I've had several fish pull off so far this year. I'm using Shure Shot Penetrators and an old 54",40 lb Wing T'bird recurve. I shot these points last year from my Grizzlyand liked them, but I'm gonna switch back to a Muzzy and see if it makes a difference.

Are the barbs reversing or the fish just pulling off?

I had some problems with the barbs reversing on my sureshots down in Branson. I think I wasn't tightening the tip enough after removing a fish.

I lose fish with muzzys too. I do like the muzzy a bit better than the sureshots (because I don't have to worry about a fish spinning the tip).

My suggestion is to shoot the fish through the back above the lateral line. Not as soft there. (as if I could just pick my arrow placement like that... ha!)

The three and four barb points look like they would really hold. I haven't tried them yet... I'm waiting for one of you guys to buy some.

That's interesting. I just talked to Mike Hare (sp?) tonight and he said he was having problems with muzzy points not penetrating. He said he was drawing back a scale on the tip. [:@] I don't know what to tell you other than keep shootin'

Rick, I found a few years back when I was using my 40# bear kodak that I was just not getting the penetration. Plus as you know carp are soft and if you gut shoot them they have a good chance to pull off as Christine said. Just like deer hunting shot placement. Although we all know we just shoot at the fish and take what we get. I use the Penetrator heads. I use just a little bow wax on the threads so they do not seize, but it helps keep them tite. After each fish I check them too.

I'm not sure if spins-offs are your problem, but I've had spin-off trouble with similarly designed heads, and I'm done with them. For now, I'm strictly a Muzzy guy. They are the best balance I've found between pentration, holding ability, and quick fish removal. I don't have penetration probs with them, and you can't have a spin-off.

For any new guys reading this, a "spin-off" is when a fish thrashes and spins after being run through and, due to the design of the bowfishing tip, causes the point to rotate on the shaft, loosening the head, and finallydisengaging the barbs.The fish then comes off the arrow, laughs at you, spits in your general direction, and swims away as if it wasn't just impaled on 32 inches of fiberglass, never to be seen again.

Since there are many point designs out there, the rule of thumb is this...
If you need to twist the barbed section of the point in relation to the shaft in order to disengage the barbs, a spin-off is possible with that configuration. If the barbed section of the point stays stationary in relation to the shaft while disengaging the barbs, then a spin-off is impossible.

Penetrator...(The whole top 2/3 turns)


Muzzy Fish Point...(only the hardened tip turns)

Look at the brigth side if a fish pulls off you can shoot again....and again

Been using Shureshot tips for as long as they have been around very rarelay have pull offs.I used to have a problem with them if I let the fish run I have had much better luck if I keep preasure on the fish Fred@F&D

I agree with Fred, Sure Shot and Shure Shot Penetrator points are excellent.
Again, if you're having trouble with your Sure Shot Penetrator points unscrewing, take just a second to unscrew the top of the head, lay down a few wraps of plumbers teflon tape around the threads and screw back on. It will imediately decrease the likelyhood of a spin-off but still allow you to quickly remove the fish. If you're having trouble with penetration, make sure your point is sharp and something that is often overlooked in bowfishing is try to make sure your bow and arroware more or less tuned such that when the arrow leaves thebow it is moving in a straight path upon entering the water and not slapping it sideways. This will improve your penetrationa lot.

Spinoffs don't seem to be the issue as the arrow is coming back with the barbs still in place, and several times with guts on the barbs.

As I think this thru more, it seems that the only thing I have changed is the bow. I set up this little Wing to be a loaner/spare rig. I will do some longer range shooting to check flight and get it tuned. It's kinda hard to get a good idea when shooting 6-10 feet, but I need to get it working right before I spoil a newbie's first day of bowfishing with a bunch of lost fish.

You can use bow string wax on your tip as well as tape it seals the tips and help keep it tite. When tuning your bow do it at 5yds. with out the string on the arrowmake sure its going in the target straight if it goes nochigh move your noc set down. and up if low if your useing a recurve and goes left or rt. you shim or file a little on the riser.The other thing that can cause bad flite is your release. You mite want to play with that . try shooting twounder the arrow. the less fingers we have on the string usallly the better arrow flite. One other thing is arrow length on my own set up anOnsprey at 35# 50% let offI cut 2 inches off the arrow makes it stiffer and really helped the arrow flite. Hope this helps Fred@F&D