Crossbow Bowfishing: Rigs, Reels and Rules

Crossbow fishing works much like bowfishing with a vertical bow: you mount a reel on the crossbow, shoot a heavy barbed bolt tied to a line, and pull the fish in. The gear is specialised, though, and the law varies a lot. Texas lists the crossbow as legal bowfishing gear, while Minnesota bans it for rough fish except under a disability permit.

Crossbow fishing kits

AMS Bowfishing sells a complete crossbow conversion, and its listing shows what a crossbow needs:

AMS says the mount "allows the installation of any Retriever reel to a crossbow": bolt on the base block, fit the handle with a T-screw and attach the reel. Measure your quiver holes before buying.

Reels and bolt types

The reel in AMS's kit is the same Retriever Pro sold for vertical bows; our bowfishing reels guide explains how each reel type stores line.

The bolts are the bigger difference. AMS describes its Chaos FX bolt as 24 inches long, 22/64 inch in diameter and solid fibreglass, with a stainless steel point whose two "heavy-duty, rounded wire barbs" pivot to hold the fish. You release the fish by turning the tip.

Two crossbow-specific details stand out on AMS's page:

• The nock. The bolts come with a half-moon nock. Crossbows are built around particular nock types, so confirm that your crossbow accepts a half-moon nock before you shoot one. Our guide to how a crossbow works explains the latch and rail the bolt sits on.
• The tail screw. AMS says "the screw in the tail of the bolt is oriented to avoid the retention spring on the crossbow."

Crossbow makers also publish bolt weight and length limits, so check the manual before loading any fish bolt.

Is crossbow fishing legal?

It depends entirely on where you fish:

• Texas. Texas Parks and Wildlife says "fish may be taken with longbow, recurved bow, compound bow, or crossbow," for nongame fish such as gar, buffalo, mullet and sheepshead. You need a fishing licence, and bowfishing is barred on community fishing lakes and state park property.
• Missouri. The Missouri Department of Conservation describes bowfishing gear as a "bow or crossbow" that "shoots arrows attached to a line." Check its regulations summary for your waters.
• Minnesota. Rule 6262.0600 says "use of crossbows is prohibited, except as provided under Minnesota Statutes, section 97B.106." That statute lets the commissioner issue a free permit to take native rough fish or common carp with a crossbow to people with a qualifying disability, and the bolts must be tethered.

Elsewhere, check your agency's current fishing regulations. If crossbows aren't allowed, our bowfishing bow guide covers vertical bows.

Safety on the water

AMS's crossbow bolts use a ring rather than a slide, which keeps "line out in front of the crossbow and prevents line from tangling with crossbow string or crossbow." Never improvise by tying line to the back of a bolt.

You can browse crossbow fishing kits on Amazon or compare crossbow bowfishing bolts. AMS's Retriever Pro Crossbow Kit is one example to consider; check that the mount and nock suit your crossbow.

Frequently asked questions

Can you use a crossbow for bowfishing?

In some states, yes. Texas Parks and Wildlife lists the crossbow among legal bowfishing equipment for nongame fish. Minnesota prohibits crossbows for rough fish except under a disability permit. Other states set their own rules, so read your agency's fishing regulations before you rig a crossbow for fish.

What do you need for a crossbow fishing setup?

Complete kits show the parts you need: a reel, a mount that fits your crossbow, and solid fish bolts with the line tied near the front. AMS's kit uses a Retriever Pro reel, a Sleek-X mount and fibreglass bolts with a Ring System and half-moon nocks.

Can I use regular crossbow bolts for fishing?

Not on their own. Fish bolts are heavy, barbed and rigged so the line stays in front of the crossbow. AMS fits a ring to its fish bolts for that reason. Any bolt you shoot must also meet your crossbow maker's nock, length and weight requirements.