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Hf 42

I used to bow fish quite a bit and spend countless hours along river banks in the evenings and can't even recall seeing a catfish. Plenty of carp and gar. I would not think this would have a huge impact on anything. What do others think.?
 
River1 said:
There are certain areas of the Mississippi River this could be done at night with lights.
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That is the one thing I have never done and that is going out by boat at night with lights. Would be awesome to do and see what it is like.
 
I bowfish a very clear lake that is common to see dozens of 1-8 lb channel cats and some real big flatheads, on any night. It would be way too easy. They just swim under the boat clueless. Not like the carp that bolt at the slightest vibration.
 
Do we want to relegate catfish to a "rough fish" status? The wording "catfish or rough fish" in my opinion could be interpreted as catfish is a rough fish. I think this might have effects in other areas such as the netting of fish. I'm not 100% up on commercial fishing rules but I think as it is now if a non rough fish (catfish, bass, pike, pan fish etc etc) gets caught in a net or trap they have to be thrown back. with the "or" in this bill it may cause a change in commercial fishing laws.

I shouldn't go here but I'm gonna, is it legal to use crossbows to bow fish?
 
Fishbonker said:
Do we want to relegate catfish to a "rough fish" status? The wording "catfish or rough fish" in my opinion could be interpreted as catfish is a rough fish. I think this might have effects in other areas such as the netting of fish. I'm not 100% up on commercial fishing rules but I think as it is now if a non rough fish (catfish, bass, pike, pan fish etc etc) gets caught in a net or trap they have to be thrown back. with the "or" in this bill it may cause a change in commercial fishing laws.

I shouldn't go here but I'm gonna, is it legal to use crossbows to bow fish?
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I don't think I have ever seen a crossbow attachment for bow fishing. But don't say it will never happen because I am sure someone is working on it and waiting for the very important patent before releasing it.
 
I have seen crossbows with fish retrievers on them. It sounds scary having a loaded crossbow or 2 in the boat. We have a Badass Slingshot [google it] with an AMS retriever on it. Pretty slick little weapon.
 
6x6 said:
I have seen crossbows with fish retrievers on them. It sounds scary having a loaded crossbow or 2 in the boat. We have a Badass Slingshot [google it] with an AMS retriever on it. Pretty slick little weapon.
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Joe my son has been begging for one of those slingshots looks fun! Maybe next Christmas unless dad gets one first....

On topic I don't think putting catfish in the same category or a step closer to the same category as a rough fish for conservation purposes is the right thing to do. For this reason I oppose this.
 
Fishbonker said:
Do we want to relegate catfish to a "rough fish" status? The wording "catfish or rough fish" in my opinion could be interpreted as catfish is a rough fish. I think this might have effects in other areas such as the netting of fish. I'm not 100% up on commercial fishing rules but I think as it is now if a non rough fish (catfish, bass, pike, pan fish etc etc) gets caught in a net or trap they have to be thrown back. with the "or" in this bill it may cause a change in commercial fishing laws.

I shouldn't go here but I'm gonna, is it legal to use crossbows to bow fish?
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Bonker--crossbows will be legal outside the catfish breeding season for residents only.

Nonresidents must wait 3 years for a catfish tag. Visible whiskers only!!:D:
 
We used to go up to minnesota solely for the catfishing. The residents thought we were nuts and would consider them rough fish right up there with carp.

I wonder how many people even bowfish these days? About the only person I ever hear doing it is 6x6.
 
Liv4Rut said:
We used to go up to minnesota solely for the catfishing. The residents thought we were nuts and would consider them rough fish right up there with carp. I wonder how many people even bowfish these days? About the only person I ever hear doing it is 6x6.
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Mike it has really started to get popular I see boats geared for bow fishing on the lakes around home on a very regular basis these days. In fact there's a couple guys that run guide services. I would think in the big rivers on the boarders it is even more popular. I don't think it would impact the fish much (but I don't know) as my opinion but could see it be a step towards other issues. Let those guys focus on the rough fish like Joe said the catfish he sees it would be to easy.
 
I don't know how much opportunity there will be to effectively and purposely bowfish for cats. As someone else described I have seen cats freely swimming near surface at times on inland lakes.

I'm not sure about other water ways but on the Mississippi they can be and are commercially harvested. Has not seemed to hurt the population.

There are some boys down on the large MO reservoirs that take their bowfishing pretty seriously. I've seen some custom plate boats rigged out with lights,raised platforms over 6 feet and custom long shaft trolling motors run from the platform.
 
Bowfishing popularity is definitely on the rise. I remember when I started I'd tell people what I was doing and they'd think I was crazy. Seems every time I go out now I see someone else shooting too.

Now if we could only get Ada Hayden opened up for bowfishing i'd be set. Giant buffalo(by the thousands), commons, grassies, quilbacks, if you can name it it's probably in there. Go out there for the buffalo spawn and there's no shore that the fish aren't on and they are packed fish to fish over 15 ft out,
 
A lot of other states allow shooting catfish. I personally would like to be able to shoot a fish that I would eat. I think if it would be passed that there should be a limit.
 
BoneHead said:
A lot of other states allow shooting catfish. I personally would like to be able to shoot a fish that I would eat. I think if it would be passed that there should be a limit.
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There is a limit now of 8 catfish if from inland lakes, 15 from inland streams, boundary rivers and the four main lakes, Mississippi is no limit
 
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