How to Set Up a Bowfishing Bow

Choose a bow that’s forgiving, maneuverable, easy to draw and easy to shoot quickly. You might opt for a light draw weight, too. If your big-game setup is 70-80 pounds, stay around 30-50 pounds for most types of bowfishing. Look for a moderate axle-to-axle length (32-34 inches is best), so the bow remains maneuverable without being so short that it becomes difficult to shoot with fingers. Pick a bow, and then dedicate it to bowfishing alone. Using your hunting bow for bowfishing can produce unnecessary wear and tear.

There are several reel styles on the market including classic spin-cast reels like the Cajun Archery Spin Doctor and open-face reels, like the Bohning BAR Aqua reel. The most common style is the bottle reel, like the Retriever Pro from AMS Archery. These are safe and easy to use, especially for beginners, when the action gets fast-paced. Their only drawback is that they generally hold just 75 feet of line. If you’re shooting stingrays or other big fish, having a spin-cast reel that holds 150 feet-plus of smaller-diameter line can be a real asset.

For most bowfishing applications, a solid fiberglass arrow is perfect. These arrows are affordable, built to last and readily available. But they do lack consistency. Because of that, carbon or carbon-aluminum-hybrid shafts are better for big fish and deep water. These arrows are straighter and more consistent, which helps them cut cleanly into the water, retain more energy and get better penetration.

Tip selection is dependent on target fish and underwater conditions. Price-point tips work just fine for most species inhabiting areas with soft lake or river bottoms. If action is hot, a tip like the Muzzy Quick Release Carp Point decreases downtime between shots.

Rocky-bottom conditions abuse and blunt points. For these areas, select a tip with a replaceable point, like the Cajun Piranha. For larger, soft-fleshed fish like bighead carp and stingrays, points with multiple barbs provide extra holding power and help prevent fish from pulling off. Triple-barbed points, like the Muzzy Iron Point or Inner-Loc Grappler Point, are ideal.

No need for fancy rests, but you should get one that’s built tough, without moving parts. Another nice feature is full or partial arrow containment, which prevents it from falling off the rest. The Quick Draw bowfishing rest offers a simple design that lasts and keeps arrows in place. Also consider a single-arrow quiver.

For shooting big stuff you might grab a float, such as the AMS Big Game Float. These accessories help with big fish and alligators because they act as visual tracking devices that allow bowfishermen to trail fish for follow-up shots and recovery (you don’t really want a big alligator connected directly to your bow).

Release-aids are just one more thing to slow the shot and get tangled in your line, so most shoot with fingers. The traditional glove or tab works but given the wet and often slimy conditions of bowfishing, foam finger savers, installed right on the bow string, are the way to go. Some purpose-built bowfishing bows come with finger-savers installed and ready. If you’re modifying an old compound for bowfishing, you will have to put the bow into a press and remove the string to install the finger-savers. You might need a pro-shop’s help with this.

With your finger-savers in place, bolt the rest onto the bow. Get it barely more than finger-tight, as it will likely need to be moved. Place the bow in a bow vice and set it using a string level. Then, using a bowfishing arrow or bow square, find the nocking point. The arrow should create a 90-degree angle with the level string and run directly through the Berger buttonhole in the riser.

With the nocking point close, install a brass nock just above the nock of the arrow. Don’t crimp this nock tight. Leave it loose enough that it can move along the center. Fine-tune the vertical position of the rest and nocking point until the arrow passes directly through the Berger buttonhole. With a slight gap between the top brass nock and the nock of the arrow, crimp the brass nock firmly in place, and do the same with another brass nock below the nock of the arrow. With the brass nock set in place, slide the finger-savers toward the center of the string until they contact the brass nocks. To adjust the horizontal position of the rest, stand the bow vertically in the bow vise with an arrow nocked and eye down the string and arrow shaft using the cams for reference to center.

Installing a spin-cast or open-faced reel? You’ll likely need a reel mount that screws into the bow’s stabilizer port. For a bottle-style reel, attach the reel’s mounting to the threaded ports on the side of the riser, where you’d typically attach a sight. Most reel designs allow adjustments frontward, rearward and vertically. Position it so that when gripping the bow, you can comfortably pull the locking lever on the reel. Finally, add arrow holders and floats, if you’ve got them.

There are several ways to tie on a bowfishing arrow, but we’ll use the most common method for arrows equipped with a safety slide. Most slides on the market have two holes for the line to pass through, and a groove between each hole on one side of the slide that locks the line in place.

Run the end of the line through one of the holes toward the side of the slide that’s grooved. Follow the groove and pass through the other hole with the end of the line. Pull a 6-8-inch tag end through the slide and move the slide to the tip of the arrow. Join the tag end of the line (exiting the slide) with the main section of line that’s entering the slide. Make a large loop. Next, pass the tip of the arrow through this loop and move the slide to the rearmost position of the arrow. Pull the loop over the slide and past the arrow nock, causing the loop to form an overhand knot. Pull the line tight, but ensure the knot is at least 2 inches behind the nock of the arrow. This creates better arrow flight and makes it easier to pull in big fish.

With an arrow tied, it’s time to fine-tune. Do so with smooth surface water, as it helps identify poor arrow flight. Pick a point of aim and shoot. Pay close attention as the arrow enters the water. A true-flying arrow cuts straight through the surface. If it kicks coming out of the bow, or splashes upon entry, make adjustments. If the arrow hits the water tail right, move the rest slightly to the right and reevaluate. Always move the arrow rest in the direction of the tail whip. Remember, fine-tuning rest adjustments are very slight.

Rapidly firing arrows with attached line comes with safety concerns. Fortunately, bowfishing equipment is much safer and more user-friendly today than it used to be. Arrows with safety slides allow bowfishermen more confidence that the arrow line remains well in front of the bow until the arrow soars. These also ensure the tension of the line pulls directly in line with the arrow shaft, making for cleaner, more accurate shots.

However, even when using safety slides, there’s a chance of line hooking around something attached to the bow. The most common area for a snag is the handle or trigger of the reel. Fortunately, when using a bottle-style reel, you can avoid this by attaching a flexible rubber trigger guard that slips over the trigger and attaches to the bottom portion of the bow riser. These trigger guards are only a few bucks and well worth the peace of mind.