Hats off to Andy Cardwell and the team of volunteers and sponsors that make this event possible. The world of bowfishing needs more events like the Jarred Ashmore Youth Bowfishing Tournament where the goal is simply to give to the kids and share the passion for a sport like no other.

Christmas has come and gone and you didn't receive the new eyewear you were hoping for under the tree. No problem. Over the next several blog posts we're gonna spotlight some of the best sunglasses we've ever worn for bowfishing.

The first up is the Under Armour Storm series of glasses. Whether you're fishing saltwater or freshwater, the UA Storm series of glasses are well suited to meet your needs with lens technology that is resistant to oils and saltwater.

I tried their blue polarized lens and was impressed with their ability to eliminate glare in the brightest of conditions. I had my little boy, Aidan, with me on several bowfishing trips this summer as he was in pursuit of his first fish with a bow. I bought him some cheap polarized glasses from Walmart so he could at least have something to help cut the glare on the water. Unfortunately, they were pretty worthless. Aidan couldn't see what I could see. He quickly grew frustrated at his inability to see the fish that I was trying to point out to him. I swapped glasses with him and immediately realized the problem. Aidan wore my UA Ranger Storm glasses and was back in the game. He went on to shoot the biggest fish of his life.

Unlike other bulkier glasses, the UA Storm series glasses are very light with their Ultra-light Armour Fusion frames. The frames are built from a combination of titanium and Grilamid for super strength and flexibility. 

You'll find a comfortable and secure fit with these glasses due to their Three-Point Grip system and adjustable nosepad. The Scout series glasses meet and exceed the ANSI Z87.1 safety standards for eyewear and all UA performance Eyewear lenses block 100% of UVA, UVB and UVC rays. 

I've tried...and love...both the UA Captain Storm glasses as well as the UA Ranger Storm glasses for bowfishing and everyday eyewear protection.  Check them out at www.underarmour.com

There’s been a lot of buzz stirring in the bowfishing world regarding the new direction for Oneida Eagle Bows. New ownership, branding, and lots of improvements are sure to make this leading bowfishing bow all the better.

New owner, John Paul Morris, is about as passionate for bowfishing as anyone you’ll ever come across.

He’s the founder of the Bass Pro U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship, an event that has quickly grown to be the world’s largest bowfishing tournament event. He can relate to the bowfishing and bowhunting community like few others can.

Here’s a word from Morris on where things are headed for Oneida…

“We are very excited to re-introduce Oneida Eagle Bows at the ATA show in January. We have taken years of Oneida’s legendary designs and manufacturing experience and improved upon them to bring archers the best lever action bows out there. These high performance bows give archers a unique blend of performance and feel for the ultimate shooting experience.

Serious bowfishermen know there is simply no better bow than the Osprey. Our design offers the smooth draw of a recurve needed for snap-shots, and the power of a compound for those big fish. Oneida Eagle bows are built 100% in America by bow fishermen, for bow fishermen and women. Try one today, and I promise you won’t be disappointed!”

Sign up for all the latest happenings for Oneida Bows at www.oneidaeaglebows.com.

A big thanks to everyone that made Bowfishing Tour 2015 a huge success. We had a great first year making stops at the biggest bowfishing events in the country as well as hosting our debut tournament event on KY Lake at Paris Landing. Teams from 7 states showed up to take part in the Battle on the River. It was a lot of fun and we're all already looking forward to doing all over again next April. Be sure to mark your calendars for April 30-May 1for as we host Bowfishing Tour's 2nd Annual Battle on the River at Paris Landing on KY Lake. More info coming soon.

Here's the run-down on teams that brought fish to the scales for weigh-in...

1. Descalin'   654.25
   
   
2. Triple XXX 620.95
   
   
3. Quality Carp Management  579.05
   
   
4. Aerial Assault  557.75
   
   
5. Team Night Prowler  545.6
   
   
6. Between The Banks  503.8
   
   
7. Full Throttle Bowfishing  501.05
   
   
8. Team Bass Pro Shops  492.1
   
   
9. Shallow Penetration  458.95
   
   
10. Team Night Affliction  451.95
    
    
11. Team Carpoon  451.15
    
    
12. OCD Bowfishing  419.05
    
    
13. Apex Bowfishing  412.65
    
    
14. Karp Killin Clan  409.6
    
    
15. Sanford & Son  409.55
    
    
16. Dam Boys Bowfishing  408.20
    
    
17. Shesmadagain  393.2
    
    
18. Hammer Down Bowfishing  385.75
    
    
19. Team Ramrod  342.95
    
    
20. SEMO Bowfishing  315.05
    
    
21. Kill Zone  311.55
    
    
22. Midnite Affliction  306.95
    
    
23. Common Life  282.7
    
    
24. Night Shift  281.95
    
    
25. Toxic Bowfishing  257.4
    
    
26. Muddy Flatz  255.50
    
    
27. Bragging Rights  211.70
    
    
28. Fatal Impact  124.65
    
    
29. Night Crawlers  121.85
    
    
30. Heavy Wake  103.55
    
    
31. Braham Crackers  95.70
    
    
32. D-9 Bowfishing Boyz  53.9
    
    

Bowfishing Tour's Battle on the River tournament at KY Lake just wrapped up. It's been a great weekend with lots of big fish shot. Tournament results and photos from the event will be posted soon. Here's a shot from Team Apex, one of our On-Board Battle Photo winners.

The TN State Shoot is in the books. A big congrats to Andy Cardwell, Matt McGuyer, and Kenzie Taylor on taking first place in the Big 20 Division with 556lbs. The win earned the team the 2015 TN State Champion title and a nice stash of cash to boot.

"This was my first tournament to win overall and to do really well in it," says Taylor. "I'm so proud of these two guys (Andy and Matt). This is one bowfishing trip I will not forget."

Bob Esper, Brian Little, Virgil Robinson, and Keith Roberts put a ton of fish in the boat and once again claimed the title in the Numbers Division with 536 fish (photo below).

Here's a look at the top 5 teams from Cajun Archery's Cajun 8 bowfishing tournament this past weekend in Indiana.

A lot of years have come and gone since the last time I went frog gigging. I remember riding my Huffy bike through the dark with a frog gig strapped to the handle bars as me and a couple of the boys in my neighborhood slipped onto the local country club in search of big bullfrogs. These virgin lakes and ponds had never seen young rednecks with frog gigs. The action was hot and heavy all summer long as we “hunted” under the cover of darkness for the big green croakers. When I got a call the other night from a friend to take our boys frog gigging, I jumped at the chance. But unlike my junior high days, several decades ago, this time I’d be pond hopping for frogs with my bow. With the busyness of life lately I’ve honestly not had the time to shoot as much as I like to through the summer months. I figured froggin’ with a bow would be the perfect solution to help tighten my skills on a hot summer night.

Light ‘em Up

We strapped head-lamps on our heads as we pulled up to the first pond of the night and made our way to the water’s edge. I was reminded really quickly that a good spotlight is a must. The same headlamps we use to light up the trail on the way in to the treestand is just not enough. You need a big, strong spotlight that enables you to take inventory of frogs from one end of the pond to the other. Good frog ponds also tend to house cotton-mouth snakes. A good light also helps you to watch where you step and avoid an encounter with an overly aggressive snake.

The fun in froggin’ comes with ample targets and shot opportunities at some of the smallest live targets you’ll encounter all year long. My first would-be shot opportunity of the night came when our 12-year-old “guide,” Davis Kinsey, walked right up on a big croaker just 5 steps away. In my scramble to grab an arrow from the quiver the fat frog made a quick retreat back into deeper water. I learned really quickly to be ready…and stay ready.

Between their tell-tale croak and eyes or white belly shining in the light, frogs are easy to locate. Within minutes we had slipped to within bow range of a number of frogs. The true challenge comes in making the shot on such a tiny target.

The Bow Advantage

The advantages of chasing frogs with a bow rather than a gig are many. I was able to make shots on frogs that were far out of reach of the guys with gigs. I could shoot from one side of the pond to the other, whereas the giggers would have to sneak from above and behind the frog, often spooking them before the deal was done. In most cases, even when I missed my target, the frog never budged, allowing for a quick follow-up shot. And to be honest, it was simply a lot more fun to chase frogs with a bow.

Gear for Frogs

I used my Mathews NO CAM HTR bow at the same draw weight I’ll be deer hunting with on this shoot. You could tame it down with a light poundage rig, but I like to shoot/practice with what I’ll be using for big game in the fall.

As previously mentioned, a good headlamp is a must. The guys I shot with used Nite Lite brand spotlights like coonhunters use. Nite Lite’s LED Classic is an incredibly bright light with plenty of options, from lower power settings for lighting the trail at your feet, all the way up to a super bright spotlight for picking out critters at extreme distances.

Another great option for lighting up frogs, coons, or any other critter you can legally put a light on is the Laser Torch Pro from Laser Torch Lights. These super bright lights come in a no-hassle unit that is very user friendly, and you’ll hardly know it’s there. Both companies feature really good battery life to keep you in the game for days…even weeks.

The crew at NAP offers their Apache Predator L.E.D. Stabilizer for night-time hunting opportunities. The 6″ stabilizer light is another great solution for a hands-free light source mounted directly to your bow’s stabilizer hole. This light is water resistant and features a remote activated on/off switch.