Bowfishing often gets a bad rap from uninformed fly anglers. Yes, I said uninformed. Even non-anglers occasionally weigh-in with their ignorant opinions. I find it’s best to do your own research before forming an opinion.
In the following paragraphs, I aim to convince you to appreciate bowfishers when you see them on your home waters.
Bowfishers are only allowed to shoot what are called “rough fish.” This means a fish that isn’t considered a gamefish. You aren’t allowed to shoot trout, bass, crappies, bluegill, walleye, muskies, etc, with a bow.
In fact, 90% of all fish shot while bowfishing are common carp (Cyprinus carpio). The other 10% is comprised primarily of various species of sucker. There are a few outliers like alligator gar, and buffalo fish, which make up a very small percentage of bowfishing targets.
Carp and suckers can infiltrate and take over a fishery. Period. There’s no arguing this. It’s a problem. Bowfishing allows for the removal of at least a small percentage of these destructive invaders. Carp, especially, will vacuum-up minnows, snails, fish eggs, plant material, you name it.
In fact, many waterways have had to be poisoned by US Fish & Wildlife officials to get rid of carp and suckers and essentially start over with a clean slate. Sad, but true. Adult female carp can lay more than 1,000,000 eggs per season. Think about that. Now consider how tough they are, how large they get, and how much they consume.
Let’s not pretend that piercing a fish’s jaw with a sharp hook and pulling it in by the mouth is humane, while bowfishing isn’t. Get real.
Bowfishers often donate their fish to pet food processors, and many use their fish for garden fertilizer.
Bowfishers must purchase a fishing license, and this means financial support for the waterways you fish.
Perhaps you think bowfishing is easy? A sport for neanderthals? Think again. It’s really difficult to connect with a fish underwater–trust me I’ve tried. How difficult? If you picked up a bow and tried, it’d probably take you 30-50 shots to even sniff a fish.
Have you ever heard of an atlatl? Look them up–pretty cool tool for spearing fish.
I hope I’ve been able to give you some food for thought. Sometimes it’s important to challenge stereotypical thinking. If you don’t like the idea of bowfishing, then don’t bowfish. But let’s not have a sanctimonious attitude towards those who do.
If you’re interested in learning more, the Piercing Scales bowfishing blog is fun to read.
Carp are never going away. Quite the opposite. They’ll continue to expand their range and dominate lakes, rivers, and reservoirs.
If you enjoy catching carp on the fly, and don’t like bowfishers because you think they’re reducing the number of carp you can chase, it’s time for a reality check. There are more than enough carp to go around. Too many, in fact. Way too many.