Choosing bowfishing gear
Miss one link in a bowfishing setup — arrow, slide, point, line, or reel — and you lose the fish along with the shot.
Miss one link in a bowfishing setup — arrow, slide, point, line, or reel — and you lose the fish along with the shot.
The short answer
Bowfishing turns your bow into a retrieval system, not just a launcher
Safety slide and line setup
The safety slide or cabled-arrow system has to match the arrow and the line setup the manufacturer specifies — never tie bowfishing line directly to the rear of the arrow, since that setup can snap back hard on the shot. A mismatched or improvised slide can bind or fail to release cleanly.
Point style and retrieval
Point style follows the target species and job. A barbed point built for retrieval behaves differently than one built for quick release.
Reel mount and thread fit
Reel mount has to fit the bow itself, not just thread generically. A loose reel mount under load can rip free.
Tangled or snagged line
Check that line runs clear before every shot. A tangled or snagged line at the moment of release can pull back into the bow or your hand.
What the listings actually show
The current catalog includes 195 bowfishing products from 13 brands. Nearly every listing describes arrow, slide, point, line, and reel compatibility.
Before you buy
Clear the line and check the mount before the fish gets close.
Do safety slide and line setup matter?
The safety slide or cabled-arrow system has to match the arrow and the line setup the manufacturer specifies — never tie bowfishing line directly to the rear of the arrow, since that setup can snap back hard on the shot.
What point style and retrieval do I need?
Point style follows the target species and job.
How do I choose reel mount and thread fit?
Reel mount has to fit the bow itself, not just thread generically.
What should I look at for tangled or snagged line?
Check that line runs clear before every shot.