# rigging a bowfishin' bow 101



## FERAL ONE (Mar 19, 2007)

there has been several posts lately about bowfishing and some folks would like to try it out. i thought i would show how i rig a bow out for bowfishing with the hopes that it might help someone. for supplies , you can contact our very own mark land from muzzy. he is an extremely nice guy who has helped me several times before. also sullys bowfishing stuff, bowfishing extreme, dixie bowfishing, and backwater bowfishing are all places to supply your needs. 

i started with a hand wrap reel and then moved to a spinner. tried the ams reel but i did not like it. lots of folks do, i am not knocking it, just telling what we use.

i just got a new bow so i figured i would show the steps to rig it out. the pic shows the bow, a browning barracuda, no gloves for the string, reel seat , reel , third hand attachment (life saver when you shoot into something solid to keep from cutting your hand)  my son shoots a muzzy fishhook rest on his cuda, but i like an epoxy rest made from the quick steel.

just rough up the area with sand paper and mix the epoxy and set it on in a egg shape.  wet your arrow and mash it in setting it for center shot. remove the arrow and wet your fingers and smooth out the epoxy. it will dry in about 5 minutes. 

the no gloves are a real pain to put on. i use a big paper clip to thread them on. use LOTS of string wax and pull one the paper clip with pliers while working the no gloves into position.

i wrap the handles with tennis racket tape and i wear baseball gloves while shooting. you will shoot for hours and shoot hundreds of shots some nights, you want the most comfortable grip you can get.  the gloves also help with the line. to keep from hurting your hands. 

the line is 200 lb test fast flite and is very cut resistant. i put 42 cranks per reel so i get 2 reels out of a spool.

hope this helps a little, if not feel free to ask!!!


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## madrabbit (Mar 19, 2007)

Nice lookin Set-up.................now let's see some pics of the fish that you have shot!


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## FERAL ONE (Mar 19, 2007)

madrabbit, i have not blooded the cuda yet. just got it today!!! i hope to be posting soon of it's adventures. here is one of my favorite "after" pics from a trip with my father.


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## FERAL ONE (Mar 20, 2007)

i forgot to add if you shoot a spinner, it helps to spray the line down with silicone spray or reel magic each trip before you shoot. makes the line glide off the reel a lot better.


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## Al33 (Mar 20, 2007)

Great thread and info! THANKS!

I copied this thread to the Bowhunting Forum so that others might benefit from it.


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## madrabbit (Mar 20, 2007)

GREAT  after pic!!!!!!!!         I'll try to dig out some of my after pics and post them........There's not as many as you got, but it sure was fun!!!!


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## Bowman#3 (Mar 20, 2007)

good looking rig


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## ugabowhunter (Mar 20, 2007)

i gotta ask, what do you do with the fish like the carp and gar? the cats, i know what you do with, but i don't like carp and never had gar. i don't care if you toss'em out cuz one less gar or carp is a good thing to me. like i said, i was just wondering.


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## FERAL ONE (Mar 20, 2007)

uga, the gar we eat if they are big enough. the suckers we give to a good friend of mine. the carp i have given away a few times but for the most part they go to help fertilize my food plots. i figure even if a coyote gets them it might keep him from eating a quail , turkey or fawn. nothing goes to waste in the wild.  some other bowfishermen give theres to rendering plants ,hog farmers ,zoos and raptor recovery centers. if i knew of someone who needed them i would be more than glad to supply 'em .


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## ugabowhunter (Mar 20, 2007)

good deal, bud. its good to know nothing gets wasted. does gar taste good??? i gotta try it soon. you got to gash it like a sucker? i really want to try the bowfishing soon, but i need to get better with the rod and reel before i move on to a bow. thanks for the info.

robby


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## javelin225ho (Mar 20, 2007)

ugabowhunter said:


> i gotta ask, what do you do with the fish like the carp and gar? the cats, i know what you do with, but i don't like carp and never had gar. i don't care if you toss'em out cuz one less gar or carp is a good thing to me. like i said, i was just wondering.



you were reading my mind......good idea for the food plots.  how is gar?  they are pretty boney aren't they?


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## bukhuntr (Mar 21, 2007)

mmmmm mmm good eatin there.  I love bowfishin!  Thanks for sharing.


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## FERAL ONE (Mar 21, 2007)

the gar are very good, most folks think they are bony but that is far from true. the bony plates on the outside of the fish keep the skeleton on the inside very simple. it is hard to get into but there is NOT ONE BONE IN IT!!! you get a tenderloin off of both sides that fries up great. some folks boil it in crab boil then chill it and serve like shrimp. next good one i get i will post a "how to" on the gar.


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## Incawoodsman (Mar 21, 2007)

Have you caught one of those monster alligator gar yet, those things look like they will eat your arms off. I can't believe there has only been one documented attack by a gar.  There was a girl that was sitting on a dock with her feet in the water, well the Gar mistook her foot for food and ripped it off her leg. I would definitely hate too fall off a boat and be in the water with one of these


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## FERAL ONE (Jun 5, 2007)

had a couple folks askin' questions so i figured i would ttt this here in case any needed it!!! just a few options .


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## Tim L (Jun 5, 2007)

When you say suckers are you talking about buffs?


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## snipehunter (Jun 5, 2007)

Are you willing to help set a rig up and then take a fellow bow fishing somewhere


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## FERAL ONE (Jun 5, 2007)

rouster, these are real, mean suckers!!! i have only shot 1 buff in my life and it was a small one. the one spot i have with buffs is too dangerous to shoot at night unfortunately. (two legged snakes)  here is one that i have a pic of.


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## FERAL ONE (Jun 5, 2007)

snipe, if you are close by i would be glad to help. riggin' and fishin'!!!


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## Bowfisher (Jun 5, 2007)

Heres one I shot in La. about 3 yrs. ago, gator gar about 90 pounds, just a baby to what is down there.  Good eating though!!


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## GAX (Jul 23, 2008)

ttt


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## GAX (Aug 19, 2008)

FERAL ONE... I just got a muzzy reel today and put about 60' of 200# Fast Flight on it. After I let out about 15' of the line, it lightly snags in the reel. Is this gonna mess up my arrow flight? I soaked the string with Reel Magic, hopefully that will help some. Also there is a lot of line twist. Do you think a swivel will work? I use the AMS Safety Slides. I have a AMS Retriever and love it but I like to try all options. Any info would be helpful. Thanks.


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## GA Bowfisher (Aug 20, 2008)

gaxtreme said:


> FERAL ONE... I just got a muzzy reel today and put about 60' of 200# Fast Flight on it. After I let out about 15' of the line, it lightly snags in the reel. Is this gonna mess up my arrow flight? I soaked the string with Reel Magic, hopefully that will help some. Also there is a lot of line twist. Do you think a swivel will work? I use the AMS Safety Slides. I have a AMS Retriever and love it but I like to try all options. Any info would be helpful. Thanks.


You need more line a Muzzy reel should hold about 90' of line.


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## GAX (Aug 21, 2008)

Got it.
Took line off arrow and let the line off the spool trailing behind the boat. That got the twist out, works fine now. as per instructions from a member in another forum. Thanks


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## sleeze (Feb 12, 2009)

Bump,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Good thread by Feral one, for all the newbies just getting started.


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## florida boy (Feb 12, 2009)

Bowfisher , I wish we could shoot those redfish laying on the deck of that boat (illegal in fl ) along with alligator gar . They are so tempting . We kill alot of mullet flounder and sheephead .


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## Jrocket (Mar 19, 2009)

What brand of Epoxy Puddy are you using? I am rigging the same set up right now. Have u  used it before? How did it hold up


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## Jrocket (Mar 19, 2009)

DUH HUH I guess I should have read and looked at the picture a little closer!


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## FERAL ONE (Mar 22, 2009)

it holds up great !!! i rough up the riser a bit and have not had one fall off yet. it is some tough stuff !!!


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