Hit the water

STAY IN THE GAME DURING SPRING AND SUMMER BY TARGETING FISH

BOWHUNTING FOR SMALL game doesn’t get the credit it deserves. For starters, pursuing small, living targets is a great way to improve your accuracy and shooting form. And unlike big-game hunting, it can provide a plethora of shooting opportunities in a single outing. Then there’s bowfishing, which opens the door to even more possibilities, not to mention off-season archery practice. And as a bonus, bowfishing is also a great way to help control populations of invasive species, such as Prussian carp in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Just be sure to check your local fishing regulations to make sure you’re good to go, then follow these tips to get in on the action.

Gear

Any compound bow will do, and a high draw weight isn’t necessary. Since you’ll be shooting a lot during a day of fishing, however, you’ll want something lighter than what you’d use for big game. For the reel, I prefer the bottle style (pictured above) loaded with 50 metres of 80-pound braided line. It allows for drag-free shooting, but you will have to handline in bigger fish.

To prevent the fishing line from tangling with the bowstring or the bow, which can cause the arrow to dangerously fly back, be sure to attach a component called a safety slide to your arrow. It holds the line in place, ahead of the bow. For my fletchless arrows, I use 1,200- to 1,500-grain fibreglass shafts with barbed tips. Along with a sturdy arrow rest, this set-up will deliver a penetrating punch—even on a 30-pound bow.

Species

Bowfishing opportunities across Canada are mostly limited to targeting carp and suckers, which can be found throughout most of the country, as well as invasive species. There may be exceptions in some jurisdictions that allow bowfishing for other species such as northern pike, but again, carefully read the local regulations.

Location

Carp and suckers can be found in the shallows during spring when the water is still cool at around 10°C and the spawning season begins. To find fish, walk along shorelines or move stealthily though the water using any type of watercraft that’s suitable to stand in. Watch for swimming fish, swirls and debris that’s been churned up off bottom by spooked fish. I recommend wearing polarized sunglasses that are tight to your face to avoid messing with your anchor point.

Carp will also sometimes remain stationary when sunning their backs or resting in spawning grounds. And after they spawn later in the season, they can be found swimming around vacuuming food off the bottom. Carp are schooling fish, so when you find one, there will almost certainly be others around.

Suckers can also be found in schools, but they seek warm water with structure and nearby deep water. Common places to search for these bottom-feeders include manmade channels, beneath bridges and along piers.

Technique

Carp and suckers generally swim by slowly, so you don’t have to lead them at all. Typically, shots are taken within five metres of the fish when you’re wading, or shooting from a creekbank or watercraft. When targeting fish cruising through a channel, shots from docks or piers rarely exceed 15 metres, which is long for a low-poundage bow projecting a heavy arrow attached to a line. Bowfishing isn’t a finesse sport, as the arrow trajectories are terrible, making it important to shoot close. Fortunately, the opportunities are plentiful.

Aiming points can vary vastly from shot to shot, depending on how deep the fish are. Keep in mind that sunlight hitting the water at an angle refracts, making fish appear higher in the water column than they actually are, so avoid shooting too high— a common beginner mistake. If the fish is right at the surface, you don’t have to compensate for refraction at all. The deeper the fish, however, the greater the refraction and the lower you have to aim, sometimes well below the body of the fish.

Refraction can be quite deceiving when you first start bowfishing, so begin by aiming low. If you miss a few times at first, don’t get discouraged. Just set your aiming point even lower and you’ll eventually connect—and be well on your way to becoming an avid bowfisher. OC

BY KEN BAILEY