Bowfishing is the practice of harpooning fish and other aquatic animals using a bow and arrow. The arrow is often connected to a special fishing reel attached to the bow via a fishing line. This method is particularly suitable in shallow waters.
Shooting is usually done while standing in the water or from a boat at a distance of one to four meters. When aiming, the optical parallel offset and the optical elevation of the prey caused by light refraction at the water's surface must be taken into account – the prey is not where it appears to the shooter. The optical offset is further complicated by the flatter angle of view with increasing distance.
Bowfishing produces no bycatch. Bowfishing is a traditional fishing method for obtaining food and, as a recreational sport, is a branch of hunting and nature tourism. Bowfishing is a variation of bowhunting.
Typically, special fish arrows are made for bowfishing; regular sports, hunting, or war arrows are unsuitable. The design of the arrows is tailored to the waterbed. More important than the quality of the arrow shaft at close range is the type of arrowhead used, which, in shallow waters, will pierce the bottom with every shot.
For rocky ground, the arrowhead is solid to prevent it from becoming blunt too quickly. A low draw weight of the bow, in the range of 20–30 lbs, is used. For this purpose, a solid, perhaps 1 cm thick, hardwood arrow with an iron tip and barb would be used, shot from a moderately powerful to weak bow.
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