Early season bowfishing

[ec30_06]

Just curious if there is anywhere that you guys know of within a couple hours of the metro that a guy can bowfish prior to May 1st. I am getting anxious!

[mrklean]

I am also looking for some places to go around the St cloud area, this will be my first year bowfishing

[Duncan7709]

I may be wrong but I think you can bowfishing in Wisconsin.

[sparcebag]

That drives me crazy! the carp have been running in late April around here,We go look and ya can only wish! We should flood the DNR with emails to open archery-spear in Mid april.The notherns have finished by then.Archery spear April 15th or closest weekend to, south of same Bass season line.

[Neighbor_guy]

I would be all for keeping it open year round, moving it early, what ever. May 1st is after the main part of the run on most water I fish on. Mille Lacs and Minnetonka tend to happen later, but the big schools pile up right after ice out on both lakes.

Isn't the closed season to protect the sucker run?

[mrklean]

When does bowfishing officially start?

[Neighbor_guy]

Sunrise on May 1st

[mrklean]

That seems way to far away wish it was april 1

[ec30_06]

It sucks having to wait till may. Many of the creeks that I find carp stacked in are clearing out by then. I am assuming pool 4 and the St. Croix are may 1st too?

[walleyeslammer]

I agree with the keeping it open year around, typically there are about half the numbers of carp by may 1 that there was around april 15. I say year around as we are shooting rough fish.

[mrklean]

I agree its not like we are taking a game fish or anything its just rough fish should be open all year long

[Ralph Wiggum]

I think they worry about game fish that run up the streams in the spring.

[Neighbor_guy]

Ok, I have to say it, but I have my flame proof jacket on .

Mabe the bowfishing organizations that did such a good job of getting nightime bowfising started, , should have spent their time getting the opener moved up a month. That would have been much more productive use of their time.

[goblueM]

Yeah they are worrying about people nailing walleyes spawning in April I would guess...

There's plenty of stuff to do other than bowfish until May 1st

[pikestabber]

I'm too far north for carp, but same thing here in terms of suckers and redhorse. By the time May 1 rolls around, the majority of the fish are long gone...

[Brunsvig_slayer]

Yah, that dose suck for you guys. Usually when April rolls around the cricks are running and they are full of carp. I think the south dakota rule is that you cant shoot any game fish, just rough fish.