[Haywood04]

Do any of you guys Bowfish and Bass fish from the same boat? If so do you just use a flush deck and not a raised one? Do you have a quick removable rail/lights? Wondering if this is a workable scenario? If so pics and ideas please. I have an 18 foot express All aluminum. I was thinking about taking the carpet off, putting down either epoxy or some other easy to clean , putting on a 15 inch-ish light rail with lights mounted under them. Not sure how quick the rail could be removed?
Just looking at the options. Thoughts?
Thanks

 

[redriverbowfishing]

Deck with lights under fish for everything off raised deck never take it off

 

[garpwacker]

Or do a flush deck with removable light rail so can remove lights when daytime/bass fishing then put lights on with light rail when bowfish at night.

We did removeable light rail for our 2072 bowfishing SeaArk, we have (6) 50 watt LED mounted on each side and takes literally seconds with (2) people to lift off each side with lights mounted and put on our "naked" knee rail for daytime Ray shooting and to keep from beating lights up if gets rough. Our rails are same height but want to build a 3rd rail that is lower and would just be a 4" toe rail around the front


My light rails removed with lights on them on floor of shop


Closeup of upper rail part with smaller inner diameter welded to slip into part welded to boat


Closeup of boat with other rail installed and can see height and how slip fit into boat

 

[JPHolla]

You don't have to have a deck to bowfish. You will just have to be a little more proficient with a bow, i.e. aim a little lower. Why would the light rails have to be removed to bass fish?

 

[Skirtchaser]

I bowfish out of a 22ft bay boat. I will striper fish in the mornings come home and rest a lil bit take 2 rod holders off each side and mount my light bars in the rod holder bases. I would love to have a dedicated bowfishing rig but this has been working for the last 4 years for me

 

[Delawareriver]

I had a flush deck and light rail. Never fished for bass much but I shad, catfished and striper fished off the back then muskie fished off the front. Just gotta carry a net since you can't reach down with the light rail

 

[Payphone Jones]

Flush deck with a removable light rail. We hunt, trap, fish, ski, bowfish, etc with our boat, and it works for us. Rails are on with 1/4" bolts and rivnuts.

 

[NORTHTEXASSLAYER]

 

[NORTHTEXASSLAYER]

You can get as wild as you want with a bass boat / bow fish crossover. The boat above is my 21' xpress. To bass fish I pulled the deck and the fan off in two seperate parts. I had electric winches mounted in my barn and when they weren't being used I pulled them off and stored them in the rafters. All electrical and controls were quick connects that could easily be disconnected.

 

[NORTHTEXASSLAYER]

It did take about 1.5-2 hrs to swap over.

 

[awaldro7]

I have tried it but the bass dont seem to stay around with the kicker running lol. I need a quick release trolling motor mount on my lightrail.

 

[Haywood04]

Or do a flush deck with removable light rail so can remove lights when daytime/bass fishing then put lights on with light rail when bowfish at night.

We did removable light rail for our 2072 bowfishing SeaArk, we have (6) 50 watt LED mounted on each side and takes literally seconds with (2) people to lift off each side with lights mounted and put on our "naked" knee rail for daytime Ray shooting and to keep from beating lights up if gets rough. Our rails are same height but want to build a 3rd rail that is lower and would just be a 4" toe rail around the front


My light rails removed with lights on them on floor of shop
View attachment 204234

Closeup of upper rail part with smaller inner diameter welded to slip into part welded to boat
View attachment 204242

Closeup of boat with other rail installed and can see height and how slip fit into boat
View attachment 204250

That is a very good looking rail!!

Thanks for all the input!!

 

[jb-hunter]

This is a old pic when I thought I needed a removable rail, those are rod holders in the top rail, two on each side. Two bolts, quick disconnect in middle of lights, extra trolling motor type plug in for the 12v's. On or off in less than 10 min.

I still have same setup but different lights, no carpet, more gadgets.

-Jeff

 

[sagebrush]

Ive got my deck raised with 8 400w hps under it.. And i flyfish, panfish, and bass fish out of it with zero issues.

 

[Kayakfish1]

We bowfish off my dads boat, it's a 1860 g3 and we also catfish, striper and crappie fish off of it.
For the lights we have a removable rail with leds on it (not what I'm gonna do once I get my own boat) and I built an elevated deck out of scrap steel I had laying around

that's it with the light rails on

that's with the rails off, we normally take them off during the day time just so there's no chance of messing the lights up.