Hey everyone, I just signed up here to get a little help from the pros of bow fishing. I'm a 17 year old hunting fanatic and so the other night at the local Gander Mt. i saw a 20 dollar reel and 10 arrow for bowfishing. I've seen it on TV but dont know of it being done around here. Its a hand reel and today when i took it out for an afternoon i seemed to have my line break about every other shot. my bow is a Buck shooting around 50# and the arrow has the saftey slide on it, but for some reason the line snaps about 4-12 inches behind the knot. Help is needed and will be greatly appreciated thanks! +Phil

P.S - I thought it may be the clip that holds the line on the reel that is cutting it, so i thougth about perhaps taking electrical shrink wrap and coating it, getting rid of potentially sharp edges. Let me know what you think of this. Thanks!

By a retriever.


Or, if you don't want to spring the money yet, do what you suggested and eliminate possible sharp edges, then buy some 200# fastflite or other heavy line. If that line came with the drum reel, it could be dry-rotted. No telling how long it sat around waiting for you to come along. The 50# bow is fine. I would not recommend going any heavier. Keep the safety slides. Get a very good-paying job, you're about to become a bf junkie/addict.

Well i covered the clip so hopefully this evening ill get out for a little bit yet. i have to track down sum 200# line. Thanks for the help. +Phil

I'd bet that the clip is the culprit, but I'd change the line as suggested above. Any time the line gets tangled, it can break, but the clip is in contact with the line every time you shoot. Like all stamped metal parts, the clip will have one rounded side on it's edge, and one sharp side, with tiny burs. If this is the prob, you can debur it with a small rattail file or some sandpaper. Be careful not to bend the clip out too far, as it may not return to the drum with enough force to hold the line.

Post a pic if you can.

Well...the problem is less of one, at least until the next paycheck. Fishhunter, i know what u meant by the good paying job, right now there is a large carp with a bright white arrow hangin from him, somewhere in the Susquehanna River right now, the string broke again, go figure i finally stick one this time. It would seem that the shrink wrap either didnt stop the clip from tearing, or that it wasn't the culprit at all. I'm beginning to think it perhaps is just dry-rotted line. I will hopefully have a picture up soon, i have to track donw the camera. Thanks again for the continuing help. +Phil

If you fellas and ladies have any used retreiver reels that you would be willing to part with, please let me know, perhaps we can work something out. Thanks! +Phil

Welcome to the club. Lost arrow club that is.

I can clearly remember watching the first time I dead centered a carp on Spoon Lake and my Line broke at the same time. He swam up to the bank and along it before swiming back toward the boat and out into the deep water. Never to be seen again.

Try putting a piece of tape over the clip. If you don't have any problems, of course, it's the clip. If the line still breaks, of course the problem lies elsewhere. (we're so smart here)

BigPhil9,

I'd definately try some new line too.

Sorry about the lost arrows!

BigPhil9,

I used to have the same problem. I use a Bear drum reel that is ages old butstill works. Islidethe fishing lineunder one cornerof the clip so that itstillholds butit takes much less force to release. I also wax my drum reel with Turtle Wax so the line peels out faster. Iused to have problemswith the line wrapping around the bolt thatattaches thereel to the bow.The AMS slides havehelped with that problem.

Hope this helps.

Judd

Thanks for all the help everyone, next sunday i shud be gettin a good paycheck, so ill hopefully get another arrow or two then.