# Looking for bowfishermen



## xxxxxxkidsoncoffee (Apr 30, 2008)

Looking to get into bowfishing. What reels do you guys use? Is a #70 bow overkill for this? Would I need an adjustable weight at a lower pull? Not sure if this is the place to post either. Wife has a hoyt ruckus we'll be rigging. Any help with that would be awesome. Best times of the year and a few general places to do said fishing? I've got a million ?s and nobody to answer them.


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## beeritself (Nov 25, 2010)

kidsoncoffee said:


> Looking to get into bowfishing. What reels do you guys use? Is a #70 bow overkill for this? Would I need an adjustable weight at a lower pull? Not sure if this is the place to post either. Wife has a hoyt ruckus we'll be rigging. Any help with that would be awesome. Best times of the year and a few general places to do said fishing? I've got a million ?s and nobody to answer them.


70# is very much overkill. I use to bowfish often when I lived in S Louisiana, and I believe 35# is tops that I would use. I'm a pretty strong person, but drawing a 70# bow back 50+ times while fishing would be brutal. I did the majority if my fishing from an airboat in about 6" I water. As far as FL bowfishing goes, I'd not be too much help.


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## xxxxxxkidsoncoffee (Apr 30, 2008)

Thanks for the insight. I've been looking at countless bow options, and I'd love to have a small lightweight bow, but can't stand to spend the money on one that won't be able to bag a deer if I wanted to take that route. I'm planning on getting a carolina skiff within the next year and a half and will outfit the front for gigging/bowfishing. I just am not sure how those huge glass arrows will fly with a heavier draw weight or if they're even designed for it. Anyone know a place in the area that could answer these questions and outfit me with an appropriate rig?


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## Fowlweather_13 (Jan 14, 2013)

Recurve is the way to go 40# max draw weight Bass Pro in destin is where i get my stuff or I order it off line


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## xxxxxxkidsoncoffee (Apr 30, 2008)

But does that recurve have the speed and stopping power to take down larger game?


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## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

For the record...the mud flats around Jims are full of sheepshead just begging to get shot.


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## Fowlweather_13 (Jan 14, 2013)

I have shot a 38 pound Flathead several large sheephead hundreds of sting rays thats my main prey along with a few mullet when i was lucky I have no problem getting it the barbs to hang up. In shallow water less than 18 inches it will burry up to where you have to get the boat up beside the arrow and heave it out. I believe its plenty of power what are you shooting.....and Yakavelli where is these flats?


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## MerkDeez (Nov 20, 2011)

Put in at jims, and hold the river due north till you get near Alabama...  just don't shoot them all, some of us fly fisherman target those creatures.


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## Fowlweather_13 (Jan 14, 2013)

I am over 85 miles from there and dont know where jims is I have been catching sheepheads in the bay around destin 15 to 40 ft of water i just thought it was rare for the to be on a flat


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## MerkDeez (Nov 20, 2011)

Haha just yanking your chain, those Sheepies get way up in the grass with their backs out of the water. But they are 10x more spooky then a red


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## HaoleByTheSea (Oct 24, 2012)

Yakavelli said:


> For the record...the mud flats around Jims are full of sheepshead just begging to get shot.


Sorry for the noob question, but where is Jims?


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## beeritself (Nov 25, 2010)

Highway 90 between UWF and Pace.


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## BlackHogDown (Aug 14, 2012)

Wirelessly posted

70 would be overkill. I could see shoot that weight if your are shooting offshore and not shooting a ton. Honestly shooting that weight with a retriever or reel would spook me a little. Line could hang up and create a whip effect. I shoot 50 lbs on my onidea and on my recurve full draw is 50 lbs, but you don't have to come to fulldraw depending on the depth and size of your target. Also bottom conditions play a factor. I don't want to shoot an arrow with 50 lb draw into rocky or muddy bottoms. You can checkout bowfishing county and that site should answer all your questions. 
http://bow.fishingcountry.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?2-Welcome-to-the-NEW-Bowfishing-Country-com


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## MikeH (Jul 14, 2009)

We use 45lb recurves and they are about perfect. You need a recurve to hit the rolling gar, a compound bow will be to slow. We have taken 7ft plus 150 lb gater gar with the 45 draw weight.


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## GAjohn (May 23, 2012)

I have an Oneida as well. They can be snapshot like a recurve.


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## HaoleByTheSea (Oct 24, 2012)

You can flyfish for sheepies? I lived in Colorado for 30 years, flyfished all the time. Then moved to Hawaii, and I have some great shots of some serious bonefish, used to chase them every Wednesday and sometimes on the weekends. I'd love to go do this, MarkDeez if you want another flyfisherman, let me know.... I LIVE to flyfish.... I've been thinking of going down to the keys and hire a bone guide, figured I'd get laughed at if I broke my flyrod out around here!


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## KappaAlpha (Feb 3, 2013)

which ramp is jims? or where is it at?


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## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

KappaAlpha said:


> which ramp is jims? or where is it at?


Hwy 90 causeway...sheepshead prolly moved off the flats by now though.


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## bowhunter627 (Oct 17, 2012)

I myself use a 45lb recurve with a Zebco 808 reel, the best place i've been to is east milton, in brackish waters.


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## KappaAlpha (Feb 3, 2013)

Yakavelli said:


> Hwy 90 causeway...sheepshead prolly moved off the flats by now though.


alright thanks man


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## eastbayking (Feb 2, 2013)

I shoot a PSE Kingfisher. 50# with 60in draw. With this model you would want to upgrade the reciever, this one is a pain in the heat of the moment. AMS makes a great one. And yes plenty of power to knock down big game. The AMS receiver will also mount on the Hoyt


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## Austin (Sep 30, 2007)

What would be a recommended bow power for sheepshead only? Either off boat, wading or off of a bridge?


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## eastbayking (Feb 2, 2013)

I would say the 40#, I went with the 50# so I could hunt with it too. If you were only wading and fishing from boat the 30# would probably work, but being up on a bridge like Bob Sikes you'll need the extra power, you'll be surprised how the fish can dodge the arrow.


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