shore action

[jwhooper]

I'm new, so don't assume I know anything at all about bowfishing. We don't have a boat, so I was hoping to find out where the best action is from the shore. We live in Farmington, not far from Orchard Lake and maybe a short drive to Kent Lake, Cass, Elizabeth, and all those lakes a little north.

The first time we went to Kent lake the carp were still spawning, so the action was decent, even from a rented rowboat. Yesterday we went back, they weren't spawning, and the action was pretty slow just waiting for them to appear in the shallows, which seemed to happen about every 15 minutes until 10:00 A.M. and then nothing.

Does chum work? Is it better to put on some waders and hunt them in the reeds? Does spotlighting from shore work?

We need practice, so the more shots we can take the better.

[Potential]

as a beginner, without a boat as well, these are all really good questions! Hopefully somebody can answer!

[yippy]

They are much less spooky at night under lights.
I have brought out several beginners & find it easier for someone standing to the side to line up the up / down angle. You think your aiming low but from 6 feet away it looks right. Give that a try.

One of my favorite daytime spots is under a bridge. I wear grey to match the color of the cement around me & it seems to help.

Never tried to chum them but I could see it working.

[DuckMan87]

I'm new, so don't assume I know anything at all about bowfishing. We don't have a boat, so I was hoping to find out where the best action is from the shore. We live in Farmington, not far from Orchard Lake and maybe a short drive to Kent Lake, Cass, Elizabeth, and all those lakes a little north.

The first time we went to Kent lake the carp were still spawning, so the action was decent, even from a rented rowboat. Yesterday we went back, they weren't spawning, and the action was pretty slow just waiting for them to appear in the shallows, which seemed to happen about every 15 minutes until 10:00 A.M. and then nothing.

Does chum work? Is it better to put on some waders and hunt them in the reeds? Does spotlighting from shore work?

We need practice, so the more shots we can take the better.

ok heres the thing about carp....THEY ARE STUPID WE HAD DAYS that we got tired of shooting walked around and just stuck them with our arrows if u get in the right spot it wont matter if ur wearin neon green with a strobe light taped to ur head..best advice i can say is keep movin around till u find them

[jwhooper]

Do you mean they all tend to clump together in the same part of a lake or river, even if they aren't spawning?

[Silverman]

My 2-cents would be to look for target areas that make bowfishing with out a boat easier. Examples would be small landlocked bodies of water off lakes or rivers that at one point was flooded and now holds carp that cant get out... or look for shallow flats or lilly pads that you can wade thru, or at night find shallow narrow channels that are easier to see in. Wading during the day while the carp are spawning is and absolute blast but make sure whatever you do that you bring a stringer or something to haul the fish along with you and take them when you leave.. please dont just let them lay on the banks.

[Silverman]

also chuming does work, either frozen corn or dogfood... however, check the state regs and make sure its legal. But i have heard of people doing it and geting swarms of carp coming around! It could be really exciting if it all worked out

[jwhooper]

I tried dog food, but it floats and didn't seem to attract any attention. I know the carp are in there, they just need to come into the shallow water so I can see them. I'll try corn next and see if that brings them in. The suggestion I saw was to get a minnow bucket and put some bread in it, then let it float in the shallows and the carp will come up to it to try and suck the bread or whatever out. I'll try that if corn doesn't work.

I bought some waders too, so maybe I'll just step out there a little deeper and see what I can see.

[Silverman]

yea ive heard of that bread trick also

[jwhooper]

I don't know about other lakes, but the carp in Kent Lake are not impressed by chumming. It doesn't make a bit of difference. I've tried corn, bread, and dog food. They don't seem to care. The lake is practically choked with vegetation anyway, and even the little fish weren't bothering to even peck at the bread.

The last two trips have been nothing but very slow and frustrating. Maybe a shot every fifteen minutes to a half hour, and usually the shot is long and deep. I've never missed anything so many times in my life, with any weapon. Three times I thought I was dead on, but no fish. Most of the rest were high, but I'm getting a lot better.

I'm afraid this isn't the fast action sport I was expecting. My son looks like he might be losing interest. If anyone can put me onto some real action in SE Michigan it would certainly help. There have to be better locations than this.

[stickem]

if your ever by me you can come out on my rig.....

[jwhooper]

My sister-in-law lives in Greenville. I appreciate the invitation, and I'll try to look for an excuse to come that way. I guess I really need a boat. That won't be happening for a while.