bow fishing 101?

[fish_or_die]

Any bow fishers out there? I just picked up a recurve with a bow on it and can't wait to get out with it in a few months! I have no idea what I'm doing though (can't imagine it's that complicated) and would love some advice and maybe an on-site tutorial once things warm up!
So what are the basics?
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[Theekillerbee]

I sure hope the recurve has a bow on it!!!![:p]

Utah lake in the spring can be wickedly fun on carp. They stack up in the shallows by the thousands! Some people go down and try to see how many they can skewer in one shot! Just make sure your arm is ready for all the shooting down there. Usually a decent warm spell is all that it takes to get them in the mood. PM TubeDude, he is down there a lot and can let you know when they are getting frisky. Just don't tell him what you are doing, as he is a big catch and "release" fan of carp. He just loves them to death.[cool]
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[CoyoteSpinner]

Shoot to kill, take no prisoners! C&R be admonished!

But really - I'm in the same boat. Got a bow, got a reel, and a carp-arrow, but have yet to take a shot. Shows I've seen (check Hooked on Utah - they've had a couple episodes) suggest - 'aim low' due to the light refraction in water. Fish look shallower than they really are.

They had a Carpalooza event last spring at Cutler and Utah Lake. Sure they'll do it again, good opportunity to get out with folks that have done it, know how, and are willing to show ya. There's some spots down at Willard that I'm sure would be good carp-hunting zones.

[fish_or_die]

ha [] *reel*. Bow with a reel on it. Yeah, i'm pretty stoked to get out there and know of spots on willard and utah lake that should give me plenty of action!
Are there bins at utah lake to dispose of them or what's the policy on carp carcases?
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[Erawk]

I haven't gotten a reel yet, but I did pick up an old compound bow that I intend to use with an AMS Rietriever Pro reel.

I've done a bit of research and from what I gather it is important to have a "safety slide" system rather than just attaching the line to the end of the arrow. They are sold commercially and you can make your own as well.

There are alot of cool videos on youtube of carp bowfishing. Some guys deck out their boats specifically for bowfishing.
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[fish_or_die]

i've got two arrows with a slidey thing on it, I assume it's for the line. Is that what you mean?
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[Erawk]

Yes. That sounds right. Somehow by having a sliding connection to the arrow, it can prevent backlashes that might occur with a static connection.

[url "https://www.amsbowfishing.com/safty-warning"]
"The most hazardous snap-back occurs when line is tied to the tail of an arrow. Upon release, a trailing loop of line can tie itself to the bowstring. This type of snap-back is not caused by the reel. It happens because the line is tied to the tail of the arrow."[/url]

I can't wait to slay some carp on my local lake. Have fun!
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[FNA]

Get in touch with the Utah bowfishing association. Lots of good guys belong and are more than willing to take noobs out and kill fish. Myself included.
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