JPIKE

Just wondering the preferneces of everyone in IL. I had been a recurve lover but got some discovery II's and was impressed. Just got an aquaforce also for another back up. Went walley fishing and took my two recurves out incase fish were not biting and they didn't. So we found some fish and i had more pulloffs on big buffs than ever b4 and all the ones i got was about to pull off. Shot a common at point blank in head and bounced off even tho fish went belly up for a while. I always thought it was me in the previous years. Now im breaking down the one recurve and giving it back to my dad and putting the other as my newbie bow or backups backup. Top note is i found a brand new yellow jacket arrow with plastic stil on tip has a sting-a-ree but i can change that pretty quick.

deer_predator

Oneida Ospreys!!!!! Shoot the yellow jacket arrows with a long barb piranha tip. Bend the barbs in close to the shaft... Shouldn't have too much of a problem with pull offs..

scribe917k

I shoot a onieda aeroforce x80. I love it. The only other bow I would use as a primary would be a 5150 angler. My dad shoots a onieda liteforce and my other teammate shoots a screamin eagle. I just switched to the yellow jacket arrows this year and love em.

carpsniper

First of all don't imediately blame pull offs on the bow. It probably has much more to do with arrow flight (tuning and release) and type of point. If the arrow isn't flying straight, it will tear a bigger hole. A bigger hole allows the tip to pull out. Buffalo fish are some of the softest fleshed fish out there. And therefore they are the easiest to pull off.

Back to the original question, Recurve shooter here. Nothing I've tried is as lightweight or points and shoots as well. IMO

I just recently picked up an Alpine Mako. It has it's pluses. It has a good smooth draw. It shot clear through the only fish I've shot with it. But later my recurve was shooting clear through them also. This is a minus when shooting gar or in really shallow.

Lady Forge

Lethal Louie and myself are both shooting the
Diamond Razor Edge Compound Bow, they are highly ajustable in draw length without needing a bow press and highly ajustable in draw weight, light mass weight bow, smooth draw cycle nice letoff and comfy for shooting fingers as well. We have been very happy with them for bowfishing. Mine also serves as my backup hunting bow.
I wish I could do the recurve thing but my shoulders and elbow dont seem to like the No Letoff thing
Kendal nailed it
" First of all don't imediately blame pull offs on the bow. It probably has much more to do with arrow flight (tuning and release) and type of point. If the arrow isn't flying straight, it will tear a bigger hole. A bigger hole allows the tip to pull out. Buffalo fish are some of the softest fleshed fish out there. And therefore they are the easiest to pull off."

carpsniper

Thanks Deb. I learned it all from you.

I got a good deal on this Mako and decided to give it a try. I have to say that I like it. But it won't replace my recurve.
At $300, it is cheaper than most recurves out there.


The bottom line is to find a bow YOU like. If you shoot a lot, (and if you bowfish much you will) you will want a bow you are comfortable shooting.

JPIKE

well i have not tuned it with a bowfishing arrow and i do shoot the long barbs with barbs bent in i shoot the white or blue shafts since they are cheap. Got a few yellow jackets i might start shooting as primarys. It probably did need tuned with the bowfishing arrow on it since it always left some massive holes. Which i just attributed towards it only going part way in and wroking on that one hole the entire fight. I just think im going strickly compound for bowfishing cause at 29# i can draw back like 10" and still go thru both sides on alot of fish with the DII. PLus i have small draw anyways and im short so the recurve is not made for me

JPIKE

ALso i really like that mako...does it have the no letoff or not for snap shooting?

deer_predator

Man K you shot a sitting duck there... From the looks of the arrow he was already doing a backstroke before you stuck em' LMAO

robow7

Oneida Talon, same bow as the Osprey but with a woodland camo. I've shot fish with Oneidas for over 20 years but their newest bows are their finest in that they're so light in hand, making it easy to hold your bow all day or night. I've used recurves from time to time but in all honesty, I'm a terrible instinctive recurve shooter, barely able to hit the water let alone a fish. I've also tried some of the newer "bowfishing" bows in the last few years and my problem with many is the finger pinch associated with such short length bows but they are a great value. It's such a shame the Oneidas have increased in price beyond what many are willing to pay for a bow that is going to get messy (hopefully).