FISHING

different conversation. “What do you know about fish?” he asked me. I’ve spent close to 30 years as a marine and fisheries biologist, and if there’s one thing I know a little about, it’s fish.

Roger explained that as the river water got warmer in spring, hundreds of carp migrated into his canals, messing up the water quality so severely that his cows were shying away from drinking it.

I mentioned that I knew that some people use bows to shoot carp. He thought that was the craziest thing. After a back-and-forth discussion, he essentially told me to have at it. I knew I had the basic gear for the job, but I was going to need to investigate it further.

I FOUND MY DAUGHTER’S bow in a soft case in the garage. With college and other young adult responsibilities, she hadn’t touched the pink Diamond bow in a few years. I took it out and looked things over. Having watched a handful of videos on the internet, I knew some parts would have to be switched out to make the hunting bow into a bowfishing bow.

I made a visit to a local archery shop and looked around. The guy behind the counter was very helpful, and in a matter of minutes produced a brand-new bow, already set up for shooting carp. The arrow rest was little more than an adjustable arm that supported the arrow. A plastic bottle mounted to the side was filled with bright orange line. A small handle mounted at the mouth of the bottle told me this was the reel.

The owner showed me two arrows used for sticking fish. Bowfishing arrows don’t have any fletching and are secured to the reel with a slid- ing collar attached to the line. They are heavier than traditional hunting arrows and made of fiberglass. The arrowhead is also different. These arrows aren’t designed for cutting. They are designed to punch a hole in a fish and to hold them on the arrow. Backward-facing prongs do the holding once a fish is stuck, and the arrow is removed by loosening the arrow tip, reversing the prongs and pulling the arrow free.

After some discussion, I was presented with the price tag – a whopping $600 for the ready-to-go bow that included two arrows. Despite my urge to learn what I could about shooting carp with a bow, there was no way I was forking over $600.

Knowing I had the bow at home, I settled for purchasing an arrow rest and reel bottle that would fit the bow I already have. Before I left, the own- er gave me some very helpful pointers on getting things set up.

Back at home, I removed the quiver, arrow rest and peep sight on my daughter’s bow. In the middle of the dissection, I sent my daughter Alyssa a photo of the operation. Her response was funny. “Nooooooo!” she texted, and a minute later she called. I explained what I was doing, and she instantly asked me if she could help with the fish shooting.

Roger, emphasizing his urgency, called me while I was tightening up the last of the modifications. I assured him that I was headed his way. Before I packed things up, I looked over the bow and tested the draw weight. Everything seemed to work. I attached my one and only fish arrow to the bright orange line and called it good. I then headed out the door with my new toy, having never fired a single arrow at a target, animal or fish.

OUT AT THE RANCH, it was easy to spot Roger’s problem. The main canal stretched the length of his property and watered everything from crops to cattle. The water was clean and clear at the head of the canal.

As soon as it reached the carp area, it was churned into a muddy mess. Carp were in their spawning mode and dozens of 20- to 40-pound fish were thrashing and splashing on the muddy bottom, all the while messing up the water.

I walked up and down the canal just to check things out. I could see the fishes’ backs in bunches jostling near the canal edge. Occasionally I saw large splashes up and down the waterway as carp of all sizes attempted to spawn. Even with the muddy conditions, fish were visible in the shallows.

I returned to the truck, grabbed the bow and hiked back to the canal. A narrower side channel appeared to be the focus of a lot of the fish activity. I eased up to the brushy shoreline and waited. Suddenly a slug of carp, with their backs out of the water, started thrashing across the 8-foot canal.

I drew the bow back, pointed in the general direction of the commotion and let the arrow fly. The bright yellow arrow started dancing through the water, indicating that I had connected with something.

Excited, I made my way to the water’s edge and started pulling the arrow and the unseen fish to the shore. The fish was heavy and still very full of fight. After a brief battle, I grabbed the arrow and pulled my prize ashore. I was shocked when I noticed that I had arrowed two 10-pounders with my very first shot.

I dragged the double to shore, pulled the arrow back through and kept hunting. After five misses, I decided to file that first shot under beginner’s luck. It took me a bit to adjust for refraction and shoot lower than the fish appears.

After making some adjustments, I started connecting again.

I spent an hour walking the shore of the narrow canal looking for carp. I noticed quickly that after one or two shots, the fish didn’t stick around. They’d swim further down the canal looking for calmer waters. They also started to shy away when they’d see me. I decided to find a likely looking area, stay low and still, and wait for the fish to swim by my position.

WITH THINGS SLOWING DOWN, I returned to the truck and checked out my haul from the short afternoon hunt. I had connected on five carp, the largest weighing about 11 pounds. I took a few photos of my catch, all taken with my daughter’s bright pink bow.

I loaded up the fish and headed over to where Roger was working. He peeked over the truck bed and started laughing. “You actually shot those?” he said. We talked a bit about the process and then he instructed me to take the haul to a bin near his chicken coop. “I’ll chop those things up and feed them to my chickens!”

I dropped off the carp and headed home. I sent my wife Cheryl a few of the pictures of me and the day’s catch. It had been a great day trying out something new and helping a good friend. Roger had extended an open invitation for me to return anytime to help with the carp problem. With no plans for the following day, I told him I’d be back.

On the drive home I was thinking of other items I’d need for shooting fish. I only had the one fish arrow, and if for some reason that was lost, I was done. I knew I needed to pick up a few backup arrows. The little pink bow performed flawlessly, so I felt I was good there. That is, until Cheryl called.

The conversation was short and to the point. She asked if I had shot all five carp with the bow. I replied, “Yes!” Cheryl’s next statement was going to cost me a little bit more money. “Well, I want to try that!” she said.

Looks like I’m buying another bow! CS