I've been doing a lot of bowfishing lately and for the number of shots taken, I seem to hit more gar than carp. I hit little 16 inch gar and miss 8-10 pound carp. Do I just need more practice?
Can someone please explain this to me?
- Thread starter m_allison71
- Start date
Aim for a poker chip-hit a poker chip.
Aim for a pie plate-hit the cook.
It is called pick a spot and is one of the oldest rules of archery.
Aim for a pie plate-hit the cook.
It is called pick a spot and is one of the oldest rules of archery.
bowriter offers sound advice... my Dad was a smoker. He always told me, "I never aim at a deer. I aim at the pack of cigarettes I see behind his shoulder."
However, in bowfishing, it's also all about light refraction and having to aim UNDER whatever you're shooting at.... depending upon how deep it is and at what angle you're shooting. Those are two massive variables that you don't have to worry about on dry land.
Could it be the gar you're finding a shallower, hence no need for as much adjustment for light refraction?
But all things being equal, go with bowriter's advice. (I can't believe I said that.
)
However, in bowfishing, it's also all about light refraction and having to aim UNDER whatever you're shooting at.... depending upon how deep it is and at what angle you're shooting. Those are two massive variables that you don't have to worry about on dry land.
Could it be the gar you're finding a shallower, hence no need for as much adjustment for light refraction?
But all things being equal, go with bowriter's advice. (I can't believe I said that.
)I have the shakes.
There is actuallty some kind of rule on how to measure refraction. I don't know what it is. But I'm not good at math. I took RSimms test and found out my hero was Bill Clinton.
There is actuallty some kind of rule on how to measure refraction. I don't know what it is. But I'm not good at math. I took RSimms test and found out my hero was Bill Clinton.
I don't know. Most of the carp I miss are at the surface.
Kirk
Well-Known Member
Aim low then aim even lower. I have shot a bunch of gar and carp and the gar are usually easier to hit. Rsimms is right the Gar are usually in shallows and are easier to aim at. Carp and Drum are so big they look closer to the surface than they really are.
Here is the rule:
Here is the rule:
Kirk said:
Oh yea... like me (or anyone) could do that math problem "under fire!"
Whe I was bowfishing a lot... I would actually practice shooting at stuff under water. I ruined a few arrows on rocks, but I got the "refraction" instincts honed down pretty well.
If you're missing shots with fish on surface, sounds to me like you're just getting "Carp Fever." :grin:
rsimms said:Kirk said:
Oh yea... like me (or anyone) could do that math problem "under fire!"
Whe I was bowfishing a lot... I would actually practice shooting at stuff under water. I ruined a few arrows on rocks, but I got the "refraction" instincts honed down pretty well.
If you're missing shots with fish on surface, sounds to me like you're just getting "Carp Fever." :grin:
I'm thinking carp fever.
Just how low do you aim when the dorsal fin is out of the water?
Football Hunter
Well-Known Member
?
Now I remember why I never liked bowfishing. I'm no good at math. Don't even know anybody who can cipher that quickly.
gil1
Well-Known Member
I've only bowfished one day, but...
I have no trouble aiming low. I have trouble hitting what I'm aiming at.
With a compound bow and a sight, I can easily line up my target and kill some stuff once in a while. Instinctual shooting, on the other hand, ain't as easy as it's cracked up to be. Heck, I was lucky to hit the water a couple times. I guess only practice will help me get the feel of it.
I have no trouble aiming low. I have trouble hitting what I'm aiming at.
With a compound bow and a sight, I can easily line up my target and kill some stuff once in a while. Instinctual shooting, on the other hand, ain't as easy as it's cracked up to be. Heck, I was lucky to hit the water a couple times. I guess only practice will help me get the feel of it.
Gil-Take the sight off. I am no expert but I know enough to do that. Bowfishing is an instinct thing. A sight is a hinderance. You might also find a recurve a much better bow to use for bowfishing. You can learn instinct shooting in 30 minutes. Come to the house and I'll teach the rule of X's, the key to shooting instinctively. I have targets etc.
I taught Byron Ferguson and I figure you are at least as smart as he.
I taught Byron Ferguson and I figure you are at least as smart as he.
gil1
Well-Known Member
bowriter said:
Oh, I'm not using a sight. I'm just saying it's weird without one. I may go to traditional if I stick with it, but yes, either way, I have no idea how to shoot without a sight. Every shot is a Hail Mary. I probably won't get to get out there again until August, and I may take you up on some instinct lessons before then.
Practice in a swimming pool gil.
gil1
Well-Known Member
RUGER said:Practice in a swimming pool gil.
I just lobbed that one right up there for you to smash, didn't I?
Kirk
Well-Known Member
Bowfishing is like playing a piano under water. If you couldn't play it on dry land you won't be able to play it underwater.
Seriously, shoot with out a sight on dry land. Get use to shooting stuff with the bowfishing rig on dry land. A fish arrow with a string attached to it shoots a lot different than a regular arrow. Fill you a milk jug with some water and shoot at it a few times.
Keep in mind that if you have a retrieval string hooked to a slider rig all the string weight goes to the back of the arrow causing the front to rise. They are not the most stable of arrows and aren't all that accurate more than a few feet away.
This one was shot aiming about 10 inches low. Notice how high the shot hit.
These were shot aiming 5 inches low. I though it was one big gar and it turned out to be two gar.
Seriously, shoot with out a sight on dry land. Get use to shooting stuff with the bowfishing rig on dry land. A fish arrow with a string attached to it shoots a lot different than a regular arrow. Fill you a milk jug with some water and shoot at it a few times.
Keep in mind that if you have a retrieval string hooked to a slider rig all the string weight goes to the back of the arrow causing the front to rise. They are not the most stable of arrows and aren't all that accurate more than a few feet away.
This one was shot aiming about 10 inches low. Notice how high the shot hit.
These were shot aiming 5 inches low. I though it was one big gar and it turned out to be two gar.
A bowfishing double on gar... that's pretty cool. I've done it on spawning carp... but never on gar.
