Bowfishing in Kern County

December 31, 2020

Question: What fish are legal to bowfish for in Kern County? (Sam)

Answer: Generally speaking, bow and arrow fishing is permitted year-round in Kern County for the following species: carp, goldfish, western sucker, Sacramento blackfish, hardhead, Sacramento pikeminnow and lamprey. However, the regulations differ when bowfishing at Isabella Lake in the Kern River Valley. Bow and arrow fishing is permitted in Lake Isabella for the taking of carp, goldfish, western sucker, Sacramento blackfish, hardhead, Sacramento pikeminnow, lamprey, bullheads and catfish, per California’s Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations in Title 14 section 2.25.

Just curious if anybody here bowfishes. It looks like fun, but I've never tried it.

Wow, that would be a trip to try.

Really? What's the point?
How many people fish for carp for table fare?
If it was to eradicate and invasive species, that's one thing, but to shoot a fish with a bow just to shoot a fish with a bow seems pointless to me.
And this is coming from someone who has a complete bow shop at his home.

Really? What's the point?
How many people fish for carp for table fare?
If it was to eradicate and invasive species, that's one thing, but to shoot a fish with a bow just to shoot a fish with a bow seems pointless to me.
And this is coming from someone who has a complete bow shop at his home.

Invasive species, such as carp? My wife would be thrilled if I brought home a few carp, even if they were full of holes. 

As for being  “pointless”, a lot of people think kayak fishing is pointless—even a lot of people who fish think kayak fishing is pointless. And what’s the point of spearfishing? Heck, what’s the point of fishing at all, as it would be a lot cheaper to just go to the fish market. It seems to me that pointlessness is like beauty, it’s in the eye of the beholder...

When I was a kid we would { my dad brothers and I } go fishing and believe me we are plenty of carp in fact carp is so bad to eat that it is prized bu many cultures around the world like many spices you red to know what your doing they an be tasty
There easy to shoot go get some