Retriever Reels for Bowfishing
Bowfishing differs from bow hunting on land in a number of ways, which explains the need for specialized equipment – not least of which is the retriever reel, a spool of tough fishing line that is used to connect the arrow to a float. These lines may be immensely tough – for example, those used in hunting alligators may have a weight rating of six-hundred forty pounds or more. Heavier types are also used for alligator gars, whose sharp-edged, armored scales will slice through thinner lines and cause you to lose both your arrow and your fish.
Where a line on a land-hunting arrow would be an immense hindrance – snagging on branches and accomplishing nothing useful for the hunter – a line is absolutely necessary in bowfishing, since there is no other way to retrieve your fish unless your shot happens to kill it instantly. Since bowfishing arrows are fired from a range of a few feet at most, any effects of the line on their flight are basically imperceptible, especially if the line is correctly attached to a safety slide to prevent arrow snapback. …show more content…
Instead, the line is coiled inside a bottle or canister to ensure smooth, rapid feed of the line. The line is often attached to a bright, easily-spotted float which will mark the position of your catch when it finally comes to rest, allowing you to retrieve both your fish and your
Bowfishing differs from bow hunting on land in a number of ways, which explains the need for specialized equipment – not least of which is the retriever reel, a spool of tough fishing line that is used to connect the arrow to a float. These lines may be immensely tough – for example, those used in hunting alligators may have a weight rating of six-hundred forty pounds or more. Heavier types are also used for alligator gars, whose sharp-edged, armored scales will slice through thinner lines and cause you to lose both your arrow and your fish.
Where a line on a land-hunting arrow would be an immense hindrance – snagging on branches and accomplishing nothing useful for the hunter – a line is absolutely necessary in bowfishing, since there is no other way to retrieve your fish unless your shot happens to kill it instantly. Since bowfishing arrows are fired from a range of a few feet at most, any effects of the line on their flight are basically imperceptible, especially if the line is correctly attached to a safety slide to prevent arrow snapback. …show more content…
Instead, the line is coiled inside a bottle or canister to ensure smooth, rapid feed of the line. The line is often attached to a bright, easily-spotted float which will mark the position of your catch when it finally comes to rest, allowing you to retrieve both your fish and your