New to bow fishing and could use some advice

RustyTackleBox

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I just picked up an old bow at the boys ranch store that I want to setup for bow fishing... it's an older bear compound but what I'm looking for is recommendations for a reel and arrow combination... I was thinking about the muzzy stuff but since I have no frame of reference I don't know what is good and is not for fishing... and anyone use the rubber finger protectors
 


guywhofishes

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I'm not hip to the latest/greatest but the AMS 'bottle' style I bought 10 years ago is AWESOME.

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As for barbed arrows I prefer the ones that you can rotate the arrow to lock and/or release. Keep in mind that you will occasionally make long or deep shots into beefy parts and not be able to gain access to the arrowhead. Being able to twist the arrow to put the barbs in release position is great. Once in a while you'll still have to push the arrow through to get the barbs into release position but rarely (long head shots).

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AMS Mayhem is a great point.
 

bowcarp

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hard to go wrong with a retriever(ams) had one that was 20 years old until someone decided they needed it more then me , easy to adjust and when they do wear rebuild kits are available , I have no problem tying to the back but there are advantages to using the slides especially in the wind keeps your line in order , as far as arrows I like making my own either use the white fiberglass or yellowjackets , tips a friend of mine prefers sureshots that is a tip like gwf described or just a regular muzzy with a carp point I like
these the best just use a pliers pinch the barbs close to the shaft so they can still swing , makes a smaller entrance hole hold better this way , far as rests go I've switched 2 of my bows over to quickdraws so far I really like them
 

guywhofishes

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I would use a synthetic shooter's glove or tab (like Saunders Fab Tab II) before I went with big rubbery finger thingies on my string. Something about goobery rubbery release with those things just seems wrong. Maybe the more gonzo carp hunters on NDA use them and like them though so rely on them for advise - not me. I actually prefer to build calluses myself.

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The sliders allow a minimum of excess string hanging down, etc.

Use the sliders - they prevent accidental tangles which are NASTY upon release.
 


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I used to use those rubber finger protectors on my hunting bow before I switched to a release (quite a few years ago now). I liked them but a release has obviously made me way more accurate.
 

guywhofishes

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When out on the water and wading around in glop I err on the side of the less equipment the better. That's the ONE great aspect of rubber thingies. They suck for accuracy but are awesome in their simplicity. Callused fingers are numero uno.

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Today's short bows make fingers darn near impossible due to the accute angle created at full draw. Recurves are a finger shooters dream of course. That old Bear might be just fine for fingers though.
 

RustyTackleBox

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Thanks for the info guys... All stuff I was looking at just didn't know what brands people liked or what worked
 

MSA

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Just dont leave all your kills laying along the shoreline...
 


Sub_Elect

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Just don't crank the bow poundage way up. Its fun blowing scales off of fish with a 70 pound bow, but trying to get the log you stuck your arrow 7 inches into, that was laying hidden on the other side of the fish is harder to get off the bottom than you think.
 

Duckslayer100

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Just dont leave all your kills laying along the shoreline...

I used to bowfish almost exclusively in high school, and I know for a fact I've seen more incidental trash fish catches from bank fisherman left to rot than I ever did fellow bowfishermen.

You could make a string of sheephead pearls 100 yards long with the number of drum left to rot just in Fargo.
 

snow

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agreed,the ams quick retrieve bottle is the shit,we shoot alot below damns once the water heats up but we get the BIG dogs in local lakes where most shots are3-6'deep so we crank up our bows to 70+lbs,remove fletching on the arrows is a must,we found the stingerey arrow heads with long metal barbs rather than wire barbs work the best as guywhoshootsalot stated.Open water lake carp get huge in my area,to date I've stuck (2) over 50lbs,55' is my PBmost avg 10 to 20lbs,the bottle comes with 200lb test line and a break for reeling in and also saves your hand from rope burn on big fish.Buddy I shoot with nailed a giant years ago,we were shooting off a two person paddle boat,we had a couple on bigger over the years but this beast weighed in@ 85lbs,54"s long and 34" girth,we had the dnr come out as we thought it was a state record carp,however they shot us down because it was;nt caught hook-n-line,they did age the fish by the large silver dollar scales,few days later they called and said the fish was about 100years old.

I wouldn't mind taking a crack at these Big Head carp we see roaming the Detroit river,its said they get up to 100lbs.

PS~I'm old school and shoot instinctive and no release/sites,three fingers with a 3 finger leather archery glove.
 
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guywhofishes

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agreed,the ams quick retrieve bottle is the shit,we shoot alot below damns once the water heats up but we get the BIG dogs in local lakes where most shots are3-6'deep so we crank up our bows to 70+lbs,remove fletching on the arrows is a must,we found the stingerey arrow heads with long metal barbs rather than wire barbs work the best as guywhoshootsalot stated.Open water lake carp get huge in my area,to date I've stuck (2) over 50lbs,55' is my PBmost avg 10 to 20lbs,the bottle comes with 200lb test line and a break for reeling in and also saves your hand from rope burn on big fish.Buddy I shoot with nailed a giant years ago,we were shooting off a two person paddle boat,we had a couple on bigger over the years but this beast weighed in@ 85lbs,54"s long and 34" girth,we had the dnr come out as we thought it was a state record carp,however they shot us down because it was;nt caught hook-n-line,they did age the fish by the large silver dollar scales,few days later they called and said the fish was about 100years old.

I wouldn't mind taking a crack at these Big Head carp we see roaming the Detroit river,its said they get up to 100lbs.


now THAT is carp hunting - Thumbs Up!!!!!
 

gatorbaiter

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There's guys over in Europe who would absolutly freak out if you talked of shooting an 85 pound carp. They catch and release those big girls like their babies. Its amazing all the work they go to to catch them. They fish in one spot for days trying to catch a big carp they might know lives in the area.
 


camoman

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There's guys over in Europe who would absolutly freak out if you talked of shooting an 85 pound carp. They catch and release those big girls like their babies. Its amazing all the work they go to to catch them. They fish in one spot for days trying to catch a big carp they might know lives in the area.

I love seeing those doofuses squirm when someone posts a pic of a pile of carp going to fertilizer!
 

Sum1

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There's guys over in Europe who would absolutly freak out if you talked of shooting an 85 pound carp. They catch and release those big girls like their babies. Its amazing all the work they go to to catch them. They fish in one spot for days trying to catch a big carp they might know lives in the area.
Thats just plain friutcake-ishness.
 

RustyTackleBox

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I'm saving my Hoyt nitrum for deer and elk... I found an older bear compound at the boys ranch store for $40... 35lb draw figure I can fling
twice as many arrows with half the poundage
 

dean nelson

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Yeah I'm a AMS guy and shoot no sights with defletched arrows with the old style three finger glove like was mentioned before. Also if you've never done it just remember the fish are not where they apper to be. You always have to aim a bit low and how much changes with the depth of the fish and the angle of the shot.
 


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