Bowfishing from rocks - tactics

[theoldnic]

Hi, new here, Bowfishing, i often did archery during my time, Recently i went back to a fishing method(bowfishing) i developed with a kiddies bow and fishing line a sharpened bent nail and some tie wire, only this time(40 years later) i used the real equipment which i see in Australia is not particularly diverse neither easily obtained.

A simple mudcat reel of i found requires at least 100ft of line to be usable from a ledge 2-3m up on the sea shore.

The bow is an Atunga Stalker set at 28" - 55lb "rigged for bowfishing and arrow with AMS safety slide and carp point" (cheap compared to other compounds and all i consider its good for because the riser shelf is too narrow for plastic fletch(during normal target archery) goes off course too easily with too much wag no matter how much arrow rest adjustment is set), it has a good thump and can effectively deliver the arrow with reasonable good power and trajectory with reel drag to the 30 meter max (i believe a third 50ft line would be a good idea as fish play and stretch protection).

Great cheap bow for bowfishing good for nothing else in my opinion as far as i am concerned.

I found from two location tries peculiar results apart from range testing shots, 1. Sydney harbour does contain fish but also too many power boats and kayakers and canoes going past all day at "wait for to pass range" resulting in schools of anything of a good size never getting near shore where i was. The shore was deep and sudden into the water unlike the other site 2Km above manly, that had solid rock shallow angle bottom so firing at least 15m is required to get past the shallow. Both contained "30cm at least fish"(i have a list of types and bag limits for id of the fish) but they were rare for the whole day.

Firing from rocks is a complicated action because the first 50ft of line is used to pass rocks or shallows and "primarily reach"(trigonometry) because of requiring to "be 2-3m up on a ledge" to see into the ocean surface glare effectively enough to make a good identification which is a little easier in open ocean where there are waves.

So if you want to rock bowfish Sydney Harbour its a waste of time apart the 150g p/month consumption limit because of pollution.

2Km above manly i could have had a large leather jacket at 30m another fish alike an Aust. Salmon and 2 stingrays.

Another feature of both sites and not many fish(at least not large fish) is no small crabs rock dwelling crabs in the vicinity, it appears you would need to shoot near some set of rock in the ocean for this reason not simply a bare long shallows.

Anyone agree with the tactic or have better info? / more added info? , i don't know much myself except larger fish that are cruisers do go past after fry and fingerlings and can be seen scooting the surface in Syd Harbour or the seaward side coastal shoreline.

I now know from what i've done recently,rock bowfishing fishing can be done with a bow of more than 50lb(is the better idea) and at least 100ft of line accurately.

[Seiran]

I've never tried fishing Sydney Harbour so have no comment on what it's like down there.

It would be good to see some pics of you using your bow for fishing.

[Gary_C]

55 lbs seems a bit light to me. Please understand, I am not judging or dismissing what you are doing (and it actually sounds like a hell of a lot of fun), I am just questioning the technical points of it.

55 lbs is what my wife's bow was set to for straight archery (target shooting). I had mine set at 80 lbs with a 27 inch draw because I was using mine for hunting.

I only shoot projectiles at things I want to eat and want killed quickly, so I'd be more comfortable bowfishing with a broadhead and 80 lbs leaving me to drag it back to shore because there is no catch and release with the sport.

You will also have to be very good at judging legal size and species from that distance. Best of luck to you; hope to see some reports soon.

[theoldnic]

(there are some pics in my profile but nothing much for now - added: just noticed in community pics the number of children - My pinion of Bowfishing and children is NEVER, and never any together below 40lb draw weight and inclusive not in a group unless they all sibblings or it is simply unsafe "but only because of childrens' behavior" when they are below 14, and the problems that can result from children whom are not guaranteed controlable because they are not family - e.g. Think spear guns!!!)

55lbs is minimal to me too for fishing from rocks "but if you look at the PSE wave and PSE Kingfisher bowfishing packages 50lb is their max" and its mainly because they seem to believe it will be done from a boat($200AUS for four hours or just as bad if you own one and need a PWC license) and within 10 meters max shot at the fish.

With rocks , getting up 2-3m above the water line gives the benefit of being able to see through the glare better without polaroid sunglasses, but it causes the first 10-15m of shallows and low tide line to take most of the first 50ft hence 2 lines joined or 3 or even 2x 100ft lines joined but only firing on large fish near the surface(much as at any time) or no more than 30cm below waterline at max.

When the rest is aligned to fire correctly, accuracy to 30 meters can be achieved and that is "where it is at" along with extra power but **"above 60lb" any bow is generally plus-$200 or thereabout more in cost e.g. Abbey Dingo-65lb.

**(ADDED because bows are expensive) Just add some info about 70lb, generally a single limb "pair" system(not quad) is hard to find at 70lb now but that quad on my avatar is a Bear Encounter and about one of very few modern style bows that "allows a the Mudcat reel fitted on where the stabilizer is(most designs now have the limb knee pointing out too far and the stabilizer screw socket too low down-idealy it should leave a one and a half to two inch clearance for the arrow from the rim of the Mudcat reel - NB chuck their(mudcat token 80lb 50ft) line away and use Aust Post pre paid load and go visa card buy online(for people who don't use linked bank ones) e.g. 150ft AMS 200lb test bowfishing braided line and perhaps get some "gator points")" and reasonably priced often(but like i said if above 60lb) Note: PSE has 70lb compounds single limb left overs from previous years for a reasonable price, but don't forget to get a bow press and grease the axles (grease or vaseline not oil,oil runs out too fast) each day or salt water or freshwater will ruin any bow in DAYS!.

(Anyone know where i can get a PSE Big 5 in 120?)

With rock fishing it is the big fish e.g. one and a half to twice the minimum size and often cruisers cruising the shoreline for foodstuffs such as small crabs e.t.c.

In judging legal species appearance, "a good start is a forked tail on it" except tuna and sharks which must be around 100cm or more, Estuary Perch are the main problem and fish with non forked flat or protruding(convex edge) edge tails, you only get Sea Perch. Large scales visible from 30m(pair of mini but powerful binoculars) depending the species unless its weird like a leatherjacket.

However, i have around 5 A4 pages in a plastic bag with the legal size and qty. limits i printed from the NSW fisheries site.

Like all projectile systems to use you need eye-site that does not use specs except perhaps people with tunnel vision,theirs is not clarity its correction of field of view and often is long range anyhow.

The full 65lb or 70lb to me would be nice but its cost that can be solved by setting up a bow correctly for the purpose. NOTE how the "Y" fork arrow rest(single piece antelope) in my profile photo album is set up NEAR "flat" and not using its "sprung knock over on firing" system for normal fletch arrows, it sits in place static for the fletchless fishing arrow(note arrow and a line and an AMS slide or wire slide on the arrow "is required legally(AFAIK)", you cannot use target or broadhead(appropriate humane design device for the job) or without line, it gives a better chance of bringing in a wounded fish and/or killing it to use barbed heavy weight(inertia) piercing arrow).

A good point about bowfishing is it does the job neatly and effectively inclusive bad strikes allowing the fish to be pulled in with little fuss.

If you have a draw length of 30inch or can handle 30 inch draw comfortably Atunga "Stlaker" 65lb is the cheapest on the market and as far as i am concerned perfect for bowfishing if that is your size. I recently purchased a 70lb Spyder to set to 27 inch although i can comfortably use 29inch draw but not 30inch.

Compound Bows good for "Rock Bowfishing 65-70lb or more" - (avoid if possible - quad limbs are too fiddly because they require axle grease every two days because of salt water spray).

-PSE Rally 2013 (note the knee)

-Martin Threshold

PSE Nova SU

PSE Nova NI

-PSE Deer Hunter

PSE Rogue X

PSE Spyder

-Abbey Dingo

Browning Rage

PSE Stinger 3G (check limb clearance for reel first or get a longer SAE stud from a metal shop)

-

Hoyt CRX 32 (or 35)

Athens Big 5

Bear Encounter

Bear Outbeak

Bear Legion

A final note: Always check the screw point of a carp point fishing arrow after every shot or you will lose the screw tip(keep pliers with you to tighten them down).

[theoldnic]

Update: Recently tested some plastic 80lb braid with the 65lb bow. The braid is a small thin line alike ordinary monofilament. "jarvis walker - Hercules 115meter"

Throws it from the mudcat reel 50 - 60 meters with some minimal but would want no more "trajectory" and quickly.

The "normal bowfishing line of material braid" is Mudcat reel original and two joined together for 45m.

Too heavy reaches 35 - 40 meters but the trajectory is high to reach and heavy and slow to fire.

Looking to find a favorable position at various locations (2 -5 meter rock ledging and minimal wave - shore slamming froth) for now to test actual shots.

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