Bowfishing: It’s not just a sport, for some people it’s a lifestyle. Bowfishing has steadily grown in popularity over the last two decades. Unfortunately, with popularity also comes criticism. The sport has faced scrutiny by many who have made uneducated assumptions about what we do. It has also encountered criticism that is warranted by some of our actions.
We are going to explore those reasons and provide some talking points for you to use when being confronted by critics of the sport. Also, we discuss how all archer anglers can do our part to exemplify good sportsmanship while enjoying the sport of bowfishing.
Reason #1: It’s a brutal sport
The critics of bowfishing sometimes point out the brutality of the sport. The thought that we cannot practice catch and release is a point of conflict (more on that later), but also that we kill the fish or force them to suffer when we shoot them.
How to address critics
Bowfishing is no more brutal than traditional fishing when you keep the fish. You will end up cleaning the fish, and if that fish hasn’t died in your bucket, you put a knife through it while it is alive.
Reason #2: We don't eat the fish
There is a misconception that the fish we shoot when bowfishing are thrown away and never eaten. This can be seen as wasteful and unethical. This isn’t always the case, many times the fish are eaten. There is also good reason that some fish are not eaten.
How to address critics
This isn’t true of all species that are taken when bowfishing. There are many species of fish that are legal to bowfish and able to be eaten. When those fish are caught, they are typically eaten.
Those fish that are not eaten are typically invasive species where hunting them helps the ecosystem. They are hard to prepare, not good to eat, and the DNR might down right tell you not too. In our home state of Michigan, the DNR prepared an “Eat safe fish guide” to help identify which fish you can eat and the maximum amount you should eat to avoid ingesting too many chemicals. The most popular fish to shoot here (Common Carp) is labeled as “Do not eat” in most bodies of water, as they eat everything in their path, even if it is full of chemicals.
How can we be better sportsmen?
Eat the fish that are edible and not invasive. Get the deep fryer ready, invite some friends over and have a fish fry.
Reason #3: Bowfishing is loud
We will occasionally hear complaints about the loud nature of the sport. We like to play music, cheer when we hit something (or miss), we are constantly chasing and shooting at fish and our generators can be heard across the lake. This can agitate the area for others who are fishing with rods and reels.
How to address critics
Our sport is exciting; we enjoy the thrill of the chase. We joined the sport because of the action and the challenge of shooting into water.
How can we be better sportsmen?
Find a quieter generator... this is for others in your area as well as yourself. A loud generator isn’t just a pain for others on the lake, it’s also a pain for the people on the boat.
Be considerate of others around you. If it’s late at night and you are in canals near houses, don’t crank the music.
A good rule of thumb to follow: don’t ruin anyone else’s outdoor experience. Enjoy yourself but be considerate of others.
Reason #4: Our lights are too bright at night
When bowfishing at night, we use lights on the boat that shine into the water to light up our shooting area. These lights can sometimes light up areas that are not in the water. We sometimes hear complaints from people who live on the shore and say the lights shine right into their houses.
How to address critics
When bowfishing at night, we are typically not intentionally shining lights at houses. When this happens, we are typically chasing fish and our lights go in directions we don’t realize. If this happens, please try to get our attention and kindly let us know that we are disturbing you.
How can we be better sportsmen?
Follow the same rule as above. Be considerate of others around you. If you notice you are accidentally lighting up a whole house at 2 a.m., consider making adjustments to your lights and/or your location.
Reason #5: We shoot too many fish
When someone who doesn’t bowfish watches you roll by slowly with a barrel full of fish, they start making assumptions about what you are doing. They might assume you are taking all the fish from the lake and ruining the fishing for everyone else.
How to address critics
We sometimes do fill barrels of fish, but those barrels are typically filled with invasive species. If barrels of invasive fish are not constantly removed from the bodies of water, they would most likely overtake the aquatic environment. Bowfishing is one of the most effective ways to involve the public in the control and cleanup of this invasive species problem.
The typical target when bowfishing is invasive species that overtake the aquatic environment. By hunting these species, we are improving the game fish environment for everyone. Those who fish these species with rods and reels shouldn’t be concerned about overfishing because invasive species spread so fast, it has been a losing battle trying to eliminate them from the ecosystems they have invaded.
How can we be better sportsmen?
Consider what fish you are targeting. If they are popular game fish in your area, and not invasive, don’t overfish. They may be legal to shoot, but bowfishing in moderation keeps them around for you and others to catch later.
Reason #6: We shoot fish we shouldn’t
It can be easy for people who only fish with rods and reels to believe their rules apply to bowfishing as well. They assume that catch and release is a necessary aspect of fishing, as you sometimes catch the wrong species or too small of a fish. This isn’t the case with bowfishing for a multitude of reasons, but more specifically because of the way that we fish and the species we target.
How to address critics
Catch and release is important when you don’t control when you catch. When fishing in the traditional fashion, you can’t decide which fish take the bait. When bowfishing, we decide what to shoot, which means we control what we catch. We can see which species we are shooting and their size.
It is possible for the wrong fish to be taken when bowfishing, but it is rare. Experienced archer anglers know what they are shooting at and seldom shoot the wrong species of fish.
There are some game fish that are legal to shoot. Check your local rules to find out which fish are legal to shoot and share that with anyone who is challenging the legality of your fishing.
How can we be better sportsmen?
While bowfishing, be sure of what you are shooting at.
Reason #7: We leave a mess
There have been many complaints about archer anglers leaving their fish on the docks, the loading areas, and the banks. This quickly becomes a smelly eyesore and can even draw other nuisance species.
How to address critics
Tell them they are absolutely………right. We shouldn’t be leaving a mess that ruins others experience with the outdoors.
How can we be better sportsmen?
Find a good way to dispose of the fish if you can. The fish might not be edible but find a good way to still utilize them (think fertilizer). Follow Loxley to find out more about what to do with fish you won’t eat, and maybe even find out how you might be able to eat them.
If you can think of anything else that makes people not like bowfishing, comment below. Tell us how we can address the critics as well as how we can be better sportsman.
8 comments
Barry Shildneck
Most of the description of the sport just sounds like killing for the sake of killing, even if the fish are “disposed of” in deep water, as I read in one comment. But I also realize that any sport includes elements other than the final result — studying where to search, how to approach the quarry, preparation (tools and skills), so the “kill” isn’t everything. I’m sure that to some degree, some of the excitement comes from the anticipation, just as it does for me as an angler.
Moving on, numerous studies have shown that much of the supposed “damage” carp are accused of doing is based on false information, promoted decades ago by anglers of other species. I’ve personally watched sunfish “stalk” bedding bass, snd when the bass chases away one sunfish, another one raids the bed and gobbles up some eggs. ALL fish will feed on the eggs of other fish occasionally. That’s why fish produce so many eggs — so that SOME of them will survive. And as for carp making mud — yes, they do, when they are feeding in silty areas. But are you aware what creates the most mud in our lakes and rivers? Boats, and their wake — NOT carp, not by a long shot!
Granted, carp are capable of over-producing in some areas, and in those cases it’s not a bad idea to thin them out. HOWEVER — killing off the biggest fish (which is what usually pays off best in a tournament) is actually counter-productive. Eliminating the big fish (which can often take 20 years or more to replace) simply leaves a biomass of MANY smaller ones, and does nothing to correct the numbers imbalance. In fact, studies have shown that removing the big carp jst makes more space and more food available to support more small ones. So maybe instead of tournaments focusing on big fish, they should award bonus points for numbers of smaller fish (under 5 pounds, for example). Those smaller ones are more difficult targets anyway, so why not make it more sporting?
BY THE WAY, common carp are not an “invasive” species — they are an “introduced” species, brought here by the US government in the 1800s, and widely distributed. They were brought here during the country’s westward expansion because of their ability to reproduce and grow quickly, to provide a source of protein for rural citizens. But once the railroads had the ability to ship other meat products from the midwest, carp became less popular as a food source, and fell out of favor. Species such as snakeheads, and the several Asian carp that are causing problems in some areas, are truly “invasive”, but that description is inaccurate for the common carp, and the “they’re invasive” excuse for killing a lot of carp just doesn’t work.
Further, carp often more than offset any “damage” that they do. For example, their ability to produce large numbers of small fish helps support other species. Crappie and sunfish eat thousands of carp fry, bass eat them as they grow, and big catfish can easily eat 5-pound (and larger) carp.
As a catch-and-release carp angler, my main objection to bowfishing is simply that the sport tends to remove too many “big” carp from the waters I fish. Those were trophy fish that I might otherwise have caught — and then returned to the water so they can breed and add their “big fish genes” to the future stock, while possibly being caught (and released) by other anglers. Since I pay the same for my “angling” license as the bowfishers do for their “archery” license, why should my sport be made more difficult or less enjoyable because of their sport?
Personally, I don’t see the sport in killing something, unless I plan to eat it, but to each his own. I WOULD like to see some compromise between our groups, though. For example, maybe certain waters, or sections of waters, could be designated “catch and release only” (off-limits to all harvest), OR, maybe harvest limits could be established to protect the larger fish — for example, no boat or individual would be permitted to harvest more than one fish over 30" long. Similar ideas have already been implemented in one or two states. Please understand that not only would this help bridge the gap between our two groups, it would be a step toward preserving BOTH sports for the future by limiting the number of trophy fish removed from the waters.
Pic
Bow fishing in our area is getting a bad name. We have experienced dead gar and fish along our banks and under our docks. Vultures have been leaving their deposits on our boats and docks as they eat the fish left from the bow fisher. Also late night ,1 or 2 am fishing. Besides the music and the generator,no matter how quiet you think your gen is, your guests get loud when fishing. Next is trying to shoot small gators. these gators are our entertainment and enjoyment. We like to watch all wildlife as we sit on our docks in the evening. As older folks we have worked hard all of our lives to get to this point. Don’t take even the smallest part of our enjoyment from us with your uncaring killing of wildlife. Think about this!!
Andrew Beck
Another thing that a lot of bowfishermen are bad at is respecting other people fishing. If you see someone on the bank you are running with lines out, swing wide. Don’t ruin their fishing experience for your own pleasure. Not only do I swing for anglers, but I also attempt to make a little small talk. “Having any luck”, “Get anything good today”. If you can’t see their lines but you see poles, ask them where their lines are so you can steer clear. In all honesty, just be a decent human being.
Dell Owens
Carp are the main reason for the decline in some sportfish. They consume fish eggs of these sport fish, mainly Bass, Bluegill, Trout, Crappie. They pollute the water with their waste and muddy the water which inflame the gills of other fishes. They are not edible to most humans.
ILYA
Good points about the sport! Humanely dispatching the fish is key – this way they suffer less than when slowly dying in angler’s bucket or on the bank. Also, hitting some bottom or floating trash is good for practice and helps clean the creek!
Greg
Great article guys! Something that might be helpful for the critics… if you see a Bowfishing boat out fishing, go talk to them and even consider jumping on the boat for a while as most guys would be glad to show you what’s going on and hey, you might have fun! Lol.
Lonnie Hamil
Great article! Thanks for addressing some perfect areas! I will share on my website. I have some different catfishermen that I give common carp to, for cut bait. Just another responsible way to dispose of the! Thanks again!
Teena Crabb
We take our fish to deep water for disposal which is legal in our state. Therefore, they are never wasted, as the other aquatic life will feed on them. Turtles, catfish, gar etc. all eat the fish we shoot.