Muddy Waters Bow Fishing

Bow-Fishing Season will soon be in full-swing!  Contact us regarding setting up a bow-fishing trip or the ultimate - a fishing and bow-fishing combo trip!!

Nighttime Bow fishing; When the Water Comes Alive

By: Todd Bohm

Even though the fall bow-hunting season is still months away, avid bow hunters have numerous opportunities to hone their skills in preparation for that shot of a lifetime. Target shooting and 3-d shoots are traditional methods of off-season practice for archers.

However, for some dedicated fisherman and archers, there is even a more exciting way to fish and hone your archery skills at the same time - nighttime bowfishing. Nighttime bow fishing offers enthusiasts the opportunity to take up to 100 shots a night at live targets. This all happens during the cover of darkness when fish are less wary and at times, it seems like the water is alive with fish.

Getting started for nighttime bow fishing requires some specialized equipment. How fancy you get with the equipment depends on how hooked you get on this awesome adventure. Let's start with bow. Many shooters choose to shoot their own bows that they use for bow hunting. This is a great option and allows the shooter to continue developing confidence with their bow. One bit of advice I offer shooters who use their own equipment is to turn the bow down. I prefer 35 -40 lbs. Take it from me, pulling a 65 lb. bow back all night can get tiring. Another option if the bug really bites you would be to invest in specific bows made for bow fishing. AMS and PSE are two manufacturers who specifically make these bows. Along with your bow, the shooter will need to install a shooting reel and roller rest on their bows and purchase a couple of bow fishing arrows. Quality products made by AMS are perfect and relatively inexpensive for both the novice and seasoned shooter. 

Once you have secured your shooting equipment, the next thing to focus on would be the shooting platform. Many shooters adapt their present fishing boat to fit their needs and in most cases this works just fine. Rigging up work lights or hand held deer lights are a good way to provide light at night for shooting. For those shooters interested in a bow fishing specific rig, the sky's the limit. Most bow fishing rigs are flat-bottomed jon boats ranging up to 21 ft. with shooting platforms, multiple lights, generators, trolling motors, and in some cases air propellers to move the boat. Shooters who do not have access to boat can still shoot. Using waders and battery-powered headlamps offer shooters a fairly inexpensive way to still enjoy the sport of night bow fishing. 

After you have secured all of your equipment, now it's time to fish or is it hunt? In Central Wisconsin, we focus on shooting on carp and suckers. Shooting on the reservoirs and rivers of Central Wisconsin provides hours of unlimited targets. In spring and early summer, as these rough fish prepare to spawn, water temperature dictates where the fish will be. Most shallow bays, or backwaters are perfect areas to begin your search. I have had great success finding areas of sand and weed that tend to hold heat and therefore, hold fish. Scouting during the day to locate fish is a great way to prepare for your night shoot. Also paying attention to wind direction during the day and water clarify are other key points in shooting success. 

Whether you are just interested in dabbling with the sport of bow fishing or are an addicted shooter like myself, give nighttime bow fishing a shot. At Wisconsin Angling Adventures, we are happy to introduce people to this great sport and will provide as much equipment as our clients need. Step into the night and create a passion that may never go away.

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