Bowfishing is catching on quickly and it seems that no one can escape the excitement. All along the shallow waters of the south, people are standing on the decks of airboats, bow in hand, staring down at the water and waiting for the right fish. With the use of high-wattage lights mounted around the deck, the bowfishers are able to see into the dark waters below. The bow used is similar to a standard hunting bow, but attached to the bow is a fishing reel. The line is attached to the arrow, and when the arrow is fired, the fish is reeled in just as you would reel in a fish on a regular fishing pole. I had the pleasure of going out recently to do a bit of fishing the night before the American Bowfishing Association's tournament held in Lafitte, Louisiana. It took a while for me to hit my first one, but once I learned the trick I had much better luck. I was told that because of the angle that the water produces, you have to aim below the fish. At first this didn't make sense, but sure enough, I aimed just a little below the fish and hit it right away. After just one trip, I was hooked. (Or should I say stuck?) Either way, the excitement was contagious and I can't wait to go out again. If you have a bowfishing story you'd like to tell or pictures from your trip, send them to bowfishing@marksairboats.com and we'll put them up on the bowfishing page that we'll be adding soon. Hope to hear from you soon,
Mark