average come down one inch from pinky finger.  You should be in the meat of the riser.  If so, take a nail, and tap lightly to give you some thing to predrill guide.  Now take your insert, put on table as it is going in bow, hold drill bit beside it, and tape off with masking tape just on the inside of the lip, this will give you your depth.  Now, hold the insert up to the bow, and imagine how you want it to look, (typically, guys just follow bow and end up with reel seat pointing downward).  When you are ready, clamp bow to table and drill slowly and carefully.  After done, inspect to insure that have clean hole, should be.  I take my insert and screw it on reel adapter or bolt, and test hole for fit.  I then will take insert, add a little cotton ball to inside or mask tape the back, to keep epoxy from filling in threads.  Then With insert on my real seat, with reel mounted, I will put in bow and turn to see where I want reel to line up, then I make a mark on bow and insert, pull out, add epoxy hold for few minutes then set out of the way, and let dry for 24 hours.  Should last good 4 years, mine did this way.  Let me know if any questions, feel free to email me.

[Firstarrow]

thanks for the detailed advice. Time to put it into practice!!!

[joekeith]

I just put one on a #45 Shakespeare, Custer model.  I had to get the inserts from 3 Rivers too.  Take your time, nothing to it.      
Now if it just cools off a little I'll give'r a try.     Good luck...

[Firstarrow]

thanks for the detailed advice. Time to put it into practice!!!

[JEFF B]

and we want pics!!