Alright guys, I am about to order my rig as you all know and want to set it up for bow fishing too (avid archer, always wanted to get into it but never had the means) and have some general newbie questions. I will browse and search as much as I can as well but I want to order my boat by the end of next week and am not sure how much time I will have so I'm posting this too. So...

-Is there a type/color spectrum/etc of light I should be aiming to use?
-I am going to go with LEDs I think, I am hoping to run them off of battery. Are most of these lights "multi-tap voltage meaning could I have on wiring option (plug) to run off of the 12V battery and then another plug to run them on a 120V generator if I wanted?
-As far as the picture goes...would this setup produce enough light? Approximately how long would it run on battery power?

Thanks in advance, I appreciate the input. Looking forward to learning and shooting some fish!

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This is my rig, on decent batteries the lights will run at least 10 hours. I'm running 15 of the 27 watt LED. I don't think they are capable of running 12v and 120v, but I'm not positive.

Let me know if you have questions, I'm up north also and got my rig from GT last year. Set it up to bowfish and hunt mostly up north.

I have two deep cycle marine batteries hooked in parallel because the lights are 12 volt. I feel like my 15 lights give us plenty of light, but we also have clear water. I'll likely tint my lights this year, but I have really liked the small LEDs even after having them 3 or more years. I don't like the small lights for tournaments, if the water is dirty it's nice to have the extra punch of HPS.

Also, I'm of the opinion that more small lights are better than fewer big lights. The exception might be if you added a different higher power light in front.

I also would rather have more smaller lights. Also I prefer no generator. But if you wanna be bright and loud go hps

Lot of the guys that say no generator run their big motor to fish. Keep that in mind..

If you are going to run a troller, especially a big one, that in addition to all the lights is gonna take a toll on the batteries. With two of the small inverter style generators running on a poling platform, you can sit directly underneath them and hold a normal conversation. They are not loud.

If you run a 12v troller, get 12v lights one genny and one big converter, if you run a 24v troller, run 24v lights, two decent size converters, and I'd prefer two smaller inverter generators over one larger one. A 3k inverter will do the job, but they're heavy, and expensive. 2 less expensive 2k's will weigh less, still not be loud, and they'll have an easy life at just over half load. You can get two of the champion 2ks for about the same price as one honda 2k. 55a converters will draw somewhere north of 1000 watts each under full load. You don't have to run them all the time if you don't want, but it only takes an hour or so of fishing on my buddy's rig to be able to feel the difference in the troller. Shortly after, the lights start to dim.

Some folks are really against the generators. They really don't bother me at all. I'd rather be able to fish as much as I want without worrying about draining the batteries.

If you do run a Generator, get a poling platform. Sometimes in wish I had hps and a Generator but then I think about my buddies boat where we have to pick the Generator up and down from the polling platform every night

Not with a herniated disc while the boats in the water

You have a weak spine!

I run a setup like that except I have 10 of the 50 watt and an el cheapo champion generator. Put the genny on the hunt deck and strap it down. Unless im running the motor my huntdeck never gets wet and when I Fire it up i throw the generator inside anyway. As far as color go with a warm white or hps color light. It's better to have on murky days or in dirty water. My led's are 12 or 24 volt. They work either way you hook em up. Only way you can help them with 120v is with converters. I recommend 2 12v instead of 1 24 just bc you can still charge 1 battery at a time if one of them goes out. I can run silent for about 2.5 hours but then I have to run the generator all night to catch back up. Normally when we get into a good cove we run quiet for 20-30 minutes or until we run out of fish and then fire the generator back up when we start running the trolling motor hard. Another piece of advice is don't skimp on your wiring. Those trolling motors pull a lot of amps and aren't really designed to run wide open like we do all night. They get hot and start to draw more amps, which drains the battery making less voltage available. The motor then draws more amps bc of the lower voltage resulting in more heat. Or something like that. It's a vicious cycle ending in burnt wires or a burnt trolling motor if your wires are too small. Big wire and the correct sized converters will eliminate most of these problems. But it's still not smart to run a troller wide open for extended periods.

Use 50W LED lights that are 120V AC instead of 12v DC. When ur running batteries get u a small inverter at walmart and jus plug them into it and ur inverter to ur batteries...if u want to use a generator jus plug the lights straight into it. and the 120 VAC 50 W LEDs are cheaper than 12 VDC too.

Get a Honda 2000 genny. On front /corners put 3 150 watt Hps with capacitors (important to cut startup amps) added and 2 smaller 27 watt led in front too. On each side put 1 150 Hps and 2 LEDs. Trolling motor up front. Genny at very back wih exhaust pointed back . Even though most gennys have them (crappy ones), buy an extra ground fault protector for $15 to save you life. Buy a $10 16 gallon tuff tub for the genny to keep it from getting wet on windy rides. Corrosion x the genny for salt marshs.

With that combo you can shoot most waters and adjust to silent mode for spooky fish by cutting of the genny and still run LEDs. 4 LEDs on back of boat is nice, but rarely shoot there.

HPS are strong lights , but heavy and require genny. Led are okay but need a ton of them to even get close to Hps. Led are light and quiet.

Cut that rail down below your knees, so you can steady yourself but your bow won't hit it and it won't get in way of shooting.

Get a Honda 2000 genny. On front /corners put 3 150 watt Hps with capacitors (important to cut startup amps) added and 2 smaller 27 watt led in front too. On each side put 1 150 Hps and 2 LEDs. Trolling motor up front. Genny at very back wih exhaust pointed back . Even though most gennys have them (crappy ones), buy an extra ground fault protector for $15 to save you life. Buy a $10 16 gallon tuff tub for the genny to keep it from getting wet on windy rides. Corrosion x the genny for salt marshs.

With that combo you can shoot most waters and adjust to silent mode for spooky fish by cutting of the genny and still run LEDs. 4 LEDs on back of boat is nice, but rarely shoot there.

HPS are strong lights , but heavy and require genny. Led are okay but need a ton of them to even get close to Hps. Led are light and quiet.

Cut that rail down below your knees, so you can steady yourself but your bow won't hit it and it won't get in way of shooting.

I have 8 of the 50 w lights, 12/24v and I wish I would have got the 110 v with a Honda or yamaha generator. My lights do the job but those big 50 w lights draw batteries down quick. Once I get some extra money I'm going all out with a bow fishing platform and whole new set up. I'd much rather be standing over the lights than next to them, but that's just from my experience with my rig

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Where are you at in S.E. Michigan? I'm in S.W. Michigan, between Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. I have a friend over by Algonac that says the Harsen Island area is a great place to bowfish. Planning to find that out this spring.

I have ran a generator since day one. The generator doesn't spook fish like you think it would. The lower unit and prop banging into stuff scares them more than anything. I run a smallish 3500 watt Wen generator I bought years ago at Menards (pretty quiet) and I have 8 - 300 watt Halogen lights mounted underneath the front shooting platform of my boat and they work just fine. I run my mud motor instead of a trolling motor because they get destroyed in most places I run because of stumps and submerged logs. A couple friends of mine that run big thrust Minn Kotas on the front of their rigs found that out the hard way. Luckily their motors were under warranty and the dealer fixed them the first time and then replaced a couple that were tore up from the stumps and submerged logs.

I have friends that have other set ups on their rigs and they've shot off my boat a ton of times. They are running HPS's and LED's on their rigs and they claim they can't see the difference between them and my Halogens and we shoot in a lot of murky water. Personally I think the halogens are brighter and can see fish better with them. Maybe it's just because I can see fish from the back of my boat when running the motor, yet have trouble seeing fish when standing on the front of theirs with a bow in my hand and they have HPS and LED lights. But hey, I'm 60 years old now and as I've gotten older, it seems I need more light to see for EVERYTHING, including to shoot. LOL.

The HPS's require a genny as do LED's unless you go with 12 Vdc. But you'll want to talk to someone who knows more about 12 Vdc LED's and find out whether or not you'll have to carry a small genny and inverters or a battery charger. Talk to someone who is running them and go look at them and shoot off them if possible BEFORE you shell out big bucks for them. I know guys that run them both ways but don't know exactly how they keep the batteries from going dead. I know one guy runs multiple batteries and switches them out when need be, especially when using a trolling motor. And another guy I know carries a small battery charger and has it hooked up to a small genny and the battery when running. Can't see the reasoning behind using 12 Vdc lights if you're running a genny.

And make sure you put your lights UNDER your shooting platform. It keeps the bugs out of your face. I've shot off a couple boats in the summertime that had the lights mounted above the shooting platform, by your knee, and the bugs were terrible. And a PADDED railing on the platform will give you a place to 'anchor' yourself when shooting and the padding helps keep you from banging your shins. Make sure it's below knee height (15-16" tall - no higher) or you'll be smacking your bow against it on straight down shots.

Hope this helps.

Dammit boy that's a rig

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I'm over by Ann arbor, have raced in Martin many times. Thanks for all the info! Unfortunately won't be shooting offany boats before i order mine (in about another week) so I'm taking all this good info and going to make a guess lol

Check out "Seelite"... I have 10-50watt hps warm white and a little honda EU 2000 gen and it doesn't even get off of idol to run all 10.. And I'll tell u one thing them lights penetrate the water damn good..

Are yours hps or LED in the hps color? Seelite recommended me get the 50w warms in halo color

Awesome thanks good info

Didn't read all the post so forgive me if this was said already.

Get a 120v to 12 v or 24 v power supply, ( amazon) put in a watertight j box from lowes and then make a plug and receptacle to fit the lights, if you decide to run a small gen! I personally prefer halogens 120v, can see better in muddy water but i also have a few led on the deck as well for the clear water. I also run a small gen and use it to keep the onboard charger going for my trolling motor when we are on a 3 day trip or so! Good luck in your decision!

So i think we got the lights pretty well figured out so hes my next question. What do you guys shoot and/or recommend for bows? Seems that a constant draw is good for bowfishing, should i start with a PSE kit and go from there if i ever wanna upgrade or is there another i should look at?

PSE discovery 2 or Genesis Pro for good inexpensive compounds. The wave really has too much power, IMO.


I always enjoyed shooting a recurve as well, and oneida's or american eagle's are badass if you got the coins.

Cool thanks. I would suspect that i will end up with something like an onieda one day but the more i think about my new rig the more i spend (gotta order the damn thing already lol) and i want to get one for me and one for the fiance so its looking like 2 PSE price level setups for now

I bought a regular model genesis for the wife. Even at 20lbs, it packs plenty of punch for most of the fish we shoot at around here, and don't have to worry about her, or anyone else who doesn't bring their own bow, burying arrows to deep in the mud. They also made a "breast cancer edition" that's pink and white. For you, it'll be hard to beat the discovery 2, or if you want to match, the genesis pro is not a bad little bow either.

discovery 2 is best bow on market for price, if you not worried about money get onieda

I shoot a PSE coyote recurve and love it.

Genesis suck get a discovery 2. But really get an Oneida

What are the differences between the tidal wave and discovery 2?

Tidal wave can be dialed up to a higher poundage. It's a little bigger bow. I have one and like shooting a discovery 2 as much or more. I didnt like the Oneidas I shot, I think they are a fashion statement.

I'd recommend getting aMuzzy reel for it over the AMS reel.

I got a discovery and a bear Cajun. That Cajun is a beast

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The compounds we recommended can all be snap shot, just like a recurve. That, and they're cheap, and low draw weight.

I would not recommend picking up a random hunting bow. You won't be happy with it.

Recurves shoot well. I always enjoyed shooting one, but they're much more of a pita to deal with in a boat. A compound half the size that can be shot the same way is the way to go.