Bow for fishing help

[rluttrell]

I would like to take a shot at bow fishing. It was suggested to me to get a bow just for  fishing, what bow do you guys suggest????
Thanks

[bretto]

Something cheap that your not worried about getting bloody, wet, or scratched. Lots of old used bows for sale out there.

I have a nylon riser made by Cartel with Samick Sage limbs that works great. Riser has inserts for a spinner or retriever.

bretto

[johnnyk71]

virtually anything, as long as you don't mind it getting a little beat up.

something in the range of 45# is plenty, especially if you take lots of shots or bowfish in relatively shallow water.

anything much heavier, and you're just pulling that much harder to get it out of the mud.

I use my Hatfield, but i'm pretty careful with it.

[Paul_R]

With few exceptions shorter is better. Especially in a boat.

Ha! "All lefty all the time"  I'm totally stealing that    :D

[kuch]

Older yardsale bows, I use a Bear 76er, very cheap and works great

[Jerry Russell]

Originally posted by Paul_R:
With few exceptions shorter is better. Especially in a boat.

I will second the short bow opinion. This is really critical if you are shooting with others in close proximity or if there is a knee rail on the boat you are shooting from. Nothing is more aggravating than bows clacking together while you are trying to get on fish. 50'-52" bows work well for us.
I think you have all the info you need... Short, about 40-45# and something you don't mind getting beat up. It is a rough sport on equipment.

Good luck to you.

[johnnyk71]

Originally posted by Paul_R:
With few exceptions shorter is better. Especially in a boat.

Ha! "All lefty all the time"  I'm totally stealing that     :D  

[LB_hntr]

I would also recommend getting a retriver reel and a fish arrow with a plastic slide to start with. the drum reels are good and used by many but a retriever reel is much faster and less apt to tangle in boat lights etc. There are options for spining reels but until you know what you are doing and are going to shoot tournoments and that sort of stuff the spinners require a little more thought and effort to use. the retriver is fast, full proof, and simple to use.
if you get a recurve you can have the sight window drilled and tapped for the retriver reel for very cheap or you can use a AMS rubber strap adapter. if you get a longbow you will have to use the AMS rubber strap adapter.
 BAsically it will look about like this. 100 bucks for used bow. 100 bucks for reel and couple arrows. 20 bucks for strap adapter.  Then you are ready for fishing.
 There are very few things i love mroe than bowfishing! I bowfish from the second the ice is out in march until hunting season starts in September (often with a trip or 2 into october if i find the time).
 my advise on the bow itself is to keep it at or above 45 pounds if you are going after bigger fish. even a 20 pound carp can be hard to penitrate with thier thick scales. I had a buddy go with me and he was shooting a 40# old recurve and he was doing great on the little ones but on big carp i had to shoot his fish as security as they kept getting off. Especially in deeper water.
 Bowfishing is so much fun. nothing like all nighters in the summer with a generator humming your favorite song as you slip and slide all over the slim covered boat deck pulling in a big fish thats splashing and jumping everywhere.

[Pine]

I like a K-Mag they work great .

[JEFF B]

well i use a horse bow nice and short 48" nock to nock  

[AkDan]

Man there was an arrow muzzy sold called a retracto.   I saw it a couple years back.  Being I dont bowfish anymore (due to lack of participating fish for the most part), I didnt snatch any.  I'll try and remember to look them up.

basically it was a chisel muzzy style head with 2 wings that opened.  It had a cupped washer that held the tips of the wings down until a fish wash shot.  I really liked and abused the heck out of these heads.  Not much stands up to me when I play and these lasted quite a long time.  

Never had a reel but wish I had, I always used the big round hubs.  Heck the reel systems werent invented when first started bowfishing and when they did I was making minimum wage couldnt afford'm and didnt want to stick one on my bow.  

I shot the same bow I hunted with, an older marten hunter.   50lbs

If i dont get back shoot me a pm on it.  I'll try and dig it up.

[AkDan]

wooohoo found it first look..here it is.  This head is BAD!

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/retracto-fish-arrow-w-garpoon.aspx?a=776179

[black velvet]

I don't have a special bow for bowfishing. I use either my Bear mag riser take down or my Black Widow SAIII.

[Fletcher]

I use a 70's era 45 lb 58" Grizzly as my main fishing bow.  58" is short enuf for convenience and easy handling without any finger pinch.  On a busy day, that pinch can get uncomfortable.  I also have a 40 lb 54 inch Wing T'bird but prefer the Griz.  I agree on the Retriever bottle reel and shaft slide, best shooting reel system there is.  The Innerloc Power Point has become my fav for bigger fish.  For general shooting I've used Shure Shot Penetrators for several years.

As others have stated, get something easy to shoot that you don't mind getting banged up a bit.

[rluttrell]

Thanks guys, lots of info to absorb....