Bowfishing arrows differ from regular arrows because they don’t have feathers on them, and they weigh more than regular arrows. This helps them to penetrate the water better. However, they don’t fly even close to as far as regular arrows, which fly 150 feet. Bowfishing arrows can only fly 20 feet at most because of the heavier weight of bowfishing arrows.
Bowfishing arrows are made from what material? Usually, bowfishing arrows will have the shafts made from heavier weighted fiberglass or from carbon. In some cases, they have been made from a combination of materials, and the points will usually use a durable metal like steel or stainless steel.
Each Material Has Its Benefits
You should understand how each of the materials will have their benefits and disadvantages. In this way, you can decide which material will work best for you. To learn the pros and cons of each material, you might do an experiment to learn what works best.
Let’s have a look at the different bowfishing arrows and the materials they use. We will also assess what makes this choice used in bowfishing.
Fiberglass Arrows
Inexpensive and durable arrows, fiberglass arrows could be said to be a type of plastic that the manufacturer reinforced with glass fiber. I’ve seen a lot of bowfishermen use fiberglass arrows because of the low price tag, and in fact, I myself have taken a liking to them because of the lower price.
The biggest problem with fiberglass arrows come from their spine which can get damaged easily. This will have an impact on shot accuracy and can even be dangerous.
For a beginner bowfisherman, you might find fiberglass arrows highly agreeable. Going with fiberglass can lower the cost of getting into bowfishing, but it does cut corners on quality over the long term. These arrows can handle a surprising level of wear and tear, and they’re impact and corrosion resistant.
That is particularly why they have become popular in bowfishing because the arrow has to penetrate the water as well as the fish.
If you’re looking for fiberglass arrows, you might choose PANDARUS 34-inch 8MM Bow Fishing Hunting Arrows Archery Fiberglass Arrows with Safety Slides. It even comes with safety slides, which eliminates the need to buy the safety slide. As I’ve said in previous articles, safety slides are essential to bowfishing because it keeps the arrow from flying back at you.
Pros
- Cost effective arrows for bowfishermen on a budget.
- Fiberglass arrows can take a beating.
- Highly resistant arrows that are consistently straight.
- Excellent choice for beginner bowfishermen.
- Easy to find this arrow in almost any archery shop.
Cons
- Because of the heavier weight, these arrows fly at slower speeds.
- The spine of a fiberglass arrow is prone to damage over time.
- The rigid fiberglass structure makes them more vulnerable.
Carbon Arrows
When we speak of carbon arrows, we’re talking about arrows that they have made with carbon or graphite materials. This depends on the brand and what material they choose to use. Carbon arrows have especially picked up popularity, and if you’d like to learn a little more about their lifespan, check out my article, “How Long Do Carbon Fiber Arrows Last?“
You will especially find carbon used with newer bowfishing arrows, but you have one problem with it–it costs more than fiberglass arrows. With that said, carbon arrows shoot with greater accuracy. They’re more durable than aluminum or fiberglass arrows.
The one danger of carbon fiber arrows is that you have to inspect them regularly and be careful never to shoot a damaged carbon arrow because the damage is harder to spot. They can break on you without warning, and if you shoot an arrow like this, it will literally explode and send shards of carbon into your arm and hand, which can cause permanent nerve and muscle damage. Never shoot a damaged arrow. Ever.
Carbon arrows also weigh less than other materials used in arrows, but that isn’t necessarily a good thing with bowfishing because you want heavier arrows that can penetrate the water and fish. With that said, you won’t have a problem penetrating the water with carbon arrows. In fact, these arrows will penetrate the water just fine, and they will fly much faster so that the fish don’t have time to react.
The other thing I like about these arrows? They were designed to withstand high impact, and that means that they will last longer than what a fiberglass arrow will last. In general, you can expect a carbon arrow to last up to two years, and that is with heavy shooting. They last even longer if you take good care of them.
Because these arrows don’t suffer damage as much, they maintain better precision over time than arrows made from fiberglass.
If you’d like a set a carbon bowfishing arrows, you might choose the Maifield Bowfishing Head Carbon/Glass-Fiber Arrow Shafts.
Pros
- Flies straight true to its target–top-notch accuracy.
- Lighter and shoots faster while reaching the target faster.
- More durable arrows than arrows made from fiberglass materials.
- Can last a long time even with heavy shooting.
- Carbon arrows can bend or flex, but they return to their natural shape.
- A more modern and recent choice when it comes to arrows.
Cons
- Can shatter at random and endanger lives. Must inspect thoroughly.
- Carbon arrows cost more than fiberglass arrows.
- Not as aethetically pleasing to the eye as traditional wooden arrows.
Hybrid Arrows
Combining the two materials of aluminum and carbon, this type of arrow hands you the best of both worlds while reducing the negatives of both worlds as well. This provides you with the best characteristics of each arrow.
You have many reasons that you might choose to go with a hybrid arrow. First, they don’t cost as much as a carbon, and while they don’t cost as little as fiberglass arrows, they still have many benefits. You get exceptional performance without the high price tag of a carbon arrow.
Usually, this type of arrow will have an outer carbon layer on it that protects it and makes it more durable. You have a unique arrow shaft design that helps to make it one of the better choices.
This choice has consistency with the spine, which helps it to fly straight and true. These bowfishing arrows were also made as small diameter arrows. A micro-diameter arrow like hybrid arrows will help with better penetration. This reduces the surface friction as it hits the target to get the best results.
With hybrid arrows that use a hybrid material, they absorb and transfer energy better than some of the other choices, which means that you will pierce the fish more easily.
Pros
- Durable arrows that can last as long as carbon arrows.
- Hybrid arrows have a stiffness that makes for accurate shots.
- Remove arrows easily from the fish that you shoot.
- Penetrates well because of the smaller diameter.
- This arrow absorbs and transfers energy without a problem.
Cons
- Costs more than the fiberglass arrows but less than carbon arrows.
- Takes the best of both worlds but never outdoes either of them.
These are some of the materials that bowfishing arrows are made from. In fact, you only have three main materials when it comes to bowfishing arrows because they don’t use wooden arrows for bowfishing–wood floats in water. That means very poor penetration for the water alone.
Please, when ever you go to buy bowfishing arrows, no matter what material or reputable brand you have bought from, always inspect them before you buy. They can become a danger to yourself if you shoot a damaged arrow. It endangers yourself and the people around you.