Blowgun Fishing

Has anybody ever tried fishing with a blowgun. I was thinking of doing it the same way that yoy would fish with a bow. Shoot a barbed dart attatched to the line and fire away. There are really shallow swimming perch here and always wanted to try it. Any other ideas on blowgun fishing?

i don't think i could pull this off.

Why couldn't you pull it off? When the fish comes to the surface to get the bait, you pland a metal seed down itss throat.

It's an interesting idea. I just checked our state DNR page and there is nothing on there about blowguns:

Illegal Devices
It is illegal to use the following devices to take fish from public waters: a weir, electric current, dynamite or other explosive, a firearm, a crossbow, hands alone, or any substance that may weaken or poison fish. Cast nets cannot be used to catch sport fish.

Flandersander ... What a great piece of advice. The blowgun really is a versatile piece of equipment to be proficient in, for more than just food procurement. Not a bad idea to be able to "hook" all sorts of things with one. Frogs come to mind ... some birds may get close enough. Thanks for the tip! NorthWind

are you sure there isn't an 'it shall be unlawful to take any fish except as provided... bla-bla-bla' clause in there? most of them seem to.

canid ... I agree, for purposes of "practicing" the skill, we'd need to find legal ways to "practice". There are plenty of ways to catch/trap/snare or otherwise "take" a game animal or fish that would be, in current legal terms, illegal. If I'm providing for my family after the disaster that we all agree is a possibility in the future, I would disregard a law to feed my family. It just seems like a good idea to have as many skills as possible already "practiced" (so I know they actually work in real life) before the need arises. It would be good to find out about the legalities before I practiced with a blowgun, for sure. NorthWind

not only do i feel that the subsistence of my family and myself supercedes any law which would, in context make it impossible [note: outside a practical bound of possibility, not just dificult] to eat, be healthy etc. but i also would reruard an attempt to enforce such a law in that context [e.g. a natural disaster] to be a deprivation of life.

i think most populations would see things that way aswell.

as for practicing these skills, i recommend seeking out a legal context. otherwise; i leave it to you. how might one moderate between conservation and the pursuit of knowledge or skill? cautiously.

Canid - That's it in a nutshell. Everything else is about the legality of a specific fish. Limits, size, etc.

Northwind - It wouldn't even have to be a SHTF situation. A survival situation of any type might warrant some unorthodox efforts if it could produce food with little energy expended. A decent reed and a few wooden darts might score fish if you had nothing else at hand.

Maybe a large straight hook would make a good barb> i"ll have to try carving one out of wood. Thanks Northwind. I've always wanted to tie a couple feet of line to the end. bait the line and when the fish tries get the bait, let er rip down the throat. In this site

http://www.instructables.com/id/the-BEST-blowgun/ This site also tells how to make a blowgun.

it tells how to make a broadhead. I tried cutting a barb into it with my dremel tool. it worked but i havent tried it on a fish yet. Any other ideas on how to get a bluegill or perch with a blowgun?

i guess you could increase your luck by attracting them with bait or fire [unlawful in most jurisdictions i've fished in except under specific circumstanges, such as ice-fishing].

I was wondering what to allow for light refraction?below or behind?

above; to the far side of the fish.

like aim over top of the fish? I also tried makeing a harpoonlike dart and it workes amazingly well. I picked up a 2 pound pike with the barb. I shot it in the spine and it was paralized. i had to rip a good sized piece of meat outa the fish.

sorry, no; in front of. see here.

glad to hear your dart is working well.

Flandersander - I posted this on the spear thread when the subject got off track a bit.

Check this out.
http://www.wholesalegoods.net/Mercha..._Code=specblow

Here's another one:

http://www.geocities.com/blowgunhunter/fish-pix.html

As far as where to aim, between this thread and the spear gun thread, we have advice to aim above, below, in front of, behind, and to take a head shot. :D

I have no idea which one is right because I don't use either but we probably should narrow it down. I think you said, "I know. It is "Aim below and you will know, aim high and you will die (of starvation i guess)." So aim low!

Canid's link just above looks right to me. Anyone have the skinny on where to aim?

How would you keep the fish from swimming off with a dart stuck in it? Or, with a hole punched right through?

you missed the part about the line on the darts.

Yeah Where do you aim? In a book i am reading it says to aim below and the author bowfishes alot so i suspect he would know.

below. see wikipedia link above about refraction.