Bowfishing For Carp

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Lenny
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Bowfishing For Carp

Post by Lenny »

Hi all,

Does anyone here bowfish for carp? Any recommendations for bows to get? Looks like a blast!
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Markus
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Re: Bowfishing For Carp

Post by Markus »

I wish I knew someone that enjoyed eating carp. I've always wanted to give it a try as well, but I dont have anywhere to go with the fish.
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BradGuenette
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Re: Bowfishing For Carp

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Markus wrote:I wish I knew someone that enjoyed eating carp. I've always wanted to give it a try as well, but I dont have anywhere to go with the fish.

Apparently they make great fertilizer for the garden!
Brad Guenette
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Markus
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Re: Bowfishing For Carp

Post by Markus »

I wouldnt be opposed to that either. We use a fish compost at home now from a friends weir that processes fish.
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banjo
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Re: Bowfishing For Carp

Post by banjo »

Almost any bow will get you started. They have 'kits' that have fiberglass arrows, points, and string included. Any shots you will get are usually within 20 feet, so no need for a powerful bow. If anything, too powerful is worse as it will drive the arrow deeper in the river bottom when you miss.
It's certainly fun and if you have a way of cooking up the carp, please share. I can't seem to do anything other than make a fish curry out of it to enjoy it. And a 20 pound carp makes a lot of curry :roll:
20 years ago most people enjoyed seeing me shoot carp, they would be interested and wish me good luck. These days most people will grill you on why you want to shoot something and at times will even run their boat near you to scare off the carp. (had it happen) So it's a changing of the times and perspective. Enjoy it while you can. Find a nice back bay away from cottagers and boats and enjoy.
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Roblin
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Re: Bowfishing For Carp

Post by Roblin »

Carp shooting is a hoot.

I used a cheap compound with low draw weight. Had a roller rest, one of those reels where the line is spooled in a plastic bottle and fiberglass arrows. It worked great.

You only need one sight pin as the range is short.

A couple of tips. To set up you pin using a foam dinner plate submerged under the water. When you adjust your pin you will also adjust for water refraction.

Next, if your in a boat, hug the shore and shoot towards the deeper water. Much easier on the arrow tips.

Carp are pretty spooky so drift real slow and draw you bow slowly.

I tried cooking a small carp. I filleted it like a walleye. Worms in the fillets. Like white shoelaces. Pulled out the worms, breaded and fried the fillets. The meat turned to grey mush.

Carp and good for the garden, that's about it.

Have fun.
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Doug
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Re: Bowfishing For Carp

Post by Doug »

About thirty years ago I lived in a small village of a couple hundred people. The couple that owned the gas station were originally from Germany and I shot the breeze with them regularly, including stories about fishing and hunting. At some point, the lady said she would love to get a carp to eat, and I tucked that thought into my head. The next spring, or perhaps two springs later, I was drifting a pool for steelhead and had a solid hook-up. That fish bull-dogged me through that pool, into a few other anglers' lines upstream and downstream, and eventually showed itself. It was a CARP, not a steelhead. :shock: After an initial disappointment (I thought I had a honkin' big steelie on the line), I remembered the German couple. I took that fish to them, probably ten to twelve pounds if memory serves me, and they could not have been happier if I had presented them with a nice salmon or trout. I believe they baked it, but would not swear to that.

Bon appetit!
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