Btw, what's the status for bows and bow fishing? We fully converting the Browning and leaving our unscathed? Or did you find something that we could use on our bows as well?
We have three that we can set up. The Browning, the Darton (Rob's making a new string), and Kies is setting up the Jennings.
Looks like a Muzzy Carbon Mag arrow....WAY overkill IMO (cost wise). I'd just buy a bottle retriever, an extra spool of muzzy 200# line, and a few arrows. If you like tinkering with equipment, build the arrows yourself for a stronger and cheaper arrow. You can use any old rest you already have, build one on the shelf out of epoxy, or buy one made for bowfishing. Yeah that kit would work, but IMO the other kit offering 2-3 fiberglass arrows instead would be a better selection. I guess in shorter words, if you are just looking for a quick easy way to get fishing, pay the extra for the kit. If you like fiddling with your equipment like I do....buy the arrow components individually and glue em up yourself, saving atleast 1-2 dollars per arrow, 4-6 dollars over what those arrows retail for. Another piece of advice, get finger guards for your strings...those rubber no gloves, or silicon finger savers...either way, they are a LIFESAVER....a good night fishing will chew your fingers to shreds if shooting fingers off the string.
OK, in your shoes...I would do the following...take it for what its worth to you. I'd go to backwaterbowfishing.com and buy the following... $65 Standard AMS Retriever with 200# Pro Line $10 Extra Spool 200# Muzzy Extreme Line $15 Muzzy Fish Hook Rest (optional) $14 5 pack AMS safety slides/stoppers This puts you at $104, still 20-30 less than what those kits sell for. Now figure in $10 each for the number of arrows you want on top of that (up to 5 since you only have 5 safety slides)...so lets say 3 arrows, at $29. If you feel like you will do it much, go ahead and order more now instead of paying shipping on a future order. You are now at $133 plus shipping...almost EXACTLY what the kits run you (retail), only now you have an extra spool of line, 3 arrows instead of 1, a 5 pack of safety slides instead of 1, the same bottle retriever only with 200# line instead of the 130#, the same rest....ALOT more, for roughly the exact same costs. But you had to trade a 1 hour DVD and the big packaging to do the swap, is that worth it to you? Good luck with your decision of setting up a bowfishin rig, it is ALOT of fun.
I agree with TEmbry. That's a good set up, but I'd opt for the AMS kit that comes with one or two white 'glass muzzy arrows vs. the carbon mag arrow kit. Don't buy a 'slotted' retriever either. They're a pain to use. Links for reels: http://www.bowfishingextreme.com/ItemsForSale/Reels/bowfishing%20reels.htm http://www.backwaterbowfishing.com/onlinestore/cart.php?m=product_list&c=24 Also, I recommend replacing the line that comes in the reel with the heavier #200 line from Muzzy. It's a thicker diameter so it reels in easier. However, you probably won't notice much of a difference 'til you start shooting dozens of fish a day.
some go as low as 25, and some as high as 60. I think most go with 40-45 lbs though it seems. Really, ANY bow will do. Just crank it down to its lowest safe settings and you should be fine. Most reccomend staying within 3 full turns of bottomed out on the limb bolts. The draw weight is more determined by the number of times you will be pulling it back on a good day vs the lbs needed for fish. pretty much any poundage will do for normal bowfishing, the lighter the draw weight the more comfortable it will be though.
