Bow Fishing With Steve

A friend, Steve, called on Fiday night offering me a chance to try bow fishing on Saturday morning. I needed to decline the invitation so I could fulfill fatherly obligations, Chinese and soccer. I love my children, but longed to use a reel and fishing arrow I ordered a couple of months ago. I'd shot with this gear a few times in the back yard; no fish, just dirt and strange looks from neighbors.

When I heard Steve was thinking of going again on Sunday morning, I called. We had a great morning standing beside a bridge on and outlet of Medicine Lake.

I saw fish right away and shot shooting well over the fish like the rookie I was. I knew about refraction making the fish look farther than they are, but couldn't get my excited self to add brain to my instinctive shooting. Missed a few more, but then took my time to line up the shot and consciously aim low. Hit a bowfin right in the center. Bowfins are mean predator fish that have been around since dinosaurs. Badass, mean looking fish that will intentionally try to bite you . I, however, was not the one bitten. Tasty.

The next arrow aimed at a large carp. A long shot in deeper water hit the fish top center. Turns out a 25 lb fish can put up a good fight with an arrow in his back.

The pictures are of the big carp and bowfin I shot and of the carp Steve shot. I fried up the smaller carp with the bowfin, delicious. What a fun morning. After a day of shooting and eating rough fish, I think I'll go see if NASCAR is on.