Bow Fishing for Gar

[J.McDonald Knives]

I just went to the river today and shot me a 33 1/2" spotted gar. I still need to upload the pics but will post them as soon as I get them off my phone. Any one else here have a problem with a knife going dull when cleaning a gar? Also HC should the barbs on a fish arrowhead be so that it wont break but will still hold the fish and have a very small amount of flex? Mine is a cheap one that tends to want to bend on me. Here is a link to a picture of it. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/s...24041_400014018_400000000_400014000_400-14-18 I might just get another arrowhead for it. BTW this gar was the first fish I shot and was able to land. I had shot a 3' carp the other day but it bent the barbs on the arrowhead as I was pulling it out.

I'm also interested in seeing what yalls bow fishing setup looks like. Lets see some pics.

EDIT: Here are the pics. The first one is of the gar. If you look halfway down it you can see the hole where the arrow went in. In the second pic you can see how it bent the barb on my arrow. You can spin the barb around. For now I just bent it back to shape and use it til i can figure out how to get it off the arrow and get a new one. I would like to make a new barb for it cause it will be a pain to get the old one off.

 

[gixxer]

you shoot off the shelf or use a whisker biscuit?

 

[J.McDonald Knives]

I shot it off the shelf. Its a Bear 76er 3-piece recurve 45#. I'm using an Eastman Stinger arrow with just a regular fish point and an Eastman reel that mounts in the stabilizer mount.

 

[gixxer]

When I get the time I want to try bowfishing. Gives me a reason to buy a recurve. As far as cooking your fish getter heads to keep the barbs from bending? dunno. you could experiment with a regular broadhead and use the dremel to try to create a barb on the backside of the blade where it goes back into the head. It matters not if the broadhead balances out since you are shooting 10 feet. Maybe something like a magnus with one huge wide blade and a small one

 

[J.McDonald Knives]

The barbs on the arrowheads are designed to hold the fish on and be able to unscrew so you can take the arrow out. Take a look at some of these arrowheads.

http://www.yeoldearcheryshoppe.com/eastman-osprey-fish-point-p-6223.html
http://www.yeoldearcheryshoppe.com/garpoon-fish-point-p-6232.html
http://www.yeoldearcheryshoppe.com/stingray-fish-point-p-1251.html

Those are the type I would love to switch to but I dont feel like buying a new arrow along with getting the new arrowhead. I just want to get the new arrowhead. I also need to get new line. Did you know that bowfishing line is rated at 80# usually? Its insane.

 

[J.McDonald Knives]

I just got an email from member mdoyle since he isnt a paid member and can't respond here. Here is what the email said.
Jacob,
I'm not a paying member so I can not answer your question in the around the grinder forum. But, to answer your question, buy MUZZY fish arrows and fish points. Slightly more expensive but I've been shooting the same fishpoint for years. Try that with the cheap river point in the pic you showed. They are the leaders in bowfishing technology and sponsor most of the large scale tournaments. Go to their website and buy direct from them. They are great to deal with also and can help with any questions you have. You may wish to post this info in the forum to help others interested. It's a great sport and I am an addict....That's why my emall address is Dcarpslayer@aol.com
Matt Doyle

Thanks for yalls help.

 

[scottickes]

That's why my emall address is Dcarpslayer@aol.com
Matt Doyle

Thanks for yalls help.

Until now I'm been reading Matts email address as Dcardsplayer, as in poker. The mind makes up what it wants to see I guess. Interesting that I never noticed what the real address was.

Did anyone else read it as Dcardsplayer?

Ickie

 

[gixxer]

CAnt say that I saw it that way Scottie. Anyhow, I completely forgot that Muzzy makes bowfishing stuff.Now I know where to go when the time comes and I get that chance.

 

[J.McDonald Knives]

Well I finally got a new arrow and got some pics of my setup. The new arrow is a Muzzy arrow with a Muzzy Stingray point.

Bow Fishing Setup

Muzzy Stingray Arrowhead

Eastman Reel with 60' of 80# Bohning Line

My old Eastman Stinger arrow with Fish Point

Fish Point

What do you think about my setup?

 

[Knifemaker87]

looks like a wicked setup!
go get some gar!

 

[Fiddleback]

Ok. Thats just cool.

 

[J.McDonald Knives]

I'm going fishing and bow fishing tomorrow. Can't wait to get this new one wet.

 

[J.McDonald Knives]

Ok. Thats just cool.

Which part? Arrow? Setup?

 

[Fiddleback]

Which part? Arrow? Setup?

The whole idea. Haven't seen bowfishing since I left Louisianna. Haven't heard of any other peoples eating gar. And, cool setup too.

 

[sixstrings101]

please post some more pics..:thumbup:

 

[Fiddleback]

Can't wait to get this ... one wet.

OK. I can understand that too.

 

[J.McDonald Knives]

I'll post pics of anything else I shoot with it. At lease I know I won't lose any more due to the arrow coming back out. Also with this one having the safety slide on the shaft I won't have any snap backs. This is going to be so sweet. I even tested the strength of these blades by trying to bend them and they are strong. I can't bend them by hand.

 

[J.McDonald Knives]

Well I finally got a new bow. It's a PSE Kingfisher 50# and I'm using the roller rest it came with. One of these days I'll get the Whisker Biscuit cause it looks so much sweeter. I took my reel off my old bow and put it on this one. I had to get a new bow because my old one had wooden limbs and they were warping badly. This one has fiberglass limbs. It's also painted in camo which is sweet. Here are the pics.

I went ahead and got a new Muzzy Gar Point to replace the cheap fish point I had on my old arrow. Now I can fish for just about anything. Notice the safety slide on this one too?