Bowfishing is a popular sport in Louisiana and one well suited to the watery delta terrain. An increasing number of charters take bowfishermen in to saltwater and freshwater shallows to fish. All game fish can be legally taken with a bow in the state. Whether fishing with friends on the local pond or flying in for a bowfishing charter, Louisiana presents favorable options for bowfishing all year round and in all regions of the state.
Fish and Water
The kinds of places that are right for bowfishing are shallow and sometimes only accessible by airboat. Marshes, duck ponds and shallow ponds all over the delta. Bowfishers hunt in small sloughs where the water is scarcely 2 inches deep. The ideal water is clear and still. Bowfishers in Louisiana hunt a number of fish species. Redfish, drum and sheepshead are taken as well as flounder and garfish. Freshwater catfish are sought as well.
Procedures
Bowhunters can fish night or day, but night fishing is popular. In Louisiana, the sportsmen most often go out in airboats to shoot in shallow waters. The waters in the state can be full of alligators and snakes, so it is best to be in a boat. Bowfishers are ferried to a desirable location and when they arrive, powerful lights are turned on, allowing the bowfishers to see what sometimes amounts to dozens of fish. The waters are baited to keep the fish near and the bowmen shoot them with arrows that are affixed to reels.
Clubs
The Louisiana Bowfishing Association (LBA) was formed in 2009 so that bowfishers could have a voice in legislation seeking to limit bowfishing for red fish. The new organization hopes to educate the public and prospective bowfishers about the sport. LBA also shares information about where to fish and developments in the sport in Louisiana.
Charters
Charter companies outfit themselves with boats, usually around 20 feet in length. They install the lights and sell excursions to bowmen. The best charters have guides with experience in the sport and knowledge of the area waters. The more local a charter company is, the better the charter is likely to be. A number of charters operate on the Mississippi River Delta or further north in waters such as crescent-shaped oxbow lakes. These lakes form when tributaries cannot find their way into the main river, the Mississippi or smaller rivers. Cost for charters is typically around $175 per person for one night of fishing.
Regulations
Laws and regulations administered by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries governing recreational fishing also apply to bowfishing. You must purchase a Louisiana fishing license and obey limits on the number of fish you may take. There has been some controversy about legislation seeking to ban bowfishing of red fish, which are considered by some to be overfished. Check the limits on the fish you want to take and keep abreast of changes in what fish can be caught with a bow, as they may change from time to time.
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