Bows, arrows, line, reels . From
Guyana. Photographed at the
Royal Albert Memorial Museum,
Exeter, Devon.|211x211px Traditionally,
bows were usually very simple. Most did not have sights, and aiming was executed by line-of-sight judgment down the arrow. Modern sport bowfishing mostly uses sophisticated compound or lever-action bows, Along with fishing from boats and off the shore, wading and shooting is also effective as long as the hunter does not mind getting soaked. Wading in rivers allows the shooter to get up close to the fish if the hunter is skillful. When keeping fish while wading, the hunter may use a stringer tied to a belt loop. Standing on large rocks in shallower parts of a river is another technique. This provides a better view higher out of the water. Going from rock to rock in a river with two hunters gets the fish moving if they are inactive. It is similar to herding the fish to the other hunter; while one hunter is wading the other is stationary on a rock. All of these river techniques typically work best for
carp or
catfish, depending on the location. Due to the
light refraction at the water surface and the optical distortion of the apparent position of underwater objects (which would appear to be shallower), aiming straight at the target silhouette usually results in a miss. Aiming well below the target compensates for this
optical illusion. Depth and distance (as well as angle) of the target also impact how far below the fish to aim.
U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship Each spring,
Bass Pro Shops hosts the annual U.S. Open Bowfishing Championships. The 2025 event was held in Memphis, Tennessee. The 2026 championship details have yet to be announced. ==Controversy, management status and wanton waste==