now that i got my bow setup lets talk boat setup

[oregonbowhunter]

platform?
lights?
what color light works best?
gaff?
after the shot what do you do with fish just throw on ground of boat?

[DRB1313]

I'm certainly not an expert, but I have fished with one:bounce::bounce:
Ol FERALONE is a good one!!! If I remember correctly, he
has High pressure sodium lights.
When I went with him they seemed to work beyond my expectations.
He does have a Gaff and we put the fish in a big blue barrel.
Let me rephrase that! The fish they shot(Him and GarKid).
I'm quite the rookie, so I did not have much to do with filling the barrel:rofl::rofl:

Anyway, I'm sure he will be along shortly to slap my hand for giving out false info.
I sometimes have authoritative disorder!:bounce:

I had a blast and this will be a fun forum to watch.

Here's a few pics of the Lights, Barrel and Gaff.
Oh Yeah, My two favorite guides too.
The Gar is my biggest to date:cool:

[wack em]

You can rig almost any boat to shoot fish off of. Ive seen anything from 10ft flat bottoms to 22foot center consoles. I have a 16 foot ski barge. When I bought it had a raised platform buit about 12 inches above the top of the sides of the boat. Shot with it like that for two years but 95% of my bowfishing is at night so I really don't need to be raised. I recently cut the legs off of my platform and mounted it down flush with the top of my boat. Havent shot out of it yet b/c im rigging out a kicker motor on it but I will be on the water one week from tonight.
As far as lights I shot with the cheap 500w hallogens from the hardware store for a year until I could come up with some high pressure sodiums, mine are all just the big square parking lot lights that you see around. The sodiums are 100% better IMO. They pull less power than hallogens and the sodiums penetrate muddy water way better. As far as color all of mine are white don't think I have seen any other colors used. I have a homemade gaff but have only used it a couple of times usually just grap the arrow or the fishes gills and throw em in the barrel. Most fish I shoot go in the garden or to the coyotes. Unless we get in the catfish then they go to lake crisco! I also plan to try out feral one's gar recipe this spring!
Good Luck!

[FERAL ONE]

you done good drb !!! i agree with wackem on the hps lights. if you can spend the money , get them, they are worth it !!! my old boat had a platform, but my skiff does not. i would like one but not too tall. just a foot gives a great perspective on the water. mostly for me the platform would be beneficial for day shooting. night it is not as important to me. i use a gaff but it is as much for picture taking as it is landing fish. it will make it bit safer to handle toothy critters though. i put mine in the barrel , the barrel has holders for my gaff and a small pacifier bat for bonking fish.

[Hard Core]

These guys got you on the right track. The sky is the limit on what you want. Every boat out there set up will kill fish. Just depends on what you want.
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg131/cbelmore_photos/airboat12-26.jpg

[Michael]

But here's proof you don't need the biggest boat to bring home the fish.

P.S. There are a couple other pics of this boat in the classified section.

[Hard Core]

good pile of fish.

[markland]

The skies the limit on how far you want to go with rigging and boats, anything will work, just depends on what you have or how much you are willing to sacrifice to get. Basically I would say you need a minimum of 3-4 halogen lights to shoot at night, or just a slight elevated deck to shoot off of during the day, trolling motor, etc for the basics, then you can go crazy from there! Mark

[BAMA HUNTER]

The skies the limit on how far you want to go with rigging and boats, anything will work, just depends on what you have or how much you are willing to sacrifice to get. Basically I would say you need a minimum of 3-4 halogen lights to shoot at night, or just a slight elevated deck to shoot off of during the day, trolling motor, etc for the basics, then you can go crazy from there! Mark


is that the one u took wadell out on?? very nice!

[markland]

Naw, sold that blue camo one a couple of years ago, this is my new one, it is just a "tad" larger!!!

[BAMA HUNTER]

Naw, sold that blue camo one a couple of years ago, this is my new one, it is just a "tad" larger!!!


10-4 i knew it looked different...that there is a nice un too!!

[markland]

Yeah it's got some upgrades, fishes really nice and really love the bigger fan setup too, at least this fan runs well, unlike the other one I had problem with doing the show with Michael that I had to work on, argh!!

[oregonbowhunter]

is a genie a hundred percent necessary?

[markland]

No, you can just about shoot as many during the day when they are spawning, but the other 50 or so weeks out of the year, it is 100% better at night. we have shot them in Jan in 28 degree weather and all during the summer. They really get slow during the day when it is hot, but you would not believe how they come out at night! Not necessary, but definitely an advantage!