opinion?

[WayneChristie]

Regs say it is unlawful to: Use lights to sportfish unless the light is attached to a hook or line used in angling. Now when a person is bowfishing, the arrow must be attached to your bow, regs used to have more specifics, but not anymore. Way I read it, if you have a light attached to your bow line, it is attached to a line used in angling, correct?

[fish gunner]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

Regs say it is unlawful to: Use lights to sportfish unless the light is attached to a hook or line used in angling. Now when a person is bowfishing, the arrow must be attached to your bow, regs used to have more specifics, but not anymore. Way I read it, if you have a light attached to your bow line, it is attached to a line used in angling, correct?

my interpretation is that angling is the use of rod and reel with hook and line the regs cover this under definitions

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by fish gunner

my interpretation is that angling is the use of rod and reel with hook and line the regs cover this under definitions

Bowfishing

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.

[Geezle]

Haha I like the way you think Wayne, but bowfishing ≠ angling.


That being said, when fishing the NSR one night I asked the fish cop that came by about the lights we had - lanterns and head lamps, and asked if there was any problem with us using them. He said that we had to be able to use lights within reason to see what we were doing and it was fine, just no big spotlights!

So, I'm sure if you were wearing a head lamp so you could see your way around and not trip and have a bow related accident, that would be permissible.

[fish gunner]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

Regs say it is unlawful to: Use lights to sportfish unless the light is attached to a hook or line used in angling. Now when a person is bowfishing, the arrow must be attached to your bow, regs used to have more specifics, but not anymore. Way I read it, if you have a light attached to your bow line, it is attached to a line used in angling, correct?

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

Bowfishing

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.

I am sorry if I was unclear check the definition of angling hope this helps

[SalmoTrutta]

it was explained to my by a CO once (for what that's worth) said your breaking the law if you shine the light into the water.

just out of curiosity what species do you Bowfish for ?

[WayneChristie]

Lakewhitefish. thats cool, I dont need to shine it onto the water, that works for me.

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by fish gunner

I am sorry if I was unclear check the definition of angling hope this helps

I sit corrected. so there is no regulation mentioned about using lights in any form while bowfishing. yea or nay

[fish gunner]

heres one, if a permanent structure has a light shining on a body of water is it an offence to fish in the lighted area the bottom of gleniffer dam is such a spot

[SalmoTrutta]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

Lakewhitefish. thats cool, I dont need to shine it onto the water, that works for me.

cool, I was always interested in this, so you just wade out or wait on a shelf or something? can you attract fish with decoys or something ? I'd imagine its the ultimate patience fishing.

[RavYak]

Just grab yourself a big old waterproof light, tie a hook/lure to it then tie it to one of your rods and lower it in. Juts a lure with a big light on it. Just have to remember that counts as one of your lines in the water though.

Not exactly ethical and if a judge etc wanted to be a hard ass you might not get a way with it but as per the legal diction used in regulations I don't see how it would be illegal. Heck you could use a big old hook and tie a chunk of meat on it to act as chum at the same time. If your lucky you might even catch a big old gator on it lol.

For the record I take no responsibility if someone actually does this...

[fish gunner]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

I sit corrected. so there is no regulation mentioned about using lights in any form while bowfishing. yea or nay

not as I read it again no indication clearly stating the law in my opinion as long as the light is not being used to attract fish I see no harm, I could make an argument that u r attracting the insects the fish feed on

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by SalmoTrutta

cool, I was always interested in this, so you just wade out or wait on a shelf or something? can you attract fish with decoys or something ? I'd imagine its the ultimate patience fishing.

they are in very shallow I just wade in with them.

[SalmoTrutta]

Originally Posted by RavCanoe

Just grab yourself a big old waterproof light, tie a hook/lure to it then tie it to one of your rods and lower it in. Juts a lure with a big light on it. Just have to remember that counts as one of your lines in the water though.

Not exactly ethical and if a judge etc wanted to be a hard ass you might not get a way with it but as per the legal diction used in regulations I don't see how it would be illegal. Heck you could use a big old hook and tie a chunk of meat on it to act as chum at the same time. If your lucky you might even catch a big old gator on it lol.

For the record I take no responsibility if someone actually does this...

though of this while ice fishing over the holidays:

tie a lure on each end of a piece of line, drop each lure in separate holes or out the back of the boat = ONE LINE

again..a BS thought, but they really should look at how they word things in the regs.

[dragon]

Originally Posted by WayneChristie

they are in very shallow I just wade in with them.

Cool!

Kinda like swimming with the dolphins!

serious question tho. is this a winter thing or a summer thing? not sure if maybe where you go there is open water or not.

Can you get steel toe waiters so you don't shoot yourself in the foot?

[WayneChristie]

Originally Posted by dragon

Cool!

Kinda like swimming with the dolphins!

serious question tho. is this a winter thing or a summer thing? not sure if maybe where you go there is open water or not.

Can you get steel toe waiters so you don't shoot yourself in the foot?

this is a winter thing, actually made it before dark today after work, no extra holes in my waders, just in the whitefish and yes there was open water. some of the lakes are starting to open up in places around the east shoreline also, what happened to winter!!!

[dragon]

cool thanks!