Bank walking is definitely a whole different game than being able to just motor over to wherever the fish are,or search miles of shoreline in an eveningwhen things are slow.

Wading can be even tougher since it's easier to scare the fishaway and the refraction angle is the worst a bowfisher will ever experience.

I find both ways produce kills that are very personally satisfying.
I do love being on a boat, but it's different.

I wade and walk the bank a lot, but shoot from the boat, too. Shooting fish is fun no matter how you do it. I like the fast action you can get on the boat, but spot and stalk is probably more my style and satisfying for me. If their backs are out of the water and I can get real close, I can usually hit them, too.

I think that there are a ton of old-school bowfishermen out there who only shoot from the bank, and I'd bet most of them even use a hand-wrap spool for their line. They just don't compete, belong to clubs, or post stuff on-line so we don't see them much.

They are an untapped resource, and we hope to get the word out to them to get them more involved in something they already love doing.

Waded a bit at Sangchris again today. The fishing was tough and the fish spooky, but I still managed to get some.

anyone ever walked the banks out at DPCA. i was just wondering because i want to shoot on kelly road and other spots out there from shore but don't know if i can.

Within the Park, it's not only allowed, but welcomed.

There are sometimes dog trials going on in some areas that may keep you from walking a particular section of shore, but you can just go to another spot, or check with the office first. 815-423-5326

where is one of the better spots to go in the summer.

Park at areas 2, 9, 10, or go to the main boat launch and follow the gravel path that goes North.

i know where areas 9 & 10 (#9 blodgett & #10 kelly rd.) are but where exactly is #2. also does anyone say anything when you are shooting on the gravel road near the boat launch. when you reach the end of that road how far down the road that has the do not enter sign can you walk. and can you shoot all that shore line around there. out by the high tension wires and all right there.

#2 is right near 10, but on the North side of Blodgett and a few dozen paces East.

The gravel road by the launchdoesn't end, and there is no trouble shooting there. It's just an access road for fishermen. It starts at one end of the launch parking lot, follows the shoreline of the backwater, and makes a big circle ending up back at the same parking lot, but on the West end. You can see it on aerial photo. There are a number of pull-offs along the road to park at, or just park in the main lot and walk it. If you're walking that shore, you often won't even be visible from the road, so there are no issues with traffic or hikers.

I've even been checked out by a Game Warden out there while bowfishing. No problems at all, just a license check and a bunch of curiosity questions, a phone number exchange, and if he ever gets any time off on a weekend, we'll go out, but that's his busy time. If you meet Dave, tell him I said Hi.

You might also run into other bowfishermen out there. Mike, Evan, and a couple others stop by on occasion. Seem like decent guys, but haven't joined up yet.