The best bows for bow fishing

LAST UPDATE: March 10, 2017

If you asked someone what they thought of the best bow for bow fishing 10 years ago, you’d probably hear, “Go to the pawnshop and get the cheapest old bow you can buy. find.” Pawnshop bows were standard equipment a decade ago for shooting fish. However, times are changing rapidly and so are the bow offerings now available to the bowfishing community. The thought process of how much money to spend on a bowfishing bow is also changing drastically. Shooters are now hanging up their old “vintage” bows and buying bow fishing rigs that cost as much as the bow they would shoot for deer and other big game. While you don’t have to break the bank for a bowfishing setup, having quality equipment will certainly help prolong your enjoyment of this burgeoning sport.

Here is a list of some of the best bow fishing bows for guys and girls who love to hunt fish with a bow.

Mission Archery recently introduced a handful of new bows that continue to build on their incredibly affordable and adjustable bow line.

The Mission Craze bow is one of the most popular bows you will find for bow fishing anywhere in the world. People love this bow because it fits so well on everyone. And the new Craze ll makes a big bow even better. Powered by the FIT (Focused Inertia Technology) cam system, the Craze II delivers best-in-class performance for archers of all ages, sizes and abilities.

Big or small, this bow is made to fit all. The Craze ll features draw lengths from 19 to 30 inches and 13 to 70 pounds of draw weight adjustment without the need for a bow press. This is especially handy when in need of repair or adjustment of the bow on the water. A new handle and riser design gives the Craze ll increased strength and stability and helps reduce the overall weight of the bow. And with 10 different color options, there’s something for everyone.

Price: $319

A new bow is coming to market from the folks at Fin-Finder this year with the introduction of the Poseidon.

The new Poseidon Bow Fishing Bow from Fin-Finder is a sleek new bow with a smooth draw and no specific draw length for a quick shot at darting fish. Fin Finder’s Matt Smith says this bow has several years of research and development built into it.

The Poseidon offers plenty of mounting options and locations to accommodate more retrieval systems and sights than any other bowfishing bow on the market. Poseidon specs include a 25-40# draw weight range, 2 5-31 inch draw length range, and 31 inch axle to axle, and comes with pre-stretched ropes and cables .

Price: $265

Watch the video on the Fin-Finder Poseidon.

John Paul Morris and the rest of the Bass Pro Shops team have helped create new opportunities for the world of bowfishing. Bass Pro launched in the United States

Open Bowfishing Championship in 2013 and has continued to see this event experience phenomenal growth. This year’s US Open Championship roster filled up in about 12 hours with 275 bowfishing teams.

In addition to this year’s championship, Bass Pro is hosting the first ever Bowfishing Fair in Springfield, MO. This event will be the platform for the launch of Bass Pro’s new Archenemy line of bow fishing products. This line will include the Archenemy Bowfishing package. The Archenemy is a tough, high energy compound bow with a 32″ shaft to shaft length for comfort and maneuverability.

The bow looks great with a cool color scheme, but also has all the features a heavy hitter bowfishing bow should have. A consistent draw weight designed for instant shooting and a super smooth draw cycle make this bow a pleasure to shoot. The bow is a great option for shooters of all ages with an adjustable draw length of up to 30 inches.

The Archenemy Bowfishing Package comes ready to fish with an Archenemy Rapid Fire Arrow Rest, Archenemy Nemesis Reel, Archenemy Reel Seat, Archenemy Tourney Series Gar Arrow, and Archenemy Tourney Series Braided 200 lb. test line.

Price: $379

When I look around at some of the top teams competing in bow fishing tournaments across the country, it’s not uncommon to see Oneida bows in their boat.

Why is this arc preferred by so many top teams?

For starters, the bow is lightweight, easy to shoot, and shoots like a dream. It is constructed from a lightweight, durable casting and offers a wide range of weight and exhaust selections. “I like that the Osprey offers a lot of power at lower weights,” says Andy Cardwell, president of the Bowfishing Association of America. Cardwell also mentions that once you learn how to work on a boat, you can totally rebuild the Osprey into the boat with very few tools if needed. The bow packs the punch needed to shoot everything from rough little fish to alligators.

This bow offers the best of both worlds when it comes to design. It brings the smoothness of shooting a classic with the power to launch an arrow from a compound. It draws quickly, providing plenty of opportunity to cast fish.

The Osprey’s specs include a draw length of 26 to 32 inches, a draw weight of 30 to 50 pounds, and a draw weight of 3.4 pounds. The Osprey has stainless steel hardware and is available in a variety of color options. See the osprey at cponeidaeagle.com.

Price: $765

The folks at PSE set out to make a bowfishing bow for the person who considers bowfishing more than an off-season hobby, but a deep passion.

The Tidal Wave is what they think is the perfect bow fishing bow for serious bow anglers. The Tidal Wave was engineered with consistent draw weight for instant shooting, features a 32″ axle-to-axle length for maneuverability, and a durable design capable of handling extreme conditions.

The Tidal Wave weighs only 3.3 pounds. and has a draw length of 30 inches.

Price: $279

After realizing that a lot of people use the PSE Discovery bow for bowfishing, PSE decided to do it right and put this sleek little bow in special camo bowfishing packaging.

The Discovery 2 Bowfishing Compound features a lightweight and compact design, consistent draw weight up to 30″ and an economical price, making it an ideal bowfishing tool for any budget.

The Discovery Bowfishing bow measures 31 ½ inches center to center and weighs 3.3 pounds.

Price: $199

The Cajun Bowfishing crew wanted to bring a better way of doing things on the water when they released their new Sucker Punch bow fishing bow package.

A night of bow fishing can be brutal on gear. The new Sucker Punch was designed to withstand the rigors of a night on the water. The bow’s 35.25-inch axis-to-axis length allows for comfortable shooting all day or night without pinching your fingers. The Sucker Punch is lightweight, weighing only 3.2 pounds.

The deep cam grooves on the Sucker Punch prevent derailment when this arc is thrown into the back of the truck or the bottom of the boat. The Sucker Punch brings versatility with the option of a constant draw cam or draw length specific modules included.

The Sucker Punch is available as a barebow or as a bow fishing package with the new Cajun hybrid reel.

Price: $299

Watch the Cajun Sucker Punch video.

When you think of Barnett, you usually think of crossbows. However, you can now add bowfishing bows to the mix, as Barnett has entered the world of bowfishing in recent years with the introduction of its Vortex H20 bow.

If you want to extend your archery season and do it on a tight budget, the Vortex H20 might be the rig for you. Of all the bows mentioned here, the Vortex H20 beat them all on price with a cost under $150. Young or old, the Vortex was designed to fit shooters of all sizes with an adjustable draw weight of 31-45 lbs. and adjustable draw length from 26-5/8″ to 28″.

The bow has a 60-70% slack and wears its own Reaper H20 finish on the riser. The Vortex H20 is only available in right hand.

Price: $159

Muzzy jumped into the game this year with the introduction of their new Addict arc.

The Addict is a recurve bow that is fun to shoot and whose price will also put a smile on your face. The Addict is the perfect bow for traveling bow anglers due to its ability to break down nice and compact, without the use of tools. It can easily be stowed in a small suitcase, bag, or under the back seat for the ultimate on-the-go bow.

The Addict offers plenty of fish power with its 40# draw weight at 28 inches. It has a magnesium riser and an overall length of 58″. And you’ll be hard pressed to find a lighter bow than the Addict with its super light 2.25lb mass weight.

Price $169.

AMS is a leader in the bow fishing industry with a product line like no other. Bowfishing is what they do. In fact, bow fishing is all they do.

The company actually offers several bow fishing bows in its product line, but its latest creation, the SwampIt, was specifically designed for shooting big fish. Many other bowfishing rigs on the market have a draw weight of 40 lbs, the SwampIt was designed with a draw weight range of 40 lbs to 50 lbs to get into deeper waters …and bigger fish.

The bow features dual cams for increased power and all stainless steel components to protect against corrosion. This bow shoots smooth and is a great option for shooting fast moving fish. The SwampIt comes standard in a Swamp Green KOI Carp Camo pattern.

Price: $340

Watch the SwampIt video.

There are plenty of new bow options to make your next bow fishing trip a huge success. And the beautiful thing is that there is something for everyone with many options in price, functions and variable adjustments. Take the plunge this summer and experience bow fishing like never before with one of the big bows.

Brodie Swisher is a world call-to-play champion, outdoor writer, speaker, and editor for Bowhunting.com. Brodie and his family live in the Lake Kentucky area of West Tennessee.