Pure Shot Outdoors team members (left to right) Isaac Avery, Laramy Barber and Hunter Graham show part of their winning catch of 600.3 pounds. John Paul Morris, the U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship founder, holds the first place winning belt above the team. (Photo: Bass Pro Shops)
Louisiana is home to an astounding array of fish and wildlife, which is one reason bowfishing aficionados love visiting the Pelican State.
Thanks to the marshes, lakes, rivers and other waterways along with a bevy of rough fish species, bowfishing enthusiasts can whet their appetite for big or small fish. Or numbers. Or all of the above. Turn on the lights, don't shoot a gator and hone your skills with gar, buffalo, carp or head to the saltwater marshes for certain species.
It was no surprise the 2019 U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship was held in Louisiana. Despite rainy condtitions, 188 bowfishing teams from 23 states competed in early April on eight lakes and the Red River near Bossier City. That's in the northwest corner of the state. Weigh-in and other events were held at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Bossier City.
More than 29 tons of rough fish — about 58,000 pounds — were brought to the scales. That included giant carp, gar and buffalo. Removing the rough fish helps the native species thrive in the waterways.
The first place team, Pure Shot Outdoors, shot 600.3 pounds and claimed $25,000 and each member received an AMS Bow. The Texas team consisted of Isaac Avery of Longview, Laramy Barber of Sabine and Hunter Graham of Henderson.
“My teammates and I have fished this tournament for three years and have always strived to be at the top," Avery said. This year, "we were able to put the big stringer of fish together for the win. Hard work and determination from all the team put us in the right spot at the right time. Thanks to Bass Pro Shops for hosting a tournament of this magnitude and allowing us to compete in something all bowfishermen love to do."
The U.S. Open Bowfishing Championship purse included more than $100,000 worth of prizes and giveaways.
A four-man team representing Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma won the Big Buffalo and Biggest Overall category in addition to taking eighth place in the tournament. Team Obscure Adventures’ big fish weighed 73.3 pounds and the team scored an overall weight of 365.8 pounds. Their payout was $9,530.
The No Limit team from Center, Texas, took fourth place and won the Biggest Common Carp category with a 51.6 pound carp out of Toledo Bend. Their total weight of 402.2 pounds netted the four-man team $6,610.
Team PossumCods, another four-man team from Texas, won the Biggest Grass Carp category with a 58.3-pound fish to claim the $3,200 cash prize.
The top 10 teams were:
1. Pure Shot Outdoors—600.3 pounds
2. Southern Style Bowfishing—505
3. Midnight Warriors—491
4. No Limit—402.2
5. MOKAN Bowfishers—380.6
6. Dead On—373.7
7. The Bad News Buffs—370.7
8. Obscure Adventures—365.8
9. Bad Decisions—362.4
10. Bad Company—356.2
