I used to bow fish about 15 years ago and I am interested in getting back into it. Bass Pro offers a starter kit with a compound bow and all the accs.for around $350. Has anyone had any experence with this outfit?

I was at the Canyon Ferry Carp Safari this spring and even the seasoned veterans were using recurves. As you know the shots are close so that's all the bow you need.

The rigs I was looking at were 35 lbs. so they could hold at draw for awhile. They used metal risers and some guys had those "roller rests" which is a good idea if the bow doesn't have a shelf to shoot off of. There's a lot less to go wrong with the recurve than a compound.

Also the AMS bowfishing reels are the Bomb! Don't even look at anything else.

have fun!

Check out http://www.forgebow.com and look at their archery fishing equipment. I was in on the testing of the prototype bows, shooting the flying carp on the Illinois River. The bows were amazing, very forgiving when shooting, and even with a carp hitting my bow in the upper wheel, blowing the cable off the bow, we were able to restring it and continue shooting.

Forge, while not as well known as Matthews, is known for their high quality and reasonable prices...

I use an ancient 45# Bear Grizzly that I bought for under $20. It works just about perfect. Everytime I shot with guys using compounds, I make them look silly. Recurves are just way faster, lighter, simpler etc.. My guess is I get off at least five shots to everyone the wheelie guys get off and its more likely at least ten to one. An old two wheel compound, would be OK, but simple is best in bowfishing, I would also consider using the "no-glove" rubber thingy on the string.

I shoot alot of carp every summer--I have to travel 100 miles to do it so I always camp for long weekends otherwise I would live on the water and shoot every day. I use a pse beast compound bow with AMS reels, a roller rest and the 20.00 arrows. I like the compound -hunting bow or whatever- for most of the shots are out of the boat or on the shore are short but I also take 15 yd shots so I want the strenght to get there and do the job.I love it. Go get whatever bow and go have a great time!!!!!!!!!!

Oakman what kind of sucess do you have in the later part of summer after the initial spawn is over? Are the carp in deeper water then?

Like oakman, I too use a compound bow. I like the strength of the bow over a recurve.

When we were filming a flying carp shoot on the Illinois River, my cameraman brought his 50 lb. recurve bow with him. Every once in a while I'd take a break and film him shooting carp.

Twice we watched as the arrow bounced off the flying carp, and he never landed one because even when the arrow did penetrate, it wasn't far enough to hold dragging the carp in against the movement of the boat.

While this might not be a problem for others, it was enough for me to continue my compound use.

Carp will move to deeper water once they're done with the spawn, however you can usually find them in shallow...

I've shot HUNDREDS of carp HUNDREDS, up to 36+ pounds. With 40 and 45# recurves and NEVER had an arrow bounce off, NEVER. I've even had numerous doubles and even one triple, three carp on the same arrow. I don't know the exact circumstances of above, but somebody was doing something seriously wrong if they had fish arrows from a 50# recurve bouncing off carp. Quite possibly they weren't coming to full draw or they weren't using actual fish arrows, but its no fault of the bow. I know many of you worship at the alter of the almighty compound, but a fish arrow has no clue what kind of bow it came from and once you stick a big old 1200 grain fisharrow in the wheely bow all those fps that you like to brag about, go byebye. I realize that some of you cannot imagine that a recurve could ever even remotely be in the same ballpark as a collection of pullys and cables, but I KNOW guys that shoot aspirin tablets out of the air with recurves on a regular basis and I know from lots of experience that in bowfishing that I can take my $20 recurve and embarrass, EMBARRASS anyone using a compound. I hope we get the chance to bowfish together someday and I hope I can talk you into a friendly wager, after all, this cheap old recurve, just COULDN'T compete with a mechanical arrow launcher, could it?

Loboga,
Your comment is right on the money. For years I used a PSE Phaser. Then I found (at a yard sale no less) an OLD fiberglass Shakespear Wonderbow.I can honestly say I've shot more than a hundred fish with it. Now I cant shoot life savers out of the air. I dont guess ,Never tried,But I am no slouch with a bow, At normal bow range the effect is the same,with less crap to worry about.Recurves are the way to go when fishing. Just focus,draw and fire. Happy fishin' Oh and my bow only cost me $7.00



"Back off man!!..I'm a scientist.."

I think that guys who shoot compounds are just used to the "feel" of the bow and that's probably why the manufacturers are making compounds just for bowfishing. I'm under the impression that some don't even have a let off-just the usualy cables and gizmos to make guys happy! Use what you want, and have fun but don't diss the trad guys man we're a mean and prickly bunch

quote:

don't diss the trad guys man we're a mean and prickly bunch

LOL, no kidding!!!

I guess that's the great thing about archery, you like one thing, I like another, but they both can work.

I still prefer a compound...

I agree and I never diss. I Have and use a Solocam on everything but fish. But as you say who cares they both work. Just fish!!!



"If winning is'nt important.... why keep score?"

Great read for me!

I have been bowfishing for almost 40 years and have used nothing but a recurve. They are not heavy, have less things to go wrong, and are faster getting off shots. I do use a compound for hunting, but only a recurve for fishing. Either one will work fine and stick fish.

I have thought about rigging up one of my old compounds for bowfishing, but have never really had the need.