The Best Bowfishing Bows

There are many ways to bring in a fish: you can troll your line, cast and retrieve, or practice the fine art of fly fishing. But bowfishing combines the zen calm of fishing with the adrenaline rush of bow hunting. With this sport’s growing popularity, we thought it was about time to find the best bowfishing bow available online.

The most important thing we’re looking for is the ability to hold the bow drawn relatively easily since you’ll oftentimes need to take some time waiting for a perfect shot. Bows with an adjustable draw length are a plus since they allow you to customize the bow for your own personal comfort. And a powerful bow is also helpful since they allow you to catch bigger fish.

That said, not everyone can pull the most powerful bows, so we tried to include some variety here. And for you southpaws, we’ve thrown in a few choices for a left-handed bow fishing bow.

Best Bowfishing Bows

1. Cajun Fish Stick

The Cajun Fish Stick is a recurve bow, so it accommodates any draw length.

Key Features

• Recurve bow
• Aluminum riser and composite limbs
• 45-pound draw weight
• 56 inches long
• Right-handed design
• Includes bowfishing arrow and drum reel with line

The Cajun Fish Stick is a beginner’s that comes with everything you need to start sticking some fish. In the kit, you get a recurve bow, a bowfishing arrow, and a drum reel with a line. Just screw the reel into the pre-threaded hole on the front of the bow, and you’re ready to go.

The bow itself is a recurve, with a sturdy aluminum riser and composite limbs that will stand up to years of use. The threaded hole for the reel is a standard size, which means you can throw a standard archery sight on the front for hunting or target shooting with standard arrows.

The recurve design means there’s no set draw length and allows for easy snapshots. But unlike with a compound bow, there’s no let off, so you’ll be holding the full 45 pounds while you line up your target. Still, you’re getting a complete starter kit for a bargain-basement price. That’s a pretty good deal.

Pros

• No set draw length
• Can also be used for archery or hunting
• Ideal for snap shooting
• Complete kit
• Inexpensive

Cons

• No let off
• Very long

This basic kit will get you bowfishing on a budget.

2. P S E Mudd Dawg

The PSE Mudd Dawg is a compound bow that’s built specifically for bow fishing.

Key Features

• Compound bow
• Composite riser and limbs
• 40-pound draw weight
• 32 ¼ inches axle to axle
• Right-handed design
• Draw length up to 30 inches

The PSE Mudd Dawg is a standalone compound bow that was designed with bow fishing in mind. There’s no fishing hardware included, so you’ll need to buy some and mount it. This is easy since most hardware will mount directly in the hole where you’d otherwise mount a sight. You can also mount a sight for archery practice, although the 40 pounds pull weight is on the light side for hunting in many states.

So what makes this a bowfishing bow, instead of just a regular bow?

There are a few features to look for. The first is a relatively short axle to axle length, around 32 inches or less, which makes it easy to transport in a boat. Another is the 30-inch draw length.

Much longer, and it starts to become difficult to shoot at a downward angle, which you need to do when your bow fishing. These are important features, and you’ll notice that most of the bows on our list meet these criteria.

The Mudd Dawg is affordable as bows go. You can buy it, buy some fishing hardware, and still come out a few dollars richer than you would from buying a lot of kits.

Pros

• Easy to draw and hold
• Also useful for archery
• Compact for easy boat transport
• Affordable

Cons

• Fishing hardware required

This well-designed, easy-to-use bowfishing bow is priced just right for beginners.

3. AMS

The AMS is available in left and right-handed configurations.

Key Features

• Compound bow
• Aluminum riser and composite limbs
• 15 to 50-pound draw weight
• 29 ¼ inches axle to axle
• Left and right-handed designs available
• Draw length 17 ½-30 inches
• Includes anodized aluminum line pullers

The AMS is a compound bow with an axle to axle length just over 29 inches. This makes it well suited for bowfishing, particularly when combined with a 30-inch or shorter draw length. It comes as a standalone bow and features a draw weight that’s adjustable from 15 to 50 pounds.

We wouldn’t recommend fishing with a 15-pound pull, but at 20 pounds you can start sticking catfish in the shallows. And at 50 pounds, you’re legal for deer hunting in all 50 states.

This bow includes anodized aluminum line pullers, which are specially shaped aluminum rods for wrapping around the line as you pull your fish in. This spares your hands from a lot of wear and tear and reduces your odds of dropping or tangling the line. The Juice Bow is also available in both left and right-handed builds, so it’s a good choice for southpaws.

Pros

• Left-handed configuration available
• Wide range of draw weights
• Powerful enough for hunting
• Compact size

Cons

• Fishing hardware required

This bow is also powerful enough for deer hunting.

4. AMS Hooligan

The AMS Bowfishing Hooligan is a top of the line kit that’s easy to retrieve.

Key Features

• Compound bow
• Aluminum riser and fiberglass limbs
• 25 to 50-pound draw weight
• 34 ¾ inches axle to axle
• Left and right-handed designs available
• Draw up to 30 inches
• Includes arrow, drum reel with line, and AMS retrieving crank
• Includes adjustment tool

The AMS Hooligan is a complete kit, which ships with an arrow, and a pre-installed drum reel with line and a retrieving crank. This means you can reel in your catch just as you’d reel it in on a traditional fishing rod. This makes it easier to retrieve than a traditional bow fishing rig since you won’t have to pull the line in by hand.

This bow is adjustable from 25 to 50 pounds and comes with a simple adjustment tool. With this tool, you can make your adjustments without the need for a bow press. If you don’t own a press and don’t want to invest in one, this is a good option.

The Hooligan is available in left and right-handed configurations.

Pros

• Complete kit
• Easy, crank-and-reel retrieval
• Left-handed configuration available
• Wide range of draw weights
• No bow press required for adjustment

Cons

• Expensive

This is a good choice for left-handed anglers who want a quality bow fishing kit.

5. Gen-X Cuda

Attach a drum reel to the Gen-X Cuda, and you’re ready to go bowfishing.

Key Features

• Compound bow
• Stainless steel riser and composite limbs
• 25 to 40-pound draw weight
• 35 ½ inches axle to axle
• Left and right-handed designs available
• Draw length 21-30 inches
• Includes an arrow

The Gen-X Cuda ships with a bow fishing arrow. The only other thing you need to get started is a drum reel. This bow is 35 ½ inches from axle to axle, which is a hair large, but nothing your boat can’t handle. It has a draw weight of 25 to 40 pounds, which makes it a little light for hunting, but a plausible target shooting choice if you want to use one bow for two purposes.

The riser on this bow is unusual. It’s stainless steel, instead of aluminum or composite. This makes it somewhat cheaper than anodized aluminum, but also a little bit heavier. The Cuda is available in left and right-handed versions, so it’s a good choice for just about anybody.

Pros

• Also useful for target shooting
• Left-handed configuration available
• Affordable

Cons

• Fishing hardware required

This bow fishing kit is ideal for southpaws who want to bowfish on a budget.

6. PSE Mudd Dawg RT3500

The PSE Mudd Dawg is a compound bow that’s designed for snap shooting.

Key Features

• Compound bow
• Aluminum riser and composite limbs
• Up to 40-pound draw weight
• 32 ¼ inches axle to axle
• Right-handed design
• Draw length up to 30 inches
• Includes an arrow, and an RT-3500 reel and crank

The PSE Mudd Dawg is a brand new model of bowfishing kit, just released in 2019. It features a compound bow with an aluminum riser and composite limbs. It has a pull weight that’s adjustable up to 40 pounds, and it’s compact, at only 32 ¼ inches from axle to axle.

This bow comes with PSE’s RT-3500 reel and crank, which is designed to look and feel like a traditional rod and reel. It’s a nice touch and is easier to retrieve than a drum reel and crank combination.

The cam system on the Mudd Dawg is designed for snap shooting. If you prefer that to holding and tracking your target, this is your bow. On the other hand, this design doesn’t provide a lot of let off, and there are better bows out there if you don’t enjoy snap shooting.

Pros

• Easy retrieval
• Compact design
• Optimized for snap shooting
• Good value

Cons

• Limited let off

This quality bowfishing kit has a mid-tier price, a real bargain.

7. Carbon Express Muzzy

The Carbon Express Muzzy is very easy to hold drawn.

Key Features

• Compound bow
• Aluminum riser and composite limbs
• Up to 45-pound draw weight
• 30 inches axle to axle
• Right-handed design
• Draw length up to 30 inches
• Includes an arrow, reel, and crank

The Carbon Express Muzzy is another complete kit, which includes everything you need to get started: a 30-inch, 45-pound compound bow, an arrow, a reel, and a crank. We liked the compact size of the bow, and we liked it even more after experiencing the let off. The cam system relieves 75 percent of the weight, which is exceptional and makes it very easy to hold drawn.

This is a small enough bow for a little rowboat or a person with a smaller frame. It’s more affordable than most complete kits, which makes it a very good deal. The traditional fishing reel is easy and comfortable to crank. However, it’s not well engineered for the high speed of a fishing arrow and has a tendency to tangle.

Pros

• Complete kit
• Compact
• Easy retrieval
• 75 percent let off
• Affordable

Cons

• Reel is prone to tangling

This is one of the most affordable bowfishing kits on the market.

8. E-Rad (Eradicator)

The AMS Bowfishing E-Rad is powerful, compact, and easy to reel in.

Key Features

• Compound bow
• Aluminum riser and fiberglass limbs
• 30 to 60-pound draw weight
• 30 inches axle to axle
• Left and right-handed designs available
• Draw length up to 30 inches
• Includes an arrow, drum reel with 350-pound line, and crank

The AMS E-Rad is designed to bring in big, heavy fish. The compound bow features sturdy, fiberglass limbs, and has a pull weight of up to 60 pounds. The drum reel includes a 350-pound test line and a beefy crank that’s built for comfort and stamina. If you’re trying to catch a shark, this is a good choice for you.

The E-Rad is a complete kit, complete with an arrow and a tough, anodized aluminum rest. It measures 30 inches from axle to axle, so it can be used by anglers of any size, and transported in any boat. This is an expensive kit, but the quality is exceptional. It’s worth every penny.

Pros

• Complete kit
• Easy, crank and reel retrieval
• Compact
• Very powerful
• Designed for big fish
• Available in a left-handed configuration

Cons

• Very expensive

This compound fishing bow is beefy enough to stick with just about any fish.

9. Cajun Sucker Punch

The Cajun Sucker Punch comes with everything you need to get out on the water.

Key Features

• Compound bow
• Aluminum riser and composite limbs
• Up to 50-pound draw weight
• 32 ¼ inches axle to axle
• Right-handed design
• Draw length of 17-30 inches
• Includes an arrow, drum reel, and crank

The Cajun Sucker Punch is a complete kit, with a compound bow, an arrow, a drum reel, and a crank. It’s built for right-handed individuals, with a draw weight that’s factory set to a maximum of 50 pounds. This bow is more than enough for sticking the majority of fish and is easy to hold when it’s drawn.

The Sucker Punch is easy to retrieve, with a crank that pulls the line onto a winch when retrieving it. However, the line itself is prone to tangling after it’s been reeled in a few times, so we’d recommend replacing it as soon as possible.

Pros

• Complete kit
• Easy, crank and reel retrieval

Cons

• Prone to tangling

This is an easy-to-use, mid-range bow fishing kit.

10. PSE Kingfisher

The PSE Kingfisher is a no-frills recurve bow that’s designed for bow fishing.

Key Features

• Recurve bow
• Aluminum riser and composite limbs
• 45-pound draw weight
• 60 inches long
• Right-handed design

The PSE Kingfisher is a standalone, 45-pound recurve bow. This design makes it ideal for snap shooting since there’s no cam system to change the tension throughout your draw. It also means there’s no particular “correct” draw length, so people of different sizes can use it. However, there’s no let off, so you won’t want to use it for tracking a target.

This bow is 60 inches long, which makes it fairly cumbersome for use in a boat. You’ll also need to install fishing hardware to complete the package. That said, it’s powerful enough to use for hunting as well as fishing, and it’s very inexpensive.

Pros

• No pre-determined draw length
• Can also be used for archery or hunting
• Ideal for snap shooting
• Very inexpensive

Cons

• Fishing hardware not included
• No let off
• Very long

This affordable bow is ideal for snap shooting.

11. Smart Kingfisher

The Smart Kingfisher Fish Hunting Crossbow is one of the few bowfishing crossbows on the market.

Key Features

• Crossbow
• Anodized aluminum body with rubber band sling
• 40-pound draw weight
• Right-handed design
• Includes bolts, steel balls, ammo bag, fishing reel, and scope

The Smart Kingfisher is a collapsible aluminum crossbow that’s designed for fishing as well as hunting and target shooting. It has a 40-pound draw weight, with a powerful rubber band sling instead of a traditional crossbow limb. It’s also collapsible for easy storage.

This is a complete kit, including hunting and target bolts, steel balls, an ammo bag, a scope, and a fishing reel. You’ll need to buy a fishing arrow, though, as there’s none in the package. You’ll probably also want to upgrade to a better reel since the factory reel tends to tangle over time. That said, it’s very affordable, and would be a bargain at a much higher price.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Collapsible
• Also useful for hunting or target shooting
• Affordable

Cons

• Standard reel is prone to tangling

This crossbow requires only a bowfishing arrow to start sticking some fish.

12. Fin-Finder Poseidon

The Fin Finder Poseidon Package has multiple mounting points for sights and other accessories.

Key Features

• Compound bow
• Aluminum riser and composite limbs
• 25 to 40-pound draw weight
• 31 inches axle to axle
• Right-handed design
• Draw length of 20-31 inches
• Includes an arrow, drum reel, and crank

The Fin-Finder Poseidon Package is a complete bowfishing kit, with an arrow, a drum reel, and a crank that pulls your line onto a winch for retrieval. The compound bow itself has a draw weight that’s adjustable from 25 to 40 pounds, and a 31-inch axle to axle measurement that makes it suitable for transport.

This bow utilizes Cajun’s drum reel and crank. On the one hand, it’s easy to use. On the other hand, it uses the same tangle-prone line, so you’ll want to replace that line before you use it more than a couple of times.

Pros

• Complete kit
• Easy, crank and reel retrieval
• Compact
• Mounting point for sights

Cons

• Prone to tangling

This is a complete bowfishing package, including a crank and reel.

13. PSE Discovery

The PSE Discovery is an affordable compound bow that comes with all the hardware required for fishing.

Key Features

• Compound bow
• Aluminum riser and composite limbs
• Up to 40-pound draw weight
• 31 ½ inches axle to axle
• Right-handed design
• Draw length of up to 30 inches
• Includes an arrow, reel, and crank

The PSE Discovery Bowfishing Package is a complete kit that includes a compound bow, a fishing arrow, a reel, and a crank for retrieving your catch. The bow itself is relatively compact and easy to transport but still has enough pull to get the job done.

We chose this bow because the cam system is designed for snap shooting, which makes it ideal for catching salmon as they leap during the spawn. On the other hand, they offer virtually zero let off, so the bow isn’t well designed for holding and tracking a target.

Pros

• Complete kit
• Compact
• Designed for snap shooting
• Affordable

Cons

• Almost no let off

This fishing bow allows for snap shooting without the need to carry a long recurve bow.

14. Genesis Original

The Genesis Original Bow is the official bow of the National Archery in the Schools Program.

Key Features

• Compound bow
• Aluminum riser and composite limbs
• 10 to 20-pound draw weight
• 35 ½ inches axle to axle
• Right-handed design
• Draw length of 15-30 inches
• Official NASP bow

The Genesis Original Bow isn’t necessarily the best bow for bowfishing, but it’s certainly excellent to learn bowfishing. This isn’t hyperbole – it’s the official bow of the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP). This bow features circular cams, which allow for a smooth, even draw and release. However, they don’t provide any let off, although that shouldn’t be an issue at 10 to 20 pounds of pull.

If you’re trying to pass on a love of bowfishing to a teenager, this bow will give them the opportunity for plenty of practice, both in and out of the water.

Pros

• Smooth, accurate cam system
• Also useful for target shooting
• Lightweight and easy to pull
• Good choice for beginning archers

Cons

• Fishing hardware not included
• Low power
• Zero let off

This is one of the best bowfishing kits and is ideal for teaching youngsters how to stick a fish.

15. HBG Fishing Slingshot

The HBG Fishing Slingshot Kit is a unique slingshot that’s designed for bowfishing.

Key Features

• Rubber slingshot
• Anodized aluminum handle with wrist stabilizer
• Built-in infrared sight and laser flashlight
• Includes arrow, reel, and crank

The HBG is a slingshot, not a bow. But we included it anyway because it’s so much fun to use. Unlike many slingshots, it’s also easy to aim, thanks to the infrared sight. It also includes a laser flashlight, which is ideal for going night fishing. An arrow, reel, and crank round out the kit.

The pistol grip has a wrist brace on the back, which doubles as extra support for reeling in your catch, and the whole package is very affordably priced. Be careful, though. Bowfishing with a sling, as opposed to a bow, is illegal in some states.

Pros

• Unique, fun bowfishing tool
• Well-suited for night fishing
• Affordable

Cons

• Not legal in all states

This may not technically be a bow, but the HBG Fishing Slingshot Kit is a real hoot to shoot.

Bottom Line

At their heart, fishing bows are just like regular bows, with some extra equipment. You need a reel, which dispenses and retrieves the line. And you need special bowfishing arrows, which are heavier than standard archery arrows and don’t have any fletching.

As a result, if you’re looking for a cheap bowfishing bow, you’ve got plenty of options. Of course, a better bow is going to cost you some money, but you’ll get superior performance in the field, and have an easier time bringing in that big carp or alligator gar.

No matter what rig you’re using, you’ll want to be using a flat bottomed boat in relatively shallow water. This gets you as close as possible to the fish, so you won’t be trying to shoot through several feet of water.

We hope our reviews have helped you find the best bowfishing bow for your needs. Have fun, and happy shooting!