# Bowfishing in Ontario??????



## SmrtWntCrzy

Best to check the regs, but I'm pretty sure you can bowfish for coarse fish (carp, white sucker, gar and the like) just not game fish.But like I said, check the fishing regs because there may be some lakes and rivers where no bowfishing at all is allowed.Also, I'm pretty sure you would need a fishing license, not hunting.


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## araz2114

*Be still my heart....*

Man I love bowfishing! Things have changed in ontario as for as bowfishing goes. I highly recommend that you check out the regulations. Gar is off the list of things you can shoot. As a matter of fact all coarse fish are off the list. I believe that you can only shoot carp now. I also can tell you need a fishing license... not a hunting license. You can't bowfish at night. After legal shooting time your bow must be in a case... even if you are fishing. You also can't use a motor when you are bow fishing. You can use the motor to take you where you are going but you can't use it when you are shooting. Even a trolling motor is a no no. The big motor is supposed to be up and out of the water. 

Make sure you check your regs and/or ask a Conservation Officer before you take this on.

Oh ya... have a blast of fun.


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## Elixir86

*Awesome*

Thanks a lot for the answers.

now, all i have to do is check some regs and it should be good to go.

Thanks again,

Cheers! :darkbeer:


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## hoody123

araz2114 said:


> Man I love bowfishing! Things have changed in ontario as for as bowfishing goes. I highly recommend that you check out the regulations. Gar is off the list of things you can shoot. As a matter of fact all coarse fish are off the list. I believe that you can only shoot carp now. I also can tell you need a fishing license... not a hunting license. You can't bowfish at night. After legal shooting time your bow must be in a case... even if you are fishing. You also can't use a motor when you are bow fishing. You can use the motor to take you where you are going but you can't use it when you are shooting. Even a trolling motor is a no no. The big motor is supposed to be up and out of the water.
> 
> Make sure you check your regs and/or ask a Conservation Officer before you take this on.
> 
> Oh ya... have a blast of fun.


Not that you like bowfishing do you araz??? I seem to recall a certain quote that cracked both Jo and me up at the R100.


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## araz2114

"Better than sex"... yes you heard it right... I will only tell you the reasons in person.


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## MJewell

Have been looking at taking this up maybe if I can't get rid of the last older bow that I have. Wouldn't want to use my Vulcan or Drenalin for it.

Matt


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## Footed Shaft

And man,have i heard the reasons!! And he is right!!   
Bill


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## bobbyhobby

*anyone know?*

does anyone know a site that i can check Ontario's bow fishing or archery fishing regulations?

thanks bobby:darkbeer::darkbeer::mg:


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## araz2114

Hey Bobby, check this.... go to page 8 or 11 in the book.
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/198219.pdf

I need to get out and stick some shingle trout :mg::mg:


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## Barry O'Regan

*Best Bowfishing is Hoopers creek*

I agree bowfishing is better than anything, but if it is better than sex., you must be doing it wrong! I used to bowfish for 20 years outside of cornwall, but since living on the Left Coast, bowfishing aint a big sport out here, lacking carp.


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## bobbyhobby

*where?*

can someone tell me some places where i can bow fish near mississauga and up to barry?:darkbeer::darkbeer::darkbeer::wink::mg:


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## calaber40

hi guys. im new to this forum .and im very much into bowfishing. ive noticed that a lot of people are having trouble finding places to do this kind of sport .just as i have found. and even though getting in touch with your local co officer isant much help for the simple reason that all towns and cities have there own firearms discharge bylaws.which they do not know off hand. so if the body of water has a bowfishing season for say , carp. then you must go to the local bylaw office to see if they have exclutions in that zone for bowfishing.if they do your good to go if they dont know , then its like going to be a major chore .but if we pull our info together and research our areas we can name some of these areas to enjoy this sport.together .for one i would to see if hamilton harbour is ok. jordon harbour. sixteen mile pond. sections of the welland canal near chipawa creek .and what ever else might come to mind.post a map on this thread . get some real bowfishing going on here. ah.;]


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## G Skinner

araz you are correct on everything except for the motor part ..... you can discharge a bow while fishing from a boat and motor under power ..... ask Josh for the E-mail .
Glen


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## wheelie

G Skinner said:


> araz you are correct on everything except for the motor part ..... you can discharge a bow while fishing from a boat and motor under power ..... ask Josh for the E-mail .
> Glen


MNR told me if the police say you can not do with a motor, you tell them you certainly can fish with a motor running.


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## arrowpuller

20 years ago you had to buy a special permit for bowfishing...the normal permit sellers never had any so i had to drive to the main office mnr office in cornwall to get it

it was worded a little differently....'' to take fish by means other than fishing ".....i think that was it...do not know if it still exists or not..but you better ask the mnr people


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## calaber40

hi skinner. ive been looking into bowfishing around hamilton harbour and wellend. so far the wellend bylaw officer hasnt got back to me . my be monday. no tuesday . shes out. till then . hamilton harbour is out according to the lake ontario coast guard . no fishing in there by any means actually .firearms discharge in effect.he also told me that you cant shoot from a boat with a motor of any kind. must be anchored .but you can paddle your way around.if you have any info , please post it .i was at the old wellend canal this weekend . lots of carp there.checking into that area as well.sixteen mile creek too. looks good. tons of carp .our bylaws overlap each other .like this one , you can only discharge a firearm as long as your 100 meters from shore. etc.man we need some real data here .i dont want to get busted by the police or mnr for any reason.


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## JAGG1

FYI
Check out https://www.facebook.com/groups/739192459453375/
Just might be able to answer some of the questions you have!
Especially whether or not you can "bowfish" from a motorized boat.
And yes, it is a hoot! (yep, that dates me)


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## G Skinner

This should help to put everyone at ease......Also I would like to get the discharge of a bow,while fishing changed to the casting of a line and arrow ...so that the discharge law does not apply .... I have found only 1 township bylaw that makes a concession for bowfishing and that is Wilmot . 

RESPONSE FROM THE MNRF: 

Thank you for your inquiry about bowfishing in Ontario. Your note was forwarded to me and I'm pleased to respond.

The Ontario Fishery Regulations (OFR’s) have the jurisdiction to prescribe methods of fishing. They allow the use of bows for fishing Common Carp, Bowfin and White Sucker at certain times of the year in certain areas, all that is required is a licence issued under the FWCA. The OFR’s do not restrict the use of bows beyond that. While bow and arrow are considered to be a firearm under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, it is only considered a firearm "for the purposes of hunting". Since fishing using a bow is not "hunting" than the restrictions for using a firearm from a powerboat do not apply. Fishers using a bow may target Common Carp, Bowfin and White Sucker from the deck of a powerboat (Be it trolling motor or otherwise). 

Using a bow from the deck of a moving boat can pose some significant safety risks, please take every possible precaution to ensure your personal safety and that of others on or around the waters you fish.

Common Carp and bowfin have no catch or possession limits anywhere in Ontario, however as a baitfish species, White Sucker would count towards a fishers' aggregate limit of 120 baitfish.

Something else to remember is that once caught, a fisher may not permit fish flesh suitable for human consumption to become unsuitable (spoil).

Please let me know if you have any additional questions with regards to bowfishing in Ontario.

Matt Garvin


Matthew Garvin
Fisheries Program Biologist
Fisheries Policy Section
Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
300 Water Street
Peterborough, ON
K9J 8M5


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## JAGG1

Guess I could have been a little clearer.
That FB group is Bowfishing Ontario.
It’s the source of the letter Skinner posted.


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## calaber40

wow thats some great info. any chance of getting the actual document of that. so when were out and about bowfishing and a co or a police officer tries to bust you. we just have to show them what they dont know.getting a fine is nothing compared to fighting it. even if your right.


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## JAGG1

calaber40
The letter Skinner quoted from, is posted on the FB group page Bowfishing Ontario, with contact information for any members wishing a copy. I'm in no way pushing this page, just letting you know exactly where that info Skinner has, comes from!


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## calaber40

ok thx


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## canliq

bobbyhobby said:


> can someone tell me some places where i can bow fish near mississauga and up to barry?:darkbeer::darkbeer::darkbeer::wink::mg:


Hi, Bobby.
I'm in Mississauga too, you can bowfishing around Port Credit or Humber river, all the way to Niagara.
Make sure when you carry your bow must be inside the case .


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## muskykris

Holy thread resurrection, only 7 years late on the answer


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