By Nick Brockman, Messenger Sports Reporter nbrockman@the-messenger.com
Nearly 100 youth bowfishermen took to the waters of Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley on Saturday afternoon with a dozen coming from Hopkins and Webster Counties.
Ninety-three children piled into 38 boats as part of the 2nd Annual Jarred Ashmore Memorial Bowfishing Tournament.
Local participants included Blake Beaver, Ashdyn Cardwell, Hunter Carlton, Summer Clark, Zack Clark, Kylie Daugherty, Madelyn Hackney, Dylan Honeycutt, Nolan Melton, Caleb Utley and Brady Wright.
Paul Carlton, father of 13-year-old Hunter Carlton, said the sport provides arching enthusiasts with an opportunity to stay sharp.
"Generally it's kind of like a second season for a person that's an archer," he said. "You bow hunt in the fall. Once January comes, bow season ends unless you're just an avid archer that shoots in competitions."
Hunter Carlton said despite the same basic principles there are some differences.
"In the winter, it's a little more complicated because you have to fix your sights and all that to hit the target," Hunter Carlton said. "When you're bowfishing, you don't have to set your sight. You don't really have a sight. You basically pick a spot and shoot."
Ninety-three children piled into 38 boats as part of the 2nd Annual Jarred Ashmore Memorial Bowfishing Tournament.
Local participants included Blake Beaver, Ashdyn Cardwell, Hunter Carlton, Summer Clark, Zack Clark, Kylie Daugherty, Madelyn Hackney, Dylan Honeycutt, Nolan Melton, Caleb Utley and Brady Wright.
Paul Carlton, father of 13-year-old Hunter Carlton, said the sport provides arching enthusiasts with an opportunity to stay sharp.
"Generally it's kind of like a second season for a person that's an archer," he said. "You bow hunt in the fall. Once January comes, bow season ends unless you're just an avid archer that shoots in competitions."
Hunter Carlton said despite the same basic principles there are some differences.
"In the winter, it's a little more complicated because you have to fix your sights and all that to hit the target," Hunter Carlton said. "When you're bowfishing, you don't have to set your sight. You don't really have a sight. You basically pick a spot and shoot."
Although bowfishers can practice any time of the day, Saturday's event began at 7 p.m. and went throughout the night. The participants used lights to help locate the fish.
Paul Carlton aided his son by spotlighting.
"You see a lot more fish at night," Paul Carlton said. "Fish are a lot more visible to you at night because of the lights. Certain species only come up closer to the top of the water at night.
"We have spotlights to illuminate the fish or halogen that are run off a generator that light the whole area in front of the boat."
Each tournament has different rules for determining winners. Hunter Carlton finished Saturday's action with two fish totaling 38 pounds.
Hunter Carlton said he caught a 26-pound bighead and a 12-pound gar.
Paul Carlton said the biggest fish caught of the tournament was 44 pounds and described exactly how the equipment operates.
"You have an arrow with a line attached to it and you have a special reel on your bow," he said. "It has a barb on the arrow and you shoot the fish and the arrow hopefully stays in the fish."
Hunter Carlton, who has been bowfishing for a year, said he usually looks "up by the dam and down river" when on the lake.
Bowfishers can practice on any body of water where law permits, Paul Carlton said.
Several calls by The Messenger to other local participants were not immediately returned.
Paul Carlton aided his son by spotlighting.
"You see a lot more fish at night," Paul Carlton said. "Fish are a lot more visible to you at night because of the lights. Certain species only come up closer to the top of the water at night.
"We have spotlights to illuminate the fish or halogen that are run off a generator that light the whole area in front of the boat."
Each tournament has different rules for determining winners. Hunter Carlton finished Saturday's action with two fish totaling 38 pounds.
Hunter Carlton said he caught a 26-pound bighead and a 12-pound gar.
Paul Carlton said the biggest fish caught of the tournament was 44 pounds and described exactly how the equipment operates.
"You have an arrow with a line attached to it and you have a special reel on your bow," he said. "It has a barb on the arrow and you shoot the fish and the arrow hopefully stays in the fish."
Hunter Carlton, who has been bowfishing for a year, said he usually looks "up by the dam and down river" when on the lake.
Bowfishers can practice on any body of water where law permits, Paul Carlton said.
Several calls by The Messenger to other local participants were not immediately returned.
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