Bow fishing carp

[Andrew.M]

Just wondering is any of you guys have tried it. And if there were any places in Alberta where a guy could go. Any thoughts would be great thanks.
Andrew

[jeprli]

I see this "sport" taking place in Saskatchewan every year, I really don't see the point of killing something and then letting it rot. Let alone targeting them while they're spawning in May, chasing schools through the shallows. I know a lot of you think it's a garbage fish, but it is a very smart fish, curious but very cautious. Try catching one with a rod and reel and maybe after that you'll appreciate it more and forget about the bow and arrow.

If people ate what they killed it wouldn't be so hard to watch, but leaving the fish to rot and going after another one till your arms get sore is not really humane. I've seen 20-30 fish taken in one day, all left to fertilize the shore.
When you put in that average weight is withing 20lb, that's 400-600lb of flesh that someone less fortunate could have eaten, while to others its target practice! And the worst thing is these people come out every spring and they do this all day long, they even post videos on you tube and are proud of it!


And no I don't have anything against you dude, I'm just writing what I'm bothered with.

[Cal]

You ever tryed eating a carp/ sucker man? I did once when I was in the states and against my better judgement I listend to an old timer who said they were good, I would not recomend it Ugg. I understand your issue with bow fishing but maby if they hadnt made it illegal to bow or spear fish for any thing worth eating we wouldnt have to go shoot carp.

I havnt bowfished and cant give you any good advice but I say go for it man and let us know how it go's.

[jeprli]

Well, preparing carp is very easy just like any other fish, if you know how to cook that is. Tasty meat, with lots of oil in the flesh, stew it, smoke it, roast it, bathe it in white wine... so many possibilities, just like any other fish. I guess entire world is crazy for eating it and praising it as one of the top sport fish, they must be idiots to think so. North Americans in the other hand are smarter and use carp to fertilize the soil, who needs a bottom feeder????!!!!

I'd say get a rod and reel and fish like a human(unless your life depends on it). Otherwise it's like taking down a deer with a hand grenade, a little overpowering but it must be fun...

First off you have to remember that the carp is classified as a game fish and using a bow is illegal!
I have done Bow fishing in the States and it's like going to your local maket and buying a fish out of the tank (and about as exciting!). Some in Ontario spear for carp or they go to a fish market and buy them for food.
The Jewish faith has a special name for the dish using a carp and it is deep fried whole in oil for a few seconds, sliced down both sides and eaten from the plate still alive (I kid you not!!). I have tried it and it tastes just plain bad.

The only real use for carps is fertilizer!. If you are adding a big bush ,tree or roses you make the hole deeper so the fish can go in before the plant. Put the plant directly on top cover with dirt and you will never believe the difference that a natural fertilizer makes.

[Cal]

While I agree with your sentiments on the edibility of carp I'm pretty sure they are not game fish and that they can be legaly bowfished or speared. And furthermore whether a fish is a gamefish or not has nothing to do with whether you can shoot it with a bow or spear it. In the regs it says that you may not shoot trout, pike, mountain whitefish, grayling, sturgeon, or walleye.... so technicaly if you ever found a lake whitefish, burbot or pearch close enough to the surface to shoot with a bow or the water ever got clear enough that you could efectively hunt them with a spear it would not be illegal. The only game species I can see having any luck at all bow fishing would be possibly gold eye under the right conditions but the possiblity of going after perch with snorkle gear and a polespear intrests me.

[jeprli]

Does this look like it takes a great skill to shoot a sitting target at 10ft, or while it swims towards you???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUyeqEaZGsE

Originally Posted by Cal

While I agree with your sentiments on the edibility of carp I'm pretty sure they are not game fish and that they can be legaly bowfished or speared. And furthermore whether a fish is a gamefish or not has nothing to do with whether you can shoot it with a bow or spear it. In the regs it says that you may not shoot trout, pike, mountain whitefish, grayling, sturgeon, or walleye.... so technicaly if you ever found a lake whitefish, burbot or pearch close enough to the surface to shoot with a bow or the water ever got clear enough that you could efectively hunt them with a spear it would not be illegal. The only game species I can see having any luck at all bow fishing would be possibly gold eye under the right conditions but the possiblity of going after perch with snorkle gear and a polespear intrests me.

Contact your local Fish and Wildlife man and he will tell you that Carp are a game fish. Any fish that can be harvested for any means is a game fish.
Bow and spear fishing is also illegal in Canada or do you go by the rule book from 1953 ?LOL And you say "you could efectively hunt them with a spear ", are you nuts? You call that hunting? who do you think you are Nanook of the North?? LMAO Gess, I have an idea!!.Why not go to Sobeys Grocery store and go to the fish department! Take a fork with you and you can spear the live trout in the tank!!!!. That must be how a real He Man spear fishes!!!

Anyone who needs to fish with a bow or spear is not a fisherman, just a lazy person who wants to get home to watch "The Simpsons".
You talk about technicalities..well when you are standing in front of the judge saying the laws are in my favour, remember this posting when you loose your shirt

Originally Posted by Cal

While I agree with your sentiments on the edibility of carp I'm pretty sure they are not game fish and that they can be legaly bowfished or speared. And furthermore whether a fish is a gamefish or not has nothing to do with whether you can shoot it with a bow or spear it. In the regs it says that you may not shoot trout, pike, mountain whitefish, grayling, sturgeon, or walleye.... so technicaly if you ever found a lake whitefish, burbot or pearch close enough to the surface to shoot with a bow or the water ever got clear enough that you could efectively hunt them with a spear it would not be illegal. The only game species I can see having any luck at all bow fishing would be possibly gold eye under the right conditions but the possiblity of going after perch with snorkle gear and a polespear intrests me.

It says on the bottom of your page, "This is a man, his name is Robert Paulson.....Are you sure it isn't Pat Paulson the comedian because you crack me up with you words of mis-information!!!!!!LOL

[Loper]

From 2009 regs not 1953.

A special licence for bowfishing is not required. Bowfishing is allowed under the Alberta Sportfishing Licence.
Crossbows cannot be used.
Bows cannot be used to take trout, mountain whitefish, Arctic grayling, lake sturgeon, walleye or northern pike.
Bowfishing is not permitted in Gods, May, Seibert, Winefred, Andrew, Gardiner and Namur lakes.

Spearfishing
A special licence for spearfishing is not required. Spearfishing is allowed under the Alberta Sportfishing Licence.
Only spears propelled by spring, elastic, compressed gas or muscular power are permitted.
Only persons who are swimming may spearfish.
Spears cannot be used to take trout, mountain whitefish, Arctic grayling, lake sturgeon, walleye or northern pike.
Spearfishing is not permitted in Gods, May, Seibert, Winefred, Andrew, Gardiner and Namur lakes.

[Cal]

As I write this I have my coppy of the 2009 fishing regs open to page 16 paragraph 3 which has the regulations on bow fishing. On page 17 paragraph one there are the regulations on spear fishing. Now turn to page 50 where you will find the same centerfold that has been in every fishing regulations book I can remember having owned. It is labled "Sport Fish of Alberta" and there are absolutly no pictures of carp or suckers on that page. There is alot more I would like to say about your completely uncalled for response but instead will let you find out for yourself how utterly ignorant that post was. I'm probably wasting my time anyways.

As for spearfishing being unsporting have you tryed it? I have, in hawaii two years ago and it I found it much harder than angling. First of all you had better be in good shape, your going to have to be able to hold your breath for at least a minuit and a half. And even with the most hightech speargun money can buy you must be within 3 or 4 meters of your target to have any chance of success. Hitting an underwater target takes its own set of skills and is as difficult as shooting a deer or grouse. Because I am cheap I use a polespear which brings my range down to about 5-6 feet. Once again, I suggest trying it befor suggesting that it is not sporting. It is very much a form of hunting and demands at least as much skill as angling and much better physical shape.

Why do you always have to refer to a book!! Just call them!!! The law states that it is illegal , but take your little fanny out with your little spear or arrows and see what happens. I hope you get nailed and while you are paying that big fine you will think back on this.

Any yes, I have done every kind of fishing in the world except for the Africas and the Asian nations.I have fished for Marlin off the coast of Mexico and sailfins in the Carolina's I have fished for rays in Virginia and Halibut in Alaska.
And I have fished for carp USING THE PROPER EQUIPMENT !!! A 10 foot pole and one kernel of corn at a time for one of the best tug matches you will find!
I have fished in the Bayou's with a bow which in my book is pointless and useless, I have fished with a spear that can be compared to throwing dynamite into a river and picking up the dead fish as there is no skill at all!!.

If you can't catch a fish without using a rod and reel then take up knitting because you are not a sportsman. The bow was made for hunters but I guess you never thought about using it for that did you!

[Loper]

Guess I'll take my chances with the law then. Nice chatting with you.

[winged1]

Carp are exempt from the baitfishing classification, and there is no open season for carp.

Suckers on the other hand are baitfish and can be fished with bow. Unfortunately you'll find that most waters are now closed that hold running suckers.

[Cal]

Knew I was wasting my time with you, the sheer ignorance of your first post should have made that clear. Stupid me.

[Battery]

is there carp in south-central Alberta i can bowfish?

[wake]

There are no common carp in Alberta, so that might be a challenge for you.There are grass carp being introduced into a few run off ponds for weed control and a few in other lakes with a large weed problem.

The only fish that I have seen people commonly call ''carp'' are the quillback carpsucker that really isnt a carp.

As for eating, people from eastern europe highly regard them as food especially for xmas, I have tried the fish before and no thanks...

[winged1]

Only because I'm interested in carp as well, I made the call and was told that there is no season because as mentioned, carp are not resident in Alberta waters. But if you do catch one, including Grassi, you may retain it.

[Coltprins]

I feel really bad for the guy who came here for adivise and instead is getting lectured on other peoples opinions on ethics and fair chase...

The best bow fishing opportunity i can think of in Alberta is for suckers/ whitefish/ etc in dewatered irrigation canals come October. Problem is, bow hunting of everything is open that time of year so why would anyone want to go out shooting fish But yeah, carp are not at all plentiful in Alberta. A few grass carp in private dugouts and city lakes but none i'd imagine you can shoot (they cost $12 each or something like that when small). I bought the gear a few years back but never did give it a try, mostly because i have too much luck with the rod and reel even during big sucker runs (especially before spring closures came into effect). I will give it a try one of these years, dead suckers work great as fertilizer

[Sundancefisher]

These are introduced species are they not versus native fish?

"These are introduced species are they not versus native fish?"

Triploid grass carp are raised at Lethbridge College for control of aquatic vegetation. Yes, they are an exotic species. There used to be some massive ones in Henderson Lake right in Lethbridge, if they're still being stocked i'd imagine they're still reaching 30 lbs or even more.

I was thinking a new use of them could be in eliminating illegally stocked perch. If you remove most of the weeds perch will have a tough time spawning. Would probably cost a ton to buy enough to clean out even a small lake though. Off topic, but i know you're familiar with that issue.

[jesse34567]

Originally Posted by jeprli

Does this look like it takes a great skill to shoot a sitting target at 10ft, or while it swims towards you???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUyeqEaZGsE

YES because u have to actully shoot a couple inches below the fish because the water makes it look closer to the surface when infact it is not

[jeprli]

Right, especially when their dorsal fins are out of the water, please dude get a break. No reason whatsoever to shoot fish with arrows unless your life depends on it!!!

"Right, especially when their dorsal fins are out of the water, please dude get a break. No reason whatsoever to shoot fish with arrows unless your life depends on it!!!"

Well, life sucks if you're not having fun, so giver

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwMSy...eature=related

I know most guys have seen this video but i just love this one.

[billybobjimbo jr.]

Originally Posted by randyfromalberta

It says on the bottom of your page, "This is a man, his name is Robert Paulson.....Are you sure it isn't Pat Paulson the comedian because you crack me up with you words of mis-information!!!!!!LOL

Dude,
I'm totally off topic but it needed to be addressed. The quote is from the very cool movie "Fight Club". It's well worth watching at least three or fourteen times in my opinion.
cheers,
BBJJr.

[jeprli]

jrs maybe your life sucks so you need to go stick something with your arrow, but leave mine alone, it's perfectly fine and arrow free

As for that video, there is almost no other way to catch asian silver carp, they don't take baits that easy as they feed on plankton. Shooting them might be the only way as they will literary suck the life out of the water body. Net fisherman hate them, and they call them "torpedoes" as they make huge holes in their nets, no way of capturing this monster of a fish. When hooked fights last for very long time, and fisherman is rewarded with many jumps and drag burning runs.

Hey no one was interested in carp fishing till about 10 years ago when first north american clubs started popping up, and now there are even fly fisherman ready to take on this giant of a gold fish. It's growing huge in popularity here in N. America, except the wild west where people seem to need a lot of convincing before they accept something new. Ontario/quebec clubs organize big tournaments with really rich prizes, and competition lasts for days and nights. Just ask the guy from G&S Marina out on last mountain lake sask, he gets people to come from england, germany, south africa...guess why, to catch trophy carp.
He must be crazy for taking those $500 every day from them, what an idiot, EH?

[jesse34567]

some people may hate it but its a sport like anything else

where it is legal to do


I personaly would'nt try it but i am not hateing on the people that do

[jeprli]

I don't hate people either, I'm a human too and I have poor judgment from time to time, it's just that this is ridiculous to me, kill and throw away something alive for you own amusement, I just don't see any satisfaction in it. To me it's a crime against nature, just like shooting an animal to get its antlers and letting corpse to rot while the hunter goes home to brag about his ability to shoot down a grazing animal. That is really weak to me, absolutely no excuse.

This will put a nail in my coffin...

[Bear]

Originally Posted by jeprli

I don't hate people either, I'm a human too and I have poor judgment from time to time, it's just that this is ridiculous to me, kill and throw away something alive for you own amusement, I just don't see any satisfaction in it. To me it's a crime against nature, just like shooting an animal to get its antlers and letting corpse to rot while the hunter goes home to brag about his ability to shoot down a grazing animal. That is really weak to me, absolutely no excuse.

This will put a nail in my coffin...

Guess the only way for you not to be offended by it is to not do it. I guess then by the way you posted this you are against shooting gophers? No one that I know eats them but sure do like going out and shooting. Its the same kind of thing. Some of these animals do damage and need to be thinned out as a population. I don't see anything wrong with it and I would love to bow fish. Sounds like a hoot.