Bowfishing open - Anyone find open water yet?

[HookEmHard84]

Anyone find or know of some open water where the carp go early. It's awesome that we don't have to wait until may 1st this year.

[Stick500]

I'm trying to figure out the same thing. One of the guys at Gander Mnt. says he sees them right after ice-out along the shore at the Mississippi but I've never seen that before and I'm always hanging out at the first open water. Was just down by the mouth of Minnehaha Sunday and didn't see anything. The water was bit murky, too.

Hopefully someone here at HSO can point us in the right direction! My arrow finger is getting real itchy.

[Archerysniper]

The guys I shoot the tournaments with have shot a few over on the river by Elk river

[efgh]

The Cannon River is open from Crodova to Sakata, don;t know if any carp are moving in it though.

[Stick500]

one thing I do remember from last year is that Buffalo spawn sooner than carp- they are the first ones you see roiling around next to shore

[Ryan_V]

I wish they would just open it for everyone. Some of us don't have a boat to be on a lake, mn, miss, or st croix! Have to wait until apr 26 here! Creeks are all running by me, but can't shoot anything until then! Have not seen anything yet anyway

[Stick500]

Yeh, I suppose one could argue that the new early season bowfishing rule is discriminatory towards people who don't have boats

I can understand that there's no shooting in creeks during early season, but why can't anyone shoot from shore in the lakes or rivers?

[HookEmHard84]

Yea I don't really get the "boat only" rule. Would be really nice to be able to hit the creeks that are open long before ice out.

[Neighbor_guy]

They are trying to protect the sucker run and keep people from being tempted to spear the northern that run up the creeks following them.

Be happy we can shoot early at all. And/or consider picking up a cheap Jon boat.

[No_Net]

Took the boat out for the first time this year on a lake that opened up in the last couple days. The carp were stacked in the shallows on the north side. Took me a while to get the rust nocked off but managed 33 carp.

[Gordie]

The son and his buddy got 5 suckers and they said it was tricky shooting out of the canoe.

[hillbilly...]

Buddys got 63 in 2 days so far i was stuck in Nebraska but on way home now duck blind coming off and lights going on

[No_Net]

Buddys got 63 in 2 days so far i was stuck in Nebraska but on way home now duck blind coming off and lights going on

Could of had a lot more if you would of been with. You probable would of shot the koi I missed too.

[hillbilly...]

Probably would have missed to but i would have dove in after well get him sooner or later

[Stick500]

Took the boat out for the first time this year on a lake that opened up in the last couple days. The carp were stacked in the shallows on the north side. Took me a while to get the rust nocked off but managed 33 carp.

No net I would love to find something like that near the metro this weekend. Did you find them in a shallow or deep lake? A fairly big lake or little lake? Was it a sunny and warm day?

I've never seen carp do anything like that so soon after ice out. Sounds like fun!!

[No_Net]

What I have noticed with carp is they are drawn to the warmest water in the lake right after ice out. Ive seen it on both deep and shallow lakes. I think lakes that warm up the fastest are your best bet. Last year I was shooting carp in SD on a lake that still had ice floating around on the main lake with 38 degree water but, the shallow bays were pushing 50 degrees.

Went out Saturday night to about a 1000 acre lake that is about 40ft deep and the last little bit of ice went out on Tuesday. Found water temps up to 49 in the shallow bays and 44 over deeper water. Didn't see a ton of fish. Managed 22 carp a bullhead and a sheephead

[no bait nate]

Great info Jeremy! I'm still waiting to get out on a night shoot with ya;) Seems like we only run into eachother on the ice!

[Stick500]

OK I finally found a group of carp sunning themselves (late afternoon today) along the shore on a shallow lake in Eden Paririe!

Even saw a few that looked like they were feeding.

[CarpO0101]

was it Starring ? I spend half day looking for them on last sunday.. please share the lake name ..pls..

[Stick500]

was it Starring ? I spend half day looking for them on last sunday.. please share the lake name ..pls..

it was the no-name lake right above, and connected to, Starring and I saw them on Tuesday (yesterday that was sunny).

saw a couple of big northerns under the dam/bridge- doubt if they were in any sort of a feeding mode- can't try to catch 'em right now anyway!

[hillbilly...]

Jermy it fun guy to shoot with weve had some great nights