Ohio Bowfishing Association

[Whit_1]

Anyone interested in joining The " OHIO BOWFISHING ASSOCIATION"can email myself,CARPNJAKE.OHIOGUY, or,DESPERADO for an application..We gave this a try last year with little success but hopefully with this sites help we can make it work..

[Ðe§perado™]

C'mon guys! You guys that want this, step up. Let's get this going!;)

[Arrow 1]

I would like to offer a friendly suggestion. The letters OBA also stand for the Ohio Bowhunters Association which is the largest bowhunting organization in Ohio. This org. has been around many years.

If you have not got things off of the ground yet with this new club, you may want to consider another name.

How about BAO, Bowfishing Association of Ohio? Just a suggestion. I think it would avoid confusion.

[lureboy98]

Desperado, you are going to have to show me first hand just how much I want an Ohio bowfishing Association.

[Ðe§perado™]

I will. Everyone I take out and they hit there first fish, they are hooked for life. We will go out as soon as it warms up a bit.

Changing the name to Bowfishing Association of Ohio is a great Idea. Thanks..

[lureboy98]

What about Bowfisherman of Ohio Association aka BOW?

[Caribou Dreamer2]

Desperado sent you a pm.I'm in

[Ðe§perado™]

Got it thanks!!;)

[BottomBouncer]

I still don't understand? Isn't fishing done with some sort of hook/line/bait and hunting is some with some sort of projectile?

[Ðe§perado™]

True , BB. Bowfishing is just like the rods and reel expect no bait and you pick the fish you want.(legally though) You have a reel, line and a bow, shoot the fish with a fiberglass arrow and reel him in. ;) ;)

[BottomBouncer]

I don't want to start a forum war.....I really hate forum fighting. So if you can't post on this without being a but 'ole then don't bother.

Wouldn't in any case involving animals, killing them with no intent other than having fun be considered unethical and unsportsmanlike? Now, if you're killing groundhogs that's another story. Groundhogs are a problem to farmers. For example one farm where I hunted the owner had a horse injure itself by stepping into a groundhog hole. Coyotes are a threat to livestock. What do carp pose a threat to?

The idea of them being non-native pretty old. It wasn't just yesterday that they were introduced. Just because something is legal, doesn't necessarily make it right.

On that note, again this isn't first grade and I didn't steal anyone's toy car. It's just a question and I'd like to hear the other side of it.

[Ðe§perado™]

Here is a post from a friend of mine named Jumper. The topic was about throwing carp on the bank. It seems to have the points I would go over. I hope this helps you out. Seeing your already against bowfishing before even trying it.


Gentlmen,
Being an avid bowfisher myself, I must first apologize for whoever it was throwing the fish up on the bank. I'm not going to sit here and lie about it, but yes, most bowfishers including myself, have done the "catch and release" method or thrown them up on the bank. But you will also find, the majority of those who bowfish, will not.

As for "wasting" the fish we shoot, I don't see how we're wasting the fish. Yes, many guys don't eat them. I mean, come on, when you pull that carp out of the water, filet mignon isn't oozing out of it's system. However, many guys will take them home and plant them in a garden. If they don't have one, they find someone who does. I've also heard of homeless shelters taking in the fish where it's cleaned, processed, cooked and served to needy individuals. And still yet, many guys will eat their catch. For large tournaments, farmers may take the catch to plow into their fields. None of which, I consider "wasting".

Because our method of catching/harvesting/fishing for our catch doesn't fall inline with the traditional mainstream beliefs, bowfishing is viewed by many as "unorthodox", "inhumane", "too easy", "barbaric", and the list goes on. Why? What is so different from someone who goes out to a middle of a lake, drops a line in the water, tie's it off to an empty two liter bottle of soda and leaves it sitting in the middle of the lake for a month? What warrants that method worthy of being called fishing?? What about gigging? Or noodling? How come you never hear complaing about someone sticking their arm in a hole to pull out a large catfish? Or snagging? You want my answer? There's nothing different! They're all methods of fishing! Regardless of the method, means or type of fish, it's all fishing. Our method just so happens to be with a bow and arrow. And if any of you have thought or asked the question, "How tough can that be?". Try it! I guarantee, it's not as easy at it looks. Ever try to shoot a 12" fish, from 10yds as it's swimming away from you?? Not to mention, factor in the light refraction and movement of the boat? It ain't easy!!

Many have even gone so far as too say, bowfishing is the reason the carp population is on the decline or the large gator gar (200# plus) are fewer in numbers. No it ain't!!! Commercial fishing, loss of habitat and spawing areas are the main culprit for any assumed decline in population. But I firmly believe the carp population is no where near on the decline, but instead, on the rise at a very rapid pace. Many wildlife departments look forward to seeing carp being harvested from their lakes because it's destroying the habitat of the "prized game fish". Others have said we could never eradicate the populations and that they've spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to just control their population to no avail.

I would be willing to bet, the number of carp taken by those who bowfish, in a one year period, would probably be considerably less than the number of carp taken by those who fish with rod and reel, whether they caught them intentionally or not. And how many of those fish are returned to the water or just thrown back up on the bank? My guess is, there's more thrown up in the woods or up on the bank than returned back to the water.

As long as bowfishing is legal, there will always be those of us who long for the hunt. Who spend countless hours working on our boats, scouting lakes, honing our skills and best of all, making new friends. Accept the fact we are out there. You don't have to approve of what we do, nor do you have to like it. All we ask, is you give us the same respect you would give a bass fisherman, or an avid catfisher, or member of GASS. Just because we use bow and arrow, instead of rod and reel, doesn't make us any less of a sportsman than yourself. It's when the sporting community starts to pit itself against others and pointing fingers, that the tree huggin, animal lovin nazi's can step in and get their way. So who ultimately wins?? No one.

[MISFIT]

i'm sure you've read and participated in other discussions(of which there have been many)on this subject.so you've already heard the other side.if you haven't,just do a search on bowfishing on a couple forums and you find everything you want to know.no need rehashing the same old thing over and over.

[Ðe§perado™]

Great point Rick.

[LookMa-NoHands!]

I was gonna post......but I'll bite my tongue for now.

[Ðe§perado™]

LOL...What ever do you mean...LOL;)

[Caribou Dreamer2]

The old dogs will never go away,
very good outline of bowfishing there desperado aka jumper. Well stated.

[BottomBouncer]

Great idea...........I never really liked eating the deer during the season.........maybe someone will let me plant it in their field:D

[Ðe§perado™]

Now BB your getting real stupid with your posts. Stop stirring up things you already know the answer too. If you need more info look at Rick post and try it. If you can't, I'll gladly post some address for you.:D :D :rolleyes:

[BottomBouncer]

Now what are you trying to say...........that deer do not make good fertilizer:confused: I'd hate to waste an animal.

[Ðe§perado™]

I hate to say your right. That's why the grass around the roads are so green. All the deer being hit and laying around it.:D :rolleyes:

[CARPN-JAKE]

Wow...someone is bored....fish must not be biting....Thats one of the pluses to bowfishing...they don't have to bite...we bite them.....

[Arrow 1]

Bottom Bouncer, I participate yearly in a large bowfishing tournament in Michigan. 500 bowfisherman participate in the tournament and literally tons of carp are taken out of Saginaw bay in one weekend by bowfisherman. It is based out of a town called Caseville. The Caseville residents and business owners love us. Many of the local businesses even financially support the tourney. That town is supprted by fisherman and duck hunters. The caseville residents love to see us take the junk fish out of the system that the town relys on for survival. They consider carp nothing more that cockroaches with fins! I have been going there for many years and there has been absolutly no decline in the carp population. The carp taken in the tournament are used for fertilizer which it will turn into anyway even after you eat it. I don't think you will ever have to worry about bowfisherman hurting the carp population. There are just not that many bowfisherman around. How many game fish are taken to the taxidermist every year and not eaten? I bet more, than the amount of carp that are shot and not eaten. Why aren't you going on a rant about that?

[mrfish/OH]

Always controvercial, I don't bow hunt. I fish with a rod & reel, I also snag paddlefish sometimes in KY during the season. There was a reference in one post about jug fishing, and leaving the jug for a month- not legal- have keep them in visual contact ( I've never used jugs, but I do want to try them below a dam on the river for stripes- chase them in the boat & release them).

Anyway , here's the point I was trying to make, I fish alot, often several days a week, I've NEVER seen anyone bowfishing. I know some guys who've done it & were good with a bow-shot in tournaments. They say there's alot of missing involved too.;)
Bottom line, how many skipjacks & bluegills are mutilated for bait on one evening catfishing? I also see where several cat anglers use small carp for bait. Funny , when someone shoots them, it's not okay, but cut one up for bait, or use it whole, then that's okay ? I don't really see the difference.:confused: I'd bet more carp are used by flathead anglers than are shot by bowhunters.

[Arrow 1]

Some very good points there Mrfish. Some folks base their opinins on emotion instead of fact.

[carpwarrior]

BB ,this is a thread that is for bowfishing club , dont come over here and start flappin your gums, do you have bow fishing guys come over to the cat fish forum and spout off at the mouth, NO you dont, thats because bow guys are allround sports men, and not narrow minded, i am a cat fisherman as well , and blue gill and any other fish , and upland game hunter, its not about how we do it, its than we can and it is legall, if you would like to try it i would be more than happy to show youy how, and if your that bored of staring at that pole with line bouncing off of the bottom then maybe its time to try something else, it sounds like you got cabin fever and yourr bored:p

[BottomBouncer]

Idiot? I'm truely sorry. I just assumed that a true sportsman was intent on preservation and conservation. Which of these does bow"fishing" do?


Everyone seems to have big brass ones while posting.

[LookMa-NoHands!]

I'm still biting my lip...........

[MISFIT]

idiot?debate and disagreement are one thing,but personal attacks and namecalling isn't what i'd call the best defense.your statement about bowfisherman not flaming the cat forum is however,correct.i haven't seen any of you guys do that,which is to your credit.i am also of the opinion that if it's legal and one enjoys it,that other people should try to force their opposing opinion on those who participate in it.i have bowfished myself,and know it can be fun,and i also have a great passion for fishing.i had a few "private" conversations with BB on this subject yesterday and i think he kinda has a better understanding of the "rules of engagement".he may never understand things from yours and my point of view,but i think he at least listened to and understood what i said.
a different approach by both of you,wouldn't hurt.i think arrow1 and mrfish made some very good points,without being abusive and LookMa has shown great restraint.i just hope he still has a lip;)
one other point that i'm in total agreement on..........i think we're all suffering from a case of cabin fever,to some extent:eek: ;)

[Whit_1]

BB,....Just go ask your local fish and game officer why BOWFISHING is a LEGAL form of angling..I'm sure you will hear that the reason this form of angling was introduced as a LEGAL means to catch rough fish was that it is the most afficant means of removing fish speicies that would other wise go unchecked..
I don't know about where you live but on the lakes that I frequent I have yet to see a single angler fishing for any rough fish..I have only been bowfishing for about four years but have taken thosands of fish out of one lake inparticular and I have yet to see a substacial decline in the numbers of fish I shoot..
I would think that if you are the avid fishermen that you seem to be that you would appriciate the removal of a fish speices that can single handedly affect the hatch of bass,blue gill,crappie and I don't know how many other species of fish..When the carp spawn in the spring they are using the same areas that these fish also spawn in..And I shouldn't have to tell you how much sedement these AQUA PIGS stur up when there are hundreds of them in the shallows..All of the biological reasons aside BOWFISHING is just another way for sportsmen like myself and all the other gentelmen who frequent this site to get outdoors and enjoy what is rightfully ours..But there are always going to be people such as yourself who feel that anything that they do not participate in them selves must in some way be immoral or illegal..In my opinion this is avery NARROW MINDED way of looking at the world..We all need to tread lightly when it comes to trying to get something that others enjoy made illegal.Because you never know when some other NARROW MINDED P>O>S
might try to do it to something that you enjoy!!!!!!!!!

[BottomBouncer]

Good idea about asking the wildlife officer........I never thought about that one. Thanks for the P>O>S thing...........that was real cool.

[carpwarrior]

sorry for the personel attacks and for harsh words , but it chapps my but when some body who does not even understand or knows how to do something, goes and downing something other people does! BB i truley invite you to come and go out on my boat in the spring and see first hand how this is done , i send you this invite as a sportsman and a gentleman . alot of times i am able to send the fish i shoot back in the water alive , and some times i dont . bb do you know that in the late 1800s the goverment put the common carp in to our water systems for a food source for americans to eat, they did that so the over harvesting other fish would have some of the pressure taken off of them, there is book i got at the libary a year or so ago that tells all of this in it as soon as i can ill send you a copy of it
and as said befor the carps do eat other fish eggs and they are liike a water cockroach so if a few bow fisherman shoot them do you really think we are hurting there poulation, i think we are helping the balance of the fish in that eco system, :)

[BottomBouncer]

Well, I don't know what to recommend for the butt chaffing thing:p

No big deal.........


Thanks for the invite:cool:

[Ðe§perado™]

I have been bowfishing for 22 years and I never heard of carp anglers until a few years ago. But people bashing something they have no clue about , just make them look even dumber then they are. You guys made very good points. Now back to the business at hand. Going to set up a meeting in different areas of the state, Who wants to hold a meeting in your area? Just send me an e-mail. Thanks!!!;)