Clay Hayes walks into Home Depot to gather a few odds and ends with which to make a quick DIY bowfishing reel. Does it work? You be the judge.
What do you do when you've got a spur-of-the-moment bowfishing outing ready to rock, and you've got no bowfishing reel for your bow?
Well, if you're like most of us you quickly make one, slap it onto your bow and hit the water. Clay Hayes went the extra mile and made a run to Home Depot to pick up the parts for his DIY reel (he went the "high end" route!). Then he slapped it onto his bow and hit the water.
A roll of electrical tape, a plastic drywall or wallpaper scraper, a roll of brightly colored braided nylon twine, and a plastic bottle of soda. It also looks like he picked up a small bolt and screw, although I don't know if he used it in the manufacture of his reel. That's all you need. Total cost? A few bucks.
Below, Hayes makes a more thoughtful bowfishing reel from a tin can, a section of a hacksaw blade, pieces of wood, electrical tape, old bicycle inner-tube and braided nylon twine.
You sure don't need anything super special to bowhunt for average-size fish.
When we were kids we would just tape or screw Zebco 202 spincasting reels to our bows. Then when we'd arrow a carp we'd crank the handle and "reel" him in.
Necessity is indeed the mother of invention.
Like what you see here? You can read more great articles by David Smith at his Facebook page, Stumpjack Outdoors.
NEXT: Tips for Overcoming Arrow Path Obstructions When Bowhunting
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