Video: Bowfishing for Carp
So here’s the scoop. I took my buddy and his girlfriend out last Saturday to chase some largemouth bass, but sadly, once again, they simply weren’t in the mood to chase what we were throwing. We caught a few (including some on the surface), but it was by no means a slammer.
One thing we noticed was an abundance of carp sunning themselves and working into the shallow brush. It didn’t take much to convince us that we needed to change tactics. The next day we hit the water, replacing our rods and reels with a bow and arrow.
In the end, we missed more than we hit. And while none of the fish were huge, it was great to get out and fling an arrow around. The best part of the day was the excitement of my friend’s girlfriend. This was only her second time bowhunting and she was shaking with excitement.
We took some photographs and captured a short video, which I took the liberty of cutting down and posting for you to enjoy. My only regret is I didn’t put a wireless microphone on anyone in the front of the boat. The sound went a little haywire, and it’s a little hard to hear the shooter. If you’ve never tried bowfishing, give it a “shot.” It’s cheap and a great way to stay outside when the fish aren’t in the mood. Let me know what you think! —Ben
(HINT: If you watch the video in “HQ” mode, you can see some of the fish before the arrow flies.)
That was a wicked cool video and those carp were pretty cool i thought they would die right when u hit them not fght for a little, awesome video
June 4th, 2009 at 10:12 amGood video. I would like to try bowfishing carp when I go to Michigan this summer, can you mount a bowfishing reel on a regular hunting bow? How much does all the gear cost?
June 6th, 2009 at 10:39 amHey TK–
Thanks! It was a fun “hunt,” especially becuase the people I was with got so excited about it.
There are a TON of places to find carp in Michigan, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding fish. As far as mounting a bowfishing reel, I belive you can mount them on most bow models, but you’ll have to ask someone at your archery shop. Some mount to the side of the bow, others on the front (where a stabilizer usually goes).
Costs can vary. I think I spent between $80 and $100 on mine, but I know there are models and versions out there that are much less expensive. The one thing I will say is make sure the cord/line is strong. A lot of our shots ended up in the mud and sticks and were tough to pull out. Without a strong string we could have lost a few arrows.
I took my dad out yesterday. We caught a few bass (they’re finally starting to turn on up here) but finished the day with the bow and arrow. My dad made some incredible shots, and in the end, he owns the record (well, for my boat at least) for having the biggest fish—and woudn’t you know it, I don’t have any photos!!!
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July 27th, 2009 at 8:34 am