# Bowfishing Rigs



## Bullfrog81

I am looking to setup a bowfishing rig. I would like to see everyone's rigs to see any ideas. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks ahead of time.


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## jjmikolacjik

I shoot two different rigs depending on how I choose to bow fish that day.

I use an old India river compound bow with a hand wrap reel when fishing from a boat.  The reason is that I started bow fishing in KS on the Arkansas river.  This river fluctuates heavily in water level and has a lot of debris in it so if the boat hits something and my dead mans line breaks on my bow I am not out a ton of money.
If I walk the banks of some of the rock bottom lakes in ks I use A Hoyt cam and a half with a slotted retriever reel.   I like this combination for walking because I can hold a draw longer.

My recommendation is find a cheap bow either compound or re-curve bow, learn how to aim down the arrow and AIM low.

Shoot what you like and like what you shoot and have fun with it. Good luck fishing.


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## castandblast

Are you wanting to see boat rigs or the bows? If your looking for boats go to www.bowfishingcountry.com .They have pictures of every type of boat you will ever want to see from small john boats with trolling motors to 21ft custom airboats.


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## Bullfrog81

Sorry I left that post a little broad. I am looking for boat rigs. Thanks for the info though guys. I have been on the bowfishing country website looking at boats. I was just wanting to see the boat here in georgia. Thanks again.


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## castandblast

im going to start a building a completly  new rig on my boat in a week or so. Building a new elevated aluminum shooting/light deck, and putting a push fan on. I can send pics of it when its done and of the old setup.


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## j_seph

Overlook the mess in the boat. It is not completed yet. Doodleflop has been doing my welding for me. This is on my Carolina skiff, the front deck had some waterlogged plywood in it so I removed it.









The front part you see with the most grid in it will be a permanent deck on my boat since I use it for fishing as well with expanded metal. The other piece behind that towards the back will be an extension that comes out for fishing. My light bars will be 16" tall for knee rails and to keep doodleflop and hatchrooster in the boat lol. The light bars will be removeable as well. Hopefully we'll have more pics of that by Sunday evening.
Again overlook the mess 
Going to use a kicker motor for power to save from killing a $1000 trolling motor. Steering is basically clamped in right now until I can't get it welded rigid.


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## bullardsls1

Looking good j sheph I have not got to take photos yet of mine what lights are u running e conolight has 400hps for 115 I orderd a new one that will be in thursday that's the cheapest I have seen


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## j_seph

bullardsls1 said:


> Looking good j sheph I have not got to take photos yet of mine what lights are u running e conolight has 400hps for 115 I orderd a new one that will be in thursday that's the cheapest I have seen


  Econ Light Halogen, can't afford them HPS


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## bullardsls1

We need to go one night in our boat in muddy water it makes all the difference in the world I got 4 500 halo and 2 750 w halos on mine now with 2 400 hps and one 250. I am slowly gonna remove all halos and replace with hps


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## Bullfrog81

Thanks everyone for there comment and suggestions. Those deck pictures look nice. Keep us updated with photos I would like to see the completed project. Keep up the good work.


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## bullardsls1

here is my deck j selph  its made from a lader and pontoon decking


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## Bullfrog81

Is the push fan worth the difference between a trolling motor. I am not real sure what the fan is for. Please explain. Thanks


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## willholl79

The fans are helpfull when fishing shallow.  You don't have to worry about bounce the trolling motor off a stump or the bottom.

Here is my fan boat:












I bought the hull and fan set-up from Redneck Airboats in Oklahoma.  I am putting a Merc XR6 150 hp outboard on it this week.  Can't wait to get it bloody!


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## bullardsls1

Very nice


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## willholl79

bullardsls1 said:


> Very nice



Yeah, I can't wait to fish out of it.  My wife and I went to pick it up last weekend, and it's just sitting waiting on the outboard.  Hopefully it will be fully rigged and ready to fish by next weekend.


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## Hard Core

Looks sharp, good luck with the rest of the rigging.


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## KentuckyHeadhunter

Here ya go.  Yep, I've seen me do it!


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## j_seph

We are for sho, getting closer to the sticking part! Lights come in Thursday


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## castandblast

willholl, are you the one on BFC that bought that 2 stroke fan motor from j-bird? If so how do you like it. I thought 2 strokes were made only to go at full throttle and didn't like to idle around; which is what we do 70% of the time while fishing. I thought of getting one from him, but the 2stroke still scares me.


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## willholl79

castandblast said:


> willholl, are you the one on BFC that bought that 2 stroke fan motor from j-bird? If so how do you like it. I thought 2 strokes were made only to go at full throttle and didn't like to idle around; which is what we do 70% of the time while fishing. I thought of getting one from him, but the 2stroke still scares me.



Yeah, same boat.  I haven't fished out of it yet so I can't answer your question.  I will however keep a couple of extra spark plugs in the boat.  From what the j-bird guy says, if the carb is adjusted right and the oil is mixed right, it should not foul plugs at an idle.  The main reason I went with 2 stroke is weight, we'll see how it performs.


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## castandblast

i gotcha. I thought that was it. Its looking good! Im about to order a 16hp 4 stroke as soon as I finish the shooting deck. My boat is not nearly as big as yours though so the little 16 should push it fine. But if you report good things on the 2stokes I might change my mind. Let me know how it works for you.


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## j_seph

Fans blow!
Wish I had an extra boat to put one on


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