Any bow fishing rigs?

[bjrogg]

I'm really wanting to set up a bow for fishing. I have never been bow fishing before and haven't even seen a bow fishing set up before. I'm interested in any advice on line, spools, arrows, points, and bows. In other words the entire setup. Also tips on shooting, tuning arrows and practicing. Right now I'm thinking about our spring sucker run, but I would also like to hunt from boat on lake.
I know just enough to be dangerous, would like to learn more.
I'm interested in both Primitive and adapting modern rigs but like to build my own stuff. Often can learn something from modern though to.
Bjrogg
PS not sure if this is where this belongs. If it needs to be moved somewhere else fill free to do so.

[Hawkdancer]

BJ,
You might try looking on YouTube, there's a lot of stuff there.  Long arrow, barbed point, dry fletching, a lot of luck!  Back end of line attached to reel!  Have fun!  Seems to me, I saw some fishing points in TBB, too
Hawkdancer

[Morgan]

Bj, I don’t know anything about the primitive side of bowfishing. I do know that it is one of my favorite pastimes though. I intend on making my bowfishing bow for this season. If you shoot at fish over a couple feet deep or shoot at gar, a bow around 50 lbs is a good idea. For a hobby, I don’t think I’d like using primitive arrows. Bowfishing is hard on arrows and I wouldn’t enjoy seeing something I spent a lot of work on broke at the first shot. Ams makes a retriever mount that straps to the limbs of trad bows.

[bjrogg]

Thanks Hawkdancer don't know why but I never even thought of YouTube

Thanks Morgan, I'm thinking if I can find something I can strap right on my selfbow I might be inclined to go store bought indestructible or at least cheap if not indestructible. It would probably be a good way find find out how things work. I did make a very crude spool I wound fishing line on by hand that was tied to a loop trailing behind arrow. It worked and I could shoot arrow but wasn't very convenient to use and line tangled up after several shoots. Might have worked better with a line that didn't tangle as easily, if there's such a thing.
Bjrogg

[KHalverson]

2 words sum up the safest most reliable set up in my opinion.
been running this set up for over 20 years.
ams retriever.
although its not primitive.

[bjrogg]

2 words sum up the safest most reliable set up in my opinion.
been running this set up for over 20 years.
ams retriever.
although its not primitive.

Thanks Kevin, I'm really not concerned about Primitive. If I can build something I'd like to but it doesn't have to be something Primitive.
That's two votes for the AMS so I'll definitely check them out.
Thanks You
Bjrogg

[Pat B]

Once you get set up and familiar with the process you can adapt that to primitive equipment.

[Morgan]

Bj, the ams is the best “reel” on the market imo. They make a new one now that is supposed to be the fastest as well. That said, my first reel was a large fishing line spool, first bow was a homemade pvc bow. Used it my first year bowfishing and shot a metric ton of fish and had a blast. My advice is to use a fiberglass arrow with a safety slide. The slide is so much safer than a nick tied string, and the glass arrow is heavy and will penetrate water and fish better

[bjrogg]

Pat that's what I'm thinking to. Always nice to know what works good when trying to make something.

Thanks thanks Morgan. I almost went the pvc route myself. I believe I'll be trying to acquire a AMS kit. Need to do more research. Watched a couple you tube videos looks interesting. What kind of line is that. Seems like it might not tangle so easy.

[Springbuck]

  I use modern bowfishing stuff on my glass recurves and a tape-on reel on my primitives, usually.   To me, the ability to cable an arrow makes more difference than the real as far as safety.

  It's all gotten lost and kicked apart now, but I once made up some  bowfishing stuff based on Amazonian tackle.  Big long, bamboo arrows, well over 5' long and 3/8" on the small end, probably 1500 grains some of them.    I used metal harpoon heads cut from mild strips of steel, some made out of big serving forks with barbs filed in (like a frog gig), and some made from really long nails in twos and threes, tips hammered flat and barbs filed in.

I was hunting carp in knee deep flats.  Big fish swam away with the arrow, but never got far.  I had a couple of them rigged with short lines and Coke bottle floats.  It was fun to try a bunch of ideas.

[bjrogg]

Thanks springbuck. That's what I like is ideas. They sound interesting. I'm pretty sure the crude rig that I made would work in a pinch, just not very user friendly. 
Bjrogg