# Arrow Fishtailing! Cant get it to stop



## AKDanP (Aug 23, 2015)

Hey Everyone,

I have read a lot of these posts and I just signed up for AT so I am not sure how this works. I have been shooting for about 8 months. When I first got my bow it shot great. Then the string began to stretch like crazy. I recently had a new string put on. Winners Choice. Bow is Stinger 3G. Since the string has been replaced I have noticed a lot of tail whipping going on with my arrows. I have brought it to my local shop and they paper tuned it from about 4 ft. Shot good through paper. I also walk-back tuned following all of the directions and it hit dead nuts on the line that I had hanging from my target(out to 45 ft). I was having a problem with fixed blades shooting to the same POI as my practice points but everything looks great now and I can still clearly see the arrow jumping around. I tried putting heavier points on my arrows and it helped but only a little(100 to 125 gr points on easton axis cut at 28"). Should I just ignore what I am seeing or do I need to get this thing tuned? I will also say that before I could hit a 3" dot at 60 yrds and at 20 my arrows were touching. I am shooting a 415 gr. arrow at 67 lbs with a 27" draw. Any help would be appreciated. I leave for a moose hunt in AK on the 10th of Sept and I want to get everything dialed before then. I heard I might need to have it yoke tuned?


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## garyb (Jan 5, 2007)

Hey Dan. Take it down to screaming eagle in Walsilla. I used to live in anchorage and moved to Texas 2 years ago. Sounds like timing is off.


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## ar1220 (May 18, 2014)

Could possibly be a nock fit issue.your arrow noxk fitting to tight to the serving on the new string.one way to check is nock an arrow and move it back and fourth on the string and see if the string twists as you do that also check for nock pinch in ur d loop


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## grander (Mar 19, 2009)

What color are your fletchings ?

I've had 1 white vane against 2 black vanes look like fishtailing arrow. The arrow spins and it creates the illusion of fishtail.


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## AKDanP (Aug 23, 2015)

I have green and white fletching. Thanks guys I appreciate the help. I will definitely check those things out.


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## Strodav (Apr 25, 2012)

Couple of things come to mind. First, are you sure it is fishtailing? If you use a different color cock feather and you arrow is spinning, it can look like it's wobbling and it's really not. Second, you can cause fishtailing with form issues. Some common causes are high string pressure on the nose or string wrapping around the cheek, a grip or release issue. If it's not an optical illusion or a form issue and the bow is set up correctly, i.e. absolutely positive it's not a contact problem and the arrow spine is about right and the draw length is correct, then the next possibility is tuning. The fact that the POI of points and broad heads are not the same can be a tuning issue. BTW, 45 ft is a bit close for walk back tuning. I usually start at 10 yds or 20 yds then go out to 50 yds.

I bare shaft paper tune at 5 ft then once I'm shooting bullets I fine tune with bare shaft through paper at 10 yds. The bare shaft pretty much eliminates contact issues and any optical illusions. It you are not getting consistent results, you're back to form and perhaps spine or tuning issues. I'm done when the bare shaft hits perpendicular to the target and at the same POI as fletched at 20 yds. Once I'm there, broad heads are always within an inch of fletched at 20 yds. Plenty good enough for my hunting bow.

If, you are not use to this level of tuning, might want to take it to a professional for advice / help. If your broad heads are hitting where you're aiming, I wouldn't make any drastic changes this close to your hunt. The last thing you want to be doing is tinkering with your bow when you should be practicing. A moose won't care much if the arrow is wobbling a bit.


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## OHIOARCHER36 (Oct 12, 2010)

grander said:


> What color are your fletchings ?
> 
> I've had 1 white vane against 2 black vanes look like fishtailing arrow. The arrow spins and it creates the illusion of fishtail.


This .


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## Jianthony315 (Jul 26, 2014)

I am 27.5 inch draw at 70lbs and was shooting a carbon express maxima Hunter 350 with a 100 grain FP and BH..I could not get my bow BH tuned to save my life..my pro shop had me try carbon express maxima red 250s with 100 grain FP and BH and BAM BH hit right on with my FP..my 350s were fish tailing some but hitting on point with my FP so I didn't much worry about it until I went to broadhead tune it..

I think your over spined...go to your dealer and ask him if you can try a smaller arrow


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## AKDanP (Aug 23, 2015)

Thanks guys. i actually walk back tuned to 45 yards. That was my typing error. I appreciate the help. I get a little too zealous when it comes to making sure everything is perfect. Like you said it would be a good idea to just keep shooting and not worry too much about the small things. Ps, I tried a lighter spine and it didn't seem to make much of a difference but now after all of this I am unsure if it was just an optical illusion or it is actually happening. The only thing that would lead me to believe that it was in fact taking place is the fact that when I used the 125 gr. points it seemed to lessen the oscillation that I think I am seeing. At 45 yrds my broad heads and practice points are about 3" apart. The broad heads are consistently to the right of my practice points. Dont know if this makes a difference as to the solution but there it is. However, the heart on a moose is the size of a basketball so...


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## archeryshooter (Apr 11, 2004)

Dan I have shot for years and have tuned for years But I was having the same problem as you. I tryed diff arrows, diff weight, tips diff heads and vanes and feathers. Could not get my Hoyt vector to group the same and they also fish tailed. Finally I took off my drop away rest that I have had great success with and had a old Bodoodle that I put on. First arrow was a perfect bullet hole in the paper. Took it out and shot it no fish tail and the field tip hit in the same place as the fixed head. So maybe try a fixed rest and see how it does if you are using a drop away. It worked for me and Im shooting a 400 grain max red 350 at 302 fps!


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## threetoe (May 13, 2011)

You don't mention the spine you are having issues with.



PSE Stinger 
67 lbs
27" draw
Easton Axis @ 28". My guess you are using 340 spine

412 Grain total weight w / 100 grain tip

WAY TOO STIFF.!!!

If those numbers are correct, the arrow will not flex properly so it will fly sideways off the bow until the veins stabilize it. Maybe by 30 yards out?
The reason you did better with 125 G tips? The extra front weigh effectively weakened the dynamic spine but even then you were still way stiff.

My suggestion...try .400 spine Easton Axis.

.400 Easton Axis cut at 28" should put you about perfect spine. About 12% FOC
60.3 KE.
264 FPS
392 G TAW

If you want more FOC and a TINY git more KE
Try

27" cut
125 Grain tip
60.8 KE
14.4% FOC
257 FPS

Personally, I like the speed. Besides, 60 KE is enough to kill an Engine Block

This is calculated using Software for Archers Xpert from Pinwheel software..


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