Bow Fishing

[czl99]

I have been bow fishing alot lately and it is really fun. I finally found a way to go hunting, fishing and target practice all at the same time. Why don't you see more people bow fishing or even hear about people bow fishing? I have shot a 171bs and a 22lbs bigmouth buffallo (At least thats what I think they are).

------------------
Fishing isn't everything it's the only thing.

[This message has been edited by czl99 (edited 07-31-2004).]

[Fish'n guy]

I know what you mean, bowfishing is a real blast and is a challenge of the shooting skills. I think that the reason not as many people bowfish is that people either don't like to eat carp or they don't know what to do with them after they shoot them. OHH WELL, just more carp for people like you and me to shoot. I just love it when a carp comes swimming by really fast and I make perfect shot, what a way to practice for hunting!!!!

GOOD FISHIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Muskie-searcher]

More people don't bow fish because you can't release the fish afterwards. Catch and release is the way this sport is headed, and that is a great thing. I am also hoping that winter spearing is outlawed in the near future. To many big pike being killed in my opinion.

[Bogsucker]

Muskie searcher,
Sometimes I think I'm mis-infering statements but then, no probably not.

Why is it great that "this sport" is "headed that way"(catch and release)? Were fish created for our entertainment or maybe so we can prove we are smarter than them by catching them then letting them go?

Pike have been speared forever and there are still big pike, why ban it now? So those who don't know how to fish have a chance at catching a big fish?

Carp are not a native species and for the most part wreak havoc in the waters they occupy, why not shoot the h$%% out of 'em and use 'em for fertilizer, I bet they'd even work as fertilizer on a deer browse food plot, hmmm. There are many uses for dead carp!!!

[tulikow]

I dont spear pike, but there are slot limits and possession limits to prevent people from harvesting all of the large pike by spearing or catching them with hook and line in a body of water. I agree with Fishn Guy I think a lot of people dont bowfish because they dont know what do do with the fish afterwards.

[riverrat56]

Muskie searcher how can u say there are fewer big pike now than befor when less people are spearing now? there may be but spearing isnt the problem, The people i know who spear dont take alot of big pike they let them swim by the hole and just watch them, the spear the 5-6 pounders to eat just like someone would who was catching them through the ice.

[Muskie-searcher]

I am not saying spearing is the sole reason there are less big pike, but the spearers I know try to hit the biggest pike they can. Some even then give the fish away as to avoid not being able to go out and take another one. I know there are probably anglers who do the same things, but at least with angling there is the option of a photo and a release and that is changing the mindset of a lot of people. I believe there are a lot fewer big fish being kept now as opposed to even 10 years ago. That is the point I was trying to make, I was not trying to offend anyone.

[jweitgen]

I don't know what muskie searchers problem is, but I just picked up a bow and can't wait to shoot some carp. I know I will feel bad because I can't release the non native species that has grip on most rivers in MN, but I think I will get over it when I can catch those walleyes without my bait getting stolen by yet another carp.

[Muskie-searcher]

Yes there are still big pike around, but there numbers are a lot lower than they used to be. A lot of lakes are being over-run with hammer handles because the big predators are few and far between. I feel for you if you have to go out in order to prove you are smarter than a pike, but then to each his own.

[mnfisherman]

I agree with Muskie-searcher and I think you guys are jerks for attacking him when he states his opinion.

"Carp are not a native species and for the most part wreak havoc in the waters they occupy, why not shoot the h$%% out of 'em and use 'em for fertilizer"

I wonder why people don't kill brown trout??? They are not native and were actually brought here from Germany just like the carp was.

You ask why not shoot the carp, well I'll give you an answer (even though I'm sure you aren't smart enough to listen). OK, when bow fishing you go for the biggest carp you can, correct? Well every water can only support a specific amount of life depending upon the amount of available food, size of the water, etc. If you kill a 50lb carp 20 5lb carp could live in its place.

One excuse people give for killing carp is that they muddy up the water by rooting around on the bottom. Many waters that large populations of carp inhabit have crystal clear water as well as plenty of aquatic plants and healthy game fish populations. Muddy water is actually caused by humans from runoff whether it be runoff of mud into streams. roads, parking lots, and farms all create areas where water flows over the land before it can ever soak in. it picks up mud, and runs into the local waterways.
carp are just prevalent in waters where bass and other game fish have declined simply because they are the only fish who can survive human caused problems. People see this and think that carp have caused it because they are one of the only species of fish that can live there.

Another reason why carp may overpopulate an area is because the DNR isn't doing its job and managing the water. They could Introduce more predator type fish(flatheads, crappie, bass, etc.) and place a slot limit on them or a C&R only until the carp are under control.

"It's all about $$. If you research Hybrid Striped Bass (Wipers), they are actually more of a hazard to game fish than carp. They hybrids actually search out crappie and bass nests to feast on the eggs, and will wipe out a years hatch of fry if they are schooled up on. But......because Hybrid fishing is a "big industry" in Ohio, the Ohio DNR doesn't say anything about that."

"There are a good number of studies that would indicate that carp are not the evil habitat destroyers in the water system (this was a predominant view from WAAAAAY back in fisheries management history), but are actually for the most part quite the opposite. The predator/prey relationship with pike is a good example. Pike, given a choice, will choose a soft-finned prey of appropriate size over a spiny-finned (read perch, bass, sunfish here) option nearly 100% of the time. This includes carp. Adding carp to a pike fishery has been shown to increase size and overall population health, since in an optimum environ a pike will seek out prey up to 33% of their body mass. Whoever your quoted management official is, he would seem not to have kept up with current data or statistics. Quite a few management agencies are even using carp to control the weed explosions brought about by boaters who bring non-native plant material from lake to lake with their boats via bilges or simply weeds clinging to the hull."

See, the predator population can actually increase when carp are introduced. But if you start killing the pike, muskies and other large predators your throwing the predator/prey balance out of line and allowing more carp to live in that biomass.

Nature can effectively balance itself out but when you go out and start killing carp and predators in order to try to help the environment your doing much more harm then good!

Long ago there was once a law in MN that said you had to kill all the carp that you caught. Why do you think they changed that? Well for the same reason I just stated, it does more harm then good.

Many of the lakes and rivers I fish for carp have balanced fish populations with clear water and big fish.

Now bowHUNTERS lets here your reasons(excuses) why carp are evil monsters and why its OK to kill big predators. That should give me a good laugh!!!!!

[Muskie-searcher]

Well written MNfisherman. A perfect example of what you talk about is Mille Lacs lake. There might not be a better all around fishery in the state or even the Midwest and there is a nice balance of predator/prey fish in there that does include a healthy population of fishable carp.

The other point is that only carp are non-native fish. All of these other fish that are being shot are native and it is sad that those shooting them cannot even identify them. What if it was one of the endangered sucker species and not simply a buffalo. Odds are slim, but most of the guys shooting have no idea.

[Bogsucker]

Well I prefer to fish for brook trout which are native though I do enjoy catching and eating browns.

Muskie searcher obviously has some issues with some posts and has expessed them.

Rather than criticize people how about offering some positive advice as riverrat56 has done(on another post) instead of making crass remarks.

[Roughfisher]

Buffalo and carp are two different fish. They are not even related. Buffalo filter the water and keep it clean. They are natives.

I have no problem with people bowfishing for carp. I don't understand that mentality, but it's fine by me, as long as people are responsible with the carcasses. But shooting buffalo is a bad idea. They are direct, native competitors with the exotic asian bighead carp, and they need all the help we can give them.

I would pass on shooting buffalo myself. It's the responsible thing to do as a sportsman.

[mnfisherman]

"I would pass on shooting buffalo myself. It's the responsible thing to do as a sportsman."

The problem is many bow fisherman probably don't even know the difference let alone care. Most people that would consider shooting carp for fun think carp and suckers, including buffalo, are all "bottom feeding trash fish".