Skip to main content

Why You Should Care About Bowfishing

Why You Should Care About Bowfishing

Bowhunting is a sport that many of us enjoy year round, but we all get bored with just shooting at targets in the summer. One way to combat this is to spend an afternoon or weekend bowfishing your local lakes. Carp have become a real nuisance in many area lakes in Minnesota and around the country, so not only are you honing in your skills as a shooter, but you're helping take out some of these pesky carp as well.

When it comes to your bowfishing gear many people think you need to buy a ton of equipment and have another bow setup. Although this is nice, you can also take your regular hunting bow and sight and rest. The only other item I needed to add was a $29 carp arrow and string. We headed out on some local Minnesota lakes and found a pocket of carp that proved to be one target rich environment. I would simply wind up the string after each shot and leave it at my feet so I wasn't messing with a reel or spool mounted on my bow. This can help with accuracy and also makes for a quick setup.

Although many people shoot instinctively when it comes to carp fishing, I really like having a sight on my bow. I was using a one-pin slider sight that allows you to move your pin accordingly. If I found that I was going over the top of carp, I simply moved my sight down and could aim directly at them. One of the biggest problems with bowfishing is dealing with the refraction of the water, but when using a setup like this you can adjust your pin and aim right at the fish.

The bottom line is the more you can get out shooting your bow, the better off you will be this fall when hunting season finally arrives. This was my way of getting out, having some fun and getting a little added practice in for my upcoming season.




GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

1000 yard accuracy out of the box? No problem.
Gear

Trials and Triumphs - New Mexico Muleys Part 1

1000 yard accuracy out of the box? No problem.
Gear

Trials and Triumphs - New Mexico Muleys Part 2

1000 yard accuracy out of the box? No problem.
Gear

New MagView Mount from Warne

1000 yard accuracy out of the box? No problem.
Gear

New Browning Firearms for 2025: Citori 825 Shotgun, X-Bolt 2 Rifle

1000 yard accuracy out of the box? No problem.
Gear

New Rings and Accessories from Warne

1000 yard accuracy out of the box? No problem.
Gear

Steiner's New ePredator 8 Riflescope and LRF Binocular

1000 yard accuracy out of the box? No problem.
Gear

Wonky Whitetails, Wind, and Weatherby Rifles

1000 yard accuracy out of the box? No problem.
Hunting

Ireland's Whistling Stags

1000 yard accuracy out of the box? No problem.
Gear

Silencer Central's New Modular Titanium Suppressor

1000 yard accuracy out of the box? No problem.
Hunting

Endless Bugles

1000 yard accuracy out of the box? No problem.
Gear

Weatherby's New Model 307 Alpine CT

Petersen's Hunting Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save.

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Get the Petersen's Hunting App apple store google play store

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top Petersen's Hunting stories delivered right to your inbox.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Petersen's Hunting subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top Petersen's Hunting stories delivered right to your inbox.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use