Bowfishing 101: Basic Techniques You Should Know About

Archery is one of the most entertaining activities you could do. It is not as noisy and disturbing as shooting, yet it requires the same and even higher level of skill. The discipline and techniques required to master a bow and arrow are exceptional and quite challenging. But once you become an experienced archer, you will love practicing every day. It even gets better; you don’t have to just practice at targets at home. You could go fishing with your bow and arrows! Bowfishing is quite popular and it is very exciting. Whether you are a professional archer or an amateur who just wants to fish, these are some basic techniques that you need to know about. 

Knowing where to fish

When it comes to bowfishing, it is all about finding the right spot. You need to ask around at local shops and archery stores on where the best locations to go bowfishing are. It should be a place where you could actually see the fish close to the surface, so areas where they are deep down aren’t really useful. A lot of people are put off because they think bowfishing requires taking a boat and going out to the center of a lake or something, which is pretty incorrect. You can actually walk along the river banks and start shooting from there, so it is basically free and you don’t need to rent a boat. 

Your gear

Perhaps the most important angle to bowfishing is getting the right gear, or else you risk losing a good catch because you were not prepared. For starters, you need good sunglasses. Yes, they are actually that important for this particular hunting expedition, because you are definitely going bowfishing in the morning so you could see the fish. If the sun is constantly in your eyes or there is a glare, you can say goodbye to your aiming.

Glasses aside, you also need to get the right arrow tips for certain fish species, or else you won’t be able to hunt them. Some tips won’t work on bigger gar and might break off, and others are not strong enough for soft-bodied carp. So, it’s essential that you get the appropriate arrows depending on what kind of fish you want to get. As one of the most challenging alternative fishing styles, bowfishing entails a lot skills and accuracy, which means you will also need to get an appropriate bow. For most experienced archers, compound bows are often the best option if you want to hunt some fish, because they will help you feel less fatigue as you constantly pull the bowstrings. Those who want successive and fast shots would go for a recurve bow. It all comes down to your preferences. 

Aiming 

Even if you are a very competent archer, it is a safe bet that bowfishing will present a very difficult challenge, and it is unlike anything you’ve ever tried hitting before. This is why it’s important that you try and aim low to avoid problems with water refraction, which can be really tricky to manage. Light acts differently in the water, and you will have to account for those slight variations while aiming. So, always remember to aim low to improve your chances of hitting your mark. 

Snap shooting 

This technique definitely won’t bode well with archery purists, but it works. Snap shooting is basically firing as many arrows as you can as quickly as possible without aiming accurately. It obviously works best with recurve bows, and it puts an emphasis on speed and number rather than accuracy. It works quite well when you actually want to hunt a few fish as you don’t come to a complete draw, which ensures a fast succession of shots. 

Reeling the catch 

After successfully making your shot and hitting the fish, you need to let it run out a bit so you could reel it in. This is to ensure that the arrow will remain in the fish because if you reel it out too quickly even with the best baitcasting reels, you risk losing it within seconds.  So, take your time, especially with larger fish –– where you might also have to use a net to capture properly. Smaller ones can be reeled out quickly with the arrow. 

Bowfishing is different from any other fishing experience you’ve ever had. Don’t expect a huge stack when you try it for the first time. It will take quite a while for you to learn the fish patterns in the water and what techniques work best to capture them. Just be prepared and get the right gear, and when the time comes, you’ll be good to go.