x-bowfishing, how to?

[DFF]

hello!

since 2weeks i am owner of an excalibur exomax.
here in germany crossbowhunting is forbidden, bowfishing also.
only a handfull x-bow sportshooting clubs for acuracy shooting exist here, to get some information about the right gear is sometimes difficult.

in my holydays i'll be in a foreing country were i can legally go for small game and bowfishing.
but i can't get usefull information about bowfishing gear for crossbows here.
the system i tried is a zebco Zebco 808 Bowfisher reel mounted on a excalibur l-bar stabilizer.

http://bogensportwelt.de/Fischjagdset-f ... Armbrueste

the line never came out of the reel clean and ristricted the flight of the arrow so much that it fell down after 2-3yards.

now i am thinking about a ams bowfishing set, but i have no idea if this will work on a crossbow.

would be nice if some of you can help me to find the right gear.

(sorry for my bad english, i promise to visit canada asap to increase language and hunting skills )

greetings from cologne (germany)

dff

[wheelie]

You need an AMS retriever and a crossbow handle. It will bolt right onto the excaliburs where the quiver goes. No one has ever made an adapter for a spinner reel on a crossbow because of the pressure the reel takes would rip it right off the crossbow. Need some 22 inch solid 5/8 fish arrows. Better yet would be 22/64th fibreglass arrows. I just had 5\8 fish points laying around already. Made these from driveway markers. Good luck. . Best place for all would be http://bowfishingextreme.com/ Scott is a super guy to deal with.

[j.krug]

The bowfishing master has spoken so I'll just say welcome to the forum.

[secret]

All "CARPADARPORS" are Welcome here! Especially ASIAN Carp!

[rayman]

The tilapia go on bed full moon in February and you guys are inspiring with all this talk about bowfishing. Aint done it in about 10 years but might have to get after em this time.

[wheelie]

Just went to your addy on your website. I guess a german company made an adapter for a spinner now. Keep an eye out for them two little bolts to strip out if you are hitting big fish, alligators or stingrays with your tension tightened down. The handle like my picture you hold after a fish is hit which take the pressure off the bow and the screws. Butt of the bow gets tucked under your armpit.

You must always wet your line down first before you shoot. On all my spinners I run 200 pound fast flight line.Your line may be wrapped on reel to tight or it has fishing line on it and needs to be changed. Pull it out a bunch and reel it back in with just a little weight on the end. Keep your drag loose on them Zebco spinners. One shot without pressing button with tension tightened down and the reel will break. Maybe the string was not contacting the arrow enough also. It sounds as if this is the real problem. This would certainly just shoot an arrow 2 or 3 feet if it was partly dryfireing. Crossbow arrows I bought have 1/2 moon nocks. Excalibur recommends flat nocks. You would have to sand them down flat for proper string contact.
Zebco has the smallest opening on the reel where the line comes out. Some people drill or file the opening bigger but it still should shoot more than 2 or 3 feet.

I would keep working with the sytem you have as you should be able to make it work without buying another system. Try all the above and if that don't work let me know. I am almost certain this will fix your problem.

Germany is the only country that banned my utube video listed below.

Will be more tips and tricks in the next issue of Ontario Out Of Doors Magazine.

[DFF]

thank you for the helpfull details.

i have send the zebco reel back and got into contact with AMS and decided to buy the crossbow gator kit:

http://www.amsbowfishing.com/online-sto ... r-kit.html

and some extra bolts without break away tip

plan is to go for small game and bowfishing (small skipjack, sepia ect.) in my holydays.
the locals using harpoons on the stone coast to get them.
i'll travel with very small luggage, thats why i want to change the crossbow setup instead of carring extra harpoons or fishing rod.
and if possible it should be a ready made, beginner capable system.

so without experience, here in the land of the nonfree it's hard to get information about crossbows (or equipment).
i guess it's just the small number of serious crossbow shooters here in germany why crossbows are still legal without gun licence.


@wheelie:

thank you for the help. if i can't get the system from AMS i go back, try the system with the zebco reel again and spend some time on the workbench.

cheers,

DFF

[DFF]

this photo is made on a private area because bowfishing in germany is illegal, so maybe i am the first crossbow fisher in germany.
thank you guys for the helping me getting my first fish with a crossbow!

[wheelie]

Hey Hey Congradulations! Have to hide a shovel and bury them. Don't want to read about you in the newspaper arrested by Colonel Wilhelm Klink!

[secret]

"GermanCarpadarper" Thats AWOSOME !!!!!!

[Rudolph]

Bow fishing and hunting with crossbow? I have a phoenix since October 2012 and can not find shooting range where I can practice with it. At last I discovered one shooting range, where the insurance covers not only .22lr and bow shooting, but also crossbow shooting. The people there great also. I'll shoot for the first time this weekend!
Viele Grüße aus Bayern

[DFF]

as i said, i am x-bowfishing on a privat area. only the local animal protection society may have a problem when you harpooning your own carps.

same with hunting rabbits, i can only hunt them on the meadow in front my department. our cooks are happy because there is much less devastation in the spam garden since i got my exomax

i' am using the ams retriever with the glasfiber bolts. what i found out is that the heavy bolt is going over a palm to the right or the left when shot on a 20 yards away target , depending on wich side i place the stopper screw.

i am thinking about placing a 2nd screw on the oposite site to have better results.

[wheelie]

Is it pulling more from the side the string comes off. Sometimes I tie a big loop of string on the slide then tie my line onto the loop then it pulls it strait back on the slide. 20 yards is a very long shot with a string attached. Second screw on other side is a good idea as well and just may make it better. I have never thought of that. You will always get some pull anyways. Have fun.

[DFF]

i wanted to see the arrow drop of the heavy bolts so i shot without line.
but i got another idea.
i still use the halfmoon nocks, if i sand them down as you advised me, it should be no problem to put the head of the srew downward and let it run through the rail that is normaly for one of the vanes.the bolt should fly more straight and maybe i just have to point higher.
have to check if shooting with a line will change the results, if not i'll try out if my idea works.

cheers,
dff

[Masboy]

I,m learning some great ideals here! I have been testing fiberglass fish arrows for acurracy an found if it,s not strait an don,t spin well it will shoot left an right. I only have one that spins great an it,s deadly acurrate at 20yds.I make mine now out of a 2117 with a carbon arrow inside an brass inserts in both ends an they are deadly acurrate at 20yds. I put the slides close to the rear of the arrow as I can by drilling an tapping the brass insert. will be trying two slide stops like you said an also with the slide in the rail. I just checked an my slides will not fit in the rail but I can make some that will an I think two slides one on the top an one in the rail will work great. Thanks