Looking for a night out near Orlando that beats another dinner and a movie? Bow fishing is about as wild as it gets. You stand on an airboat under the lights, draw a bow, and send a barbed arrow at a fish holding in the lily pads. At Switchgrass Outfitters, we rig the boat and put you on fish on the St. Johns River, no experience required.
Ready to book a night? Call (321) 900-2494 or reach out to our team to grab a date before the calendar fills up.
What is bow fishing actually like?
It is part hunting, part fishing, and all fun. We run the shallow edges of the St. Johns at night with lights that pull fish up into the pads, then hand you a bow rigged with a line and a reel so you can shoot a fish and haul it right back to the boat. The first shot is the hard one. After that, most people are hooked.
You do not need a background in either sport. We provide the bows, the arrows, the reels, and the lights, and Captain Seth walks you through aiming low to beat the way water bends your view. A bow fishing trip runs about four hours, and most first timers stick a fish inside the first hour once they get the hang of it.
Dress for a warm, buggy night and wear shoes you do not mind getting wet. We supply everything else. Because the boat runs shallow, we can chase fish up into six inches of water and matted pads where a regular boat would never follow, and that is exactly where the gar lay up after dark.
What fish do you shoot bow fishing on the St. Johns River?
Rough fish, the non game species that are legal to take with archery gear. Gar are the main target out here, and a big longnose gar thrashing on the end of your line is a story you will retell for years.
Beyond gar we stick tilapia, mullet, and the odd carp or catfish depending on the season and the water. Bass, crappie, and other game fish are off limits to a bow, so we leave those alone and focus on the species the state actually wants thinned. It is a rare trip where you get a rush and help the river at the same time.
How the night goes depends on the wind and the water. Some nights are steady picking, one fish here and one there. Other nights the pads are stacked and everybody is drawing back at once. Either way you are shooting at live fish in real time, which is a very different feeling than watching a bobber and waiting.
Who is bow fishing good for?
Groups. The boat holds up to four, so it fits a family, a few buddies, or a bachelor party after something nobody has done before. You take turns on the bow while the others run the light and spot fish, so there is no standing around bored.
A trip is $800 for up to four people and runs about four hours, gear included. Bring bug spray and a little friendly competition. If your crew is smaller and you would rather chase supper, a guided frogging trip works great for two.
It also makes a strong bachelor party or a birthday that nobody sleeps through. We keep it safe and straightforward, and Captain Seth handles the boat so your crew can focus on the shooting. Book ahead on weekends and around holidays, because the four person trips are the first to go. Weeknights tend to be quieter and easier to grab on short notice, so if your schedule bends at all, ask us about those too.
If you want a night on the water people will actually remember, this is it. Call (321) 900-2494 or book your bow fishing trip and we will get you on the gar.
