sscoyote

Gonna be trying some of this this Oct. Anybody ever done it in this area??

HNI_Christine

I thought that Florida made it illegal to bowfish for sharks? Are you planning on going with an outfitter/guide?

I know you can shoot stingrays down there. Friends of mine who have shot 'rays say it's a ton of fun.

HunterOpel

I did it the last year it was allowed, now it is illegal, can only take a shark with fishing tackle,one per person or 2 per boat..you can still bowfish them in Louisiana..

sscoyote

Oh well, so much for that plan. Just a little less freedom for hunters, ehhh?? Why in the world would they have eliminated it completely for bowfishing only? Should have taxed us more, with fewer permits. Heck, i'd have paid it. Revenue must not be that important in FL.

Sewer Rat

Why would anyone want to come down to FL and bowfish period in Oct when we have deer in full swing (actually BP starts around the 13th in SFL)?

We have tons of fun shooting for rays/skates in the summer.... but once Sept comes around, its into the woods

sscoyote

Hey Rat, it's gonna be a break from big game out here in CO actually, some snorkeling too, etc. My archery hunting buddy that lives up in Ft. Collins, CO is from Hollywood.

Any tips u can give me forskates and rays? We may still bring our bowsalong for a little of it. Thks.

Sewer Rat

Don't know about the east coast down by Lauderdale... but...

Find some sandy bottomed flats, and just float around.... ask the locals if they had seen any big rays... aim lower, then aim lower.. then aim even lower LOL

aint like shootin fish, where you aim low and then the arrow planes out and hits the fish.. these critters are flat... gets frustrating when you either shoot just ahead or just behind... but it is fun..

oh yeah, tie your arrows off to floats and have several ready.. sucks when ya gotta keep rewinding the line back in to get another shot..

shrky2413

Unfortunately being an avid sharkfisherman I do agree with it being illegal to bowfish for them. Shark populations worldwide are down. They are slaughtered by commercial fishing, fin hunters and such.They are not the "Maneaters" That folks think they are and they are a very important part of the ecosystem. I would look for it to become a trend. Although you can still go out into international waters (9 nautical miles offshore most places) and bowfish for them. Or Louisiana.

sscoyote

Thks. guys.

dragonslayer1

Hey 'yote, I have guided several guys bowfishing for sharks here in the panhandle, that is until our brilliant Commission outlawed it. There are more sharks now than there has been in fifty years. I would anchor in an area known to hold sharks and chum with ground pogies (gulf menhaden). In a few minutes they will be eating out of your hand, literally if you have the nerve! I guided a guy from Missouri and he told me how they hand grabbed catfish under the river banks. I lured a small blacktip up beside the boat and grabbed him behind the head and said "you tell 'em back in Missouri that us rednecks down here in Florida hand grab sharks." I still take guys to shoot stingrays, mullet. sheephead and the like. When you shoot a big ray, cut his tail off at the base (make sure he's dead or use pliers and gloves to hold it) and cut the barb off to save for a trophy. It's a pretty nasty weapon, I'm sure the indians used them forfish spear points, they have some wicked barbs on them. The big rays will sometimes come to chum also.
Good fishing