Bowfishing question (for carp)

[Bama_Boy]

All of y'all that bowfish, do you use any sights on your bow? I have shot a few carp so far this year - first year doing this and first time ever shooting a bow - but I am wondering the best way to aim at those nasty fish. Anything to improve my carp decimation abilities is greatly appreciated. []
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[cat-tech]

was that you and your daughter yesterday at utah lake.
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[Bama_Boy]

No. I haven't been able to fish Utah Lake. I am up here in Cache Valley.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Since most shots at carp are fairly close...or should be...sights are typically not needed.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]What is needed is some target practice to get you used to your bow and how to shoot more instinctively. Take some field tips and some small pieces of cardboard out into a field...or on your lawn...and practice shooting them from close distances. You have to condition your arms, wrists and fingers to draw, hold and shoot naturally without having to concentrate too much...and to make sure they can withstand a lot of shooting.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you have a compound hunting bow that pulls much over 40 pounds you might want to dial it back to only about 30. That is all the pull you need to stick carp...and it will not beat you up as bad. There is usually a allen wrench setup for adjusting the pull. Check your specs.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Next, when shooting carp more than a couple of inches under the water you need to aim lower than you might think...to compensate for refraction. Things always look closer to the surface than they are when viewed at an angle in the water. Kinda like the mirror and the T-Rex in Jurassic Park.[/#0000ff]
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[12inchlunker]

Practice by shooting on coming Camper/trailers...then move down to Trucks then small cars....the a motor bike and you should be good by then :-)

KIDDING!

Good practice weather and breeding is coming soon Bama!
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[CoyoteSpinner]

You do that with the string attached?

Ben - been out to Youtube? Lots of bowfishing vids, some how tos and some just showing off. But you might want to shield your eyes rather than read the commentaries. I'm sorry, but it's a laugh to see the Peta types get bent out of shape over carp.

You want a real hoot - check out the aerial carp shooting - those flying Asian carp out in the midwest. Guess that's one time the "aim low" rule doesn't follow.

[FNA]

Start aiming a few inches below its belly. It's hard at first because you want to aim at what you intend to hit. You need to compensate for the light refraction. If you still miss aim even lower. 90% of misses are because the person didn't aim low enough.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Ben it depends on range if you shoot them within 15 yards then instinctive shooting is fine. I learned that way for deer hunting but when I got a sight and learned how to have a consistent knocking location on my chin when I shoot it opened a whole new world. With some practice and a sight you will be able to stick them at 35 yards consistently so you don't spook them. Also on cutler the water is too murky to see them under the surface so take them when their backs are sticking out and you can judge where you need to shoot. Now I'm old school and used my bent hunting arrows instead of the glass carping arrows they have now so that may affect the results of my comments. I always wanted to get a line and reel on my bow but got soft on the carnage I was leaving behind so haven't done it for years. I used to really enjoy making a good shot though. It was great practice for the big game hunts. One thing if you want to get good at it. Forget the high power boats that the carpin crew brings just move quietly along and you'll get tons more fish. When we do the flotilla I'll show you some spots where you can fill the boat with monsters. Later J
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[SBennett]

If anyone is interested my wife has decided to sell her bow and all the accessories including a hard case. It would make an excellent carping bow as the draw weight is adjustable down to something like 30 lbs. or so. She hunted deer with it so there is also an asst. of carbon arrows and broadheads. Also good for a kid or wife/girlfriend starting out bowhunting.
$125 for everything.
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[wormsinker]

i agree to aim under them, i use sights on my bow but more for a refrence then anything. I use the same bow for everything so dont want to adjust all of my sights just for the few carp i get. Found out my 30 yard pin (shooting regular arrows) usually is pretty darn close with the carp arrow for close shots
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[Bama_Boy]

Thanks for all the input. Practice, practice, practice. I took the sight off my bow the other day. It has 5 pins, and I have no idea the distance each pin is set up for. I could find out, but I am not too worried about that. I went out last night and shot one carp at about 10-12 yards with no sight. I will keep trying and practicing without the sight. If I find I am spooking too many fish, then I may put the sights back on and try to gauge some distances from there. Either way, it is fun! Thanks again for the input.
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[Springbuck]

Listen, I am a trad bow nut, so take my info w/a grain of salt, because everybody else will tell you that you need bows and accessories designed to overcome your human short comings. An uncomplicated bow is the best bow.

That said, I agree that shooting the same bow year round or game and fish is a good strategy.

Your 340 fps compound will NOT shoot a fish arrow that fast, so the question becomes: When the action is hot, how fast can you get a shot off? And the next? The next?

I WOULD get a good reel, but you'll surprise yourself with your ability to shoot w/o sites. The key is practice.

Go get a milk jug full of dirt or something and shoot the glass arrows with line attached until you can hit it. Anybody who can sink a putt, hit a free throw, or the like can learn to shoot a bow. If you can't master the "instinctive" style, let the tip of your arrow be the reference. There are good youtube vids on archery insruction; search "instinctive" and "bare-bow"

Shoot by feel. Look at what you want to hit and let your hand put the arrow there. When fishing, you'll be thinking about angles, shooting low, depth, distance, getting on a moving target: not the time to also have to bother with a sight.

To end with, here are some pics of people who bowfish for a living, and their obviously superior equipment. I guess if you're an amateur, the stuff you buy at the store will have to do. This year I'm going tribal with my bowfishing gear. I like the idea of the 5' long spear-like bamboo fishing arrow.
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[Springbuck]

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[theonlybassman]

i'm starting to get used to it as well. i'm up here in cache valley and shot a few at benson, but just used instinct on the shots and haven't really missed much i have a sight on my bow but i don't really use it. next time you have a chance aim how you feel you need to aim. but remember the water reflection compensation

pm me if ya ever want any company. i'm having trouble learnin this area and read alot of what you and yote have said so i figure you know it a bit.
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[kittychaser]

I bowfish alot and the best advice I can give is practice practice practice. Sights just get in the way but if you find you really need them I believe. That ams bowfishing make a sight just for it
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[CoyoteSpinner]

Always glad to "hook up" - just a matter of timing, planning....but if we're out putzing around - we often cross paths along the way even if we don't plan it. It may be a big marsh, but it's a small valley.

(PM me if you have specific questions, or need some pointers - there's others that know their way WAY better than I, but the basic launches, or access spots - just a matter of driving around and getting lost enough, or it getting lost and then driving around??!!)

I got a cheap bow last year, reel, and now need a new arrow. Is there anywhere you might go to get one "setup"? I don't know if I've got parts missing, or what - never been a bowhunter. This is my first compound, only really did recurve bows at summer camp - waaaaaay back when.

Springbuck - wondered if you'd get into the harpoons and spear chucking! Buddy at work told me about a three spike pitchfork - middle spike filed short, outer two bent in. They'd "collect" carp and haul them up to an irrigation pond for the summer. Didn't seem to mind the "trip".
What were those websights you pointed me to - with the bowfishing, or carp squewering approaches?

Skunked - I went up by your folks place - last spring. The farther back seemed like the more carp there were. I could see from some of the sloughs you might even get a bit of aerial advantage. Watch for the flopping fins!

Ben - right across from the spot I saw you Sat - that slough is rolling with them. Sure plenty of others are too. Where we went below Cutler - walking along the rocks - had some good vantage points from above, just don't know how much abuse all the rocks might put an arrow though. Something to be said for the muddy marsh.
Some good access at Willard too - and better visibility.

[Bama_Boy]

We have probably crossed paths - if not, we probably will. But yeah, I will have to shoot you a pm sometime. Can't claim that I really "know" a lot about the area, but I do know a little and can usually muster up a fish or two. Do you have a boat? I have a small one if you don't. 6 hp pushes it great with me in it alone, but you even get my 7 year old daughter in there, and it won't get up on plane. Oh well, it gets me around instead of having to walk the shore. I am planning on hitting up Cutler/Benson Saturday sometime.
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[icejunkie]

I use my hunting bow and i have a slider sight i set it on 20 yds and aim to the low side cause at 70lbs that arrow flight doesn't change enough to worry about ,but whacks the carp .
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[theonlybassman]

no boat... yet. the only area i've really been to is benson. i'm starting to learn it but only been skunked. besides shooting stuff.
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[Coldfooter]

I've used the same PSE for more years than I care to admit and while fishing with sticks I turn the bow down to 20-25lbs. Thats more than enough punch for 90%+ of the shots I take at carp using a glass arrow and string. Whats more I set a pin for 10 yards and just judge it from there.
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