By Mark Land - Bowfishing Division Manager Muzzy Products
Bowfishing is becoming one of the fastest growing facets of archery. More and more bowhunters are experiencing the thrill of taking rough fish with archery tackle. Bowfishing encompasses the full spectrum of tackle uses, from the basic recurve with wind on reel to the custom built, bowfishing oriented bows with matching water camo and tournament specific line retrieval reels. Bowfishing can be done from the bank of the smallest creek to the biggest oceans of the world. Bowfishermen regularly take fish as small as bait size, to sharks weighing hundreds or even thousands of pounds, including the pursuit of such exotic species as alligators.

Anyone interested in getting into bowfishing is well advised to seek the advice of someone already involved in the sport. Experience helps when it comes time to get set up and make your initial equipment purchase. Initial equipment can be as simple as an old bow and a wind on reel, but I would highly recommend the beginner to invest in a more efficient retrieval system. Wind-on reels are adequate and work, but they can be very frustrating and slow to use for the beginner. Wind-on reels require the line to be wound on the spool by hand after every shot. This effort reduces shot opportunities and decreases the amount of shooting that takes place. These reels work, but a much better alternative is,either a Zebco or Shakespeare spincast reel or a AMS retriever. These reels store an adequate amount of heavy, tough line, are free flowing on the shot, and retrieve a arrow rapidly for a quick next shot.

These reels are very efficient and work well and their use depends, mainly on familiarity or availability. Line used for bowfishing must be very strong, abrasion resistant, large enough to handle, but small enough to ensure a adequate amount on the reel. Dacron line works, but braided spectra-fastflite is the ultimate bowfishing line and well worth the minimal investment. This line is the toughest and most durable line available and will last the shooter a long time. When it comes to arrows, basically there is one choice-fiberglass, cheap, durable, simple and effective. Fiberglass arrows work well and are used by over 90% of all bowfishermen. Arrow tips for bowfishing come in many styles and most will do a very good job at penetrating and holding the fish.

Some heads are designed for specific uses, such as large fish or rocky bottoms, grass or weed infested lakes, etc. This is where experience and advice will help and save the beginner trouble and money purchasing items they may not need. The main thing to look for in a fishing head is that the barbs are adequate and strong enough to hold the fish, but also must be able to release or reverse easily for fish removal. There are several other accessories that would be beneficial, these include polarized glasses for daytime fishing to cut the glare on the water. A brimmed hat for shade and improved visibility. A container to hold the fish and eliminate messes. Adequate clothing is essential to protect the shooter from the elements and help break up the fish-spooking outline.

Bowfishing can be done from the bank or boat depending on the resources available. Bowfishing at night is one of the most exciting aspects of bowfishing, with shooting opportunities often approaching 200 or more shots a night. Of course this kind of fishing is advanced, requiring specialty boats, decks, lighting, generators, etc., but it is usually the path that beginners eventually lead to, as they become more involved in bowfishing. Bowfishing is a widely accepted and popular sport in almost all states.

Game and fish departments, Bass clubs and others welcome bowfishermen and applaud their efforts at reducing the non-native rough fish populations in many of our lakes and rivers. Rough fish can adversely affect the native game fish populations either by predation or habitat destruction. Most states allow only the harvest of rough or non-game fish, very few states allow the harvest of game fish which keeps the sportsmen groups on the bowfishermens side. Most of the common rough fish include-carp, gar, sucker, shad and bowfin. Other species which may be pursued include-Alligators (with special permits), turtles and a wide variety of saltwater species. Be sure to check your state regulations for the legal species in your state.

Many organizations have been formed to promote and perpetuate bowfishing, from organizing members to sponsoring tournaments. Bowfishing is even available on the internet and a wealth of information can obtained from many web sources. Some organizations like the BAA(Bowfishing Association of America), IBA(International Bowfishing Association), Texas Bowfishing Association, Sully's Bowfishing Stuff and Muzzy Products can be accessed on your computer, not only leading to more knowledge, but future friendships and more opportunities for exotic hunts and species.

Bowfishing is a ever increasing sport, one that can involve the whole family, one that usually takes place during the nice periods of the year and can be done day or night. Bowfishing is a excellent tool to introduce women and children to bow shooting and the outdoors and is a way for the whole family to participate together.

Beginning bowfishermen must practice and always realize that shooting fish underwater is not the same as shooting the target butt in the yard. Light refraction plays an important part in how you aim at fish. Due to the bending of light rays entering the water, the objects appear much higher than they actually are. Bowfishermen must remember to aim much lower on their target than they normally would. One thing that I usually tell beginners to do is aim as low as they think they need to and then drop down about a foot. This will give them a point to start with and they can adjust from there. Idle time on the water can be spent practicing on objects on the bottom. It is surprising how low you must aim on some target's to actually hit them. Practicing will ensure more success and less frustration from missing so many, what appear to be, easy shots.

The bows and equipment must still be tuned, just like your hunting rig. The arrows need to be fairly straight and centershot should be corrected for the arrow to come off the bow as straight as possible. Nock height is adjusted for flat arrow flight. The best way to tune the bow and arrow is to shoot the fish arrow, without line attached, into a large block of foam. Adjust the nock and centershot, or arrow length, until the arrow sticks in the target as straight as possible. This is basically the same method as used when bare shaft tuning you equipment. If the arrow does not enter the water straight, it will veer off at the angle it hit and make hitting your target very difficult.

Give bowfishing a try, but be forewarned, this sport can be very addictive. If you enjoy your free time or have other hobbies, consider not trying it or else your entire time may well be spent bowfishing.

Good luck and enjoy your time outdoors.