You’re ready for fishing season, and your bow is the ideal tool for the job. Like spear hunting before it, bowfishing is less messy and requires no extra bait. Hence, this is the perfect way to put food on the table in any situation. However, if you plan to get a good view of the fish, you’ll need lights and a generator. Fortunately, I can help you work out which generator will get you the most fishing time. When survival is on the line, you don’t want a so-so generator for bowfishing.
Bowfishing Generator Vs. LEDs
If you’ve done much bowfishing with other people, then you know that everyone has their preference for either battery operated LEDs or generator-powered lights. While there are a couple of moderate downsides to generators, overall, they tend to be far superior to the LED option. Meanwhile, there’s a host of reasons not to use battery-powered LED lights.
First, there’s the noise. You’ll want a generator that’s around sixty decibels if you plan to have a conversation on the boat. Fortunately, the sound doesn’t seem to affect the fish too much, and plenty of bow fishers use them successfully. Secondly, some bow fishers find the orange setting on the lights can cause a headache over time. That’s about all the downside there is.
Halogen lights penetrate further, especially if the water is murky. Plus, you don’t need to worry about dead or leaky batteries ruining your fishing trip. So long as you remember to bring fuel for your generator, you can fish for hours.
Lights for Your Bowfishing Generator
When you’re setting up the generator for bowfishing, one question comes up time and again. What type of lights are the best? The honest answer is that it is up to you to decide on a preference. However, I can give you a quick reference for the pros and cons of the three varieties.
I don’t recommend LEDs because what you gain in lifespan, you trade-off for less power and more diffused light. The trouble with murky water is enough to reconsider using these lights. However, LED lovers will swear by the low-glare and power-saving capabilities.
Halogen lights are the easiest to get and the least expensive option of the three. Moreover, halogen produces lots of light, and it penetrates far deeper and better than an LED. The downside is that this style uses the most electricity of your three choices.
High-pressure sodium lights are the go-to lighting for many bow fishers. HPSL’s are both lightweight and less expensive than their LED counterparts. Best of all, these lights penetrate the water best. The only real downside is that there’s no batter operated choice, which isn’t much of a ‘con.’
Top Five Best Generators for Bowfishing
When you’re ready to get your first bowfishing generator or your latest upgrade, there are a few vital considerations. The first is the portability. You need either a lightweight option you can carry easily or an open frame generator with wheels. If you can’t lift or move your generator, then you don’t have one when and where you need it.
Secondly, consider the decibels of sound output. Anything over sixty is going to make conversation harder. Hence if you plan to fish with friends, you’ll want a low-noise option. However, when fishing alone, a louder power source that lasts longer might be the better choice.
Finally, you need to make sure you have a high-quality generator. No one wants the lights to run out in the middle of a big fishing trip. More importantly, you should never waste money on an untested and potentially useless machine.
1. Xtremepower US Gasoline Generator
At four thousand max watts, the Xtremepower US Gasoline Generator from Amazon lives up to its name. You might expect that, with so much available power, you’d be trading output for an incredibly noisy generator. Surprisingly, you’d be wrong. At just sixty-seven decibels, this generator is barely louder than an average conversation.
Capable of both AC and DC output, the Xtremepower generator can run multiple devices at once. Moreover, it’s got an EPA compliant 4-Stroke OHV 1-Cylinder engine that can run up to ten hours on a single tank of fuel. Plus, it has an automatic low-oil shut off to help prevent burning out your power supply.
Thankfully, you get the spark plug wrench and a comprehensive manual with the Xtremepower US Gasoline Generator. Hence, even if this is your first time bowhunting, you’ll be able to set up with little trouble. So you can get to fishing faster regardless of your generator set up experience level.
Additionally, there’s a voltmeter to help you keep track and a forced-air cooling system. No one wants their generator to overheat, and you won’t need to worry about it. Better still, at just over two feet wide on the largest side, it’s easy to fit an Xtremepower in your boat.
Get Xtremepower when you click here.
2. Black Max 3600 Wattage Generator
The hand truck frame design on a Black Max 3600 Wattage Generator makes it exceptionally simple to move. Roll it right onto the boat with ease. Furthermore, the handle has a quick release so you can fold it down and out of the way once the generator is in place. Better yet, the tires are flat-free solid plastic, so you know you’ll be able to roll it back out again when you’ve caught your fill.
The PGMA compliant 212cc OHV Engine will run for ten hours at fifty percent load. Additionally, the four-gallon tank means less time wasted on refills. When you’re not fishing, the Black Max can help keep your lights on in a power outage as well.
The best thing about a Black Max 3600 Wattage Generator is the MaxSense CO Sensor Technology. If your generator detects too much carbon monoxide, it shuts off to keep you safe and breathing comfortably. Although running generators outdoors in the on is generally safe, it never hurts to have an added layer of security when working with a machine.
Have a Black Max delivered when you order here.
3. Champion Portable Generator
Two unique features put the Champion Portable Generator in the top three. First, it has a wireless remote start. Secondly, the Intelliguage function does several things you right not have realized are essential. However, once you see them, you’ll understand the ingeniousness of this high-tech generator.
Remote start can be useful in many ways. For example, you can set up your generator and get it running even as you’re still unloading and packing the boat. Alternately, if you happen to use it as a backup at home or work, the ability to press a button and keep the power going is a significant boon.
The Intelliguage is unique to the Champion Portable Generator. It monitors voltage and frequency, which is relatively standard. However, an Intelliguage also keeps track of your operating hours. By seeing how long you’ve been running, you can keep track of time without a watch and check the fuel efficiency with ease.
To check the reviews for Champion at Amazon, click here.
4. Firman P01201
A smaller tank and longer run-time are part of what you can count on with a Firman P01201. At just one point seven gallons, you won’t have to haul so much weight around. Moreover, this generator runs up to twelve hours at a time. That’s enough to get you through the longest night of bowfishing.
Best of all, the “Whisper Series muffler keeps the P01201 running a quiet 63 decibels,” which means it’s not too loud to have a conversation with friends. Plus, this model is below the noise limit set by the National Parks and Rec department, so you can use it on public lands for bowfishing or even camping in comfort.
The Firman Po1201 also has excellent energy efficiency with the Volt Lock Automatic Voltage Regulator and a Power Stream Regulator. Fortunately, that means you won’t have to worry about unexpected power surges, or burning excess fuel. Finally, Firman rounds off this already exceptional generator with a three-year warranty.
Find your Firman by clicking here.
5. Wen 4-Stroke Portable Generator
As the smallest of our high-quality options on this list, the Wen 4-Stroke Portable Generator has a one-point-one-gallon tank. However, it will run for seven and a half hours at half load, which is impressive by any standards. The included two-year warranty proves that Wen stands behind this mighty little generator all the way.
Additionally, the spark arrestor makes a Wen 4-Stroke Portable Generator a wise choice for safe operation on a boat. However, there are plenty of other features worth noting as well. Beyond the two AC 120V three-prong wall outlets, you also get a cigarette lighter style 12V 8.3A DC outlet, which means you can charge a cell phone even if you only have the car charger with you.
No one wants to lose their lighting or their whole generator because the gambled on some cheap knockoff that burns out quickly. Fortunately, you don’t need to worry about that with a Wen 4-Stroke Portable Generator from Amazon. The fuel gauge helps you keep the lights on all night, and the low oil shutoff makes sure you don’t overburden your generator. All that, and it’s CARB compliant for safe use.
Find out more about Wen from Amazon here!
Final Thoughts
Setting up your bowfishing generator isn’t tricky. It will take you far more time to perfect your bow skills and learn to catch fish with them. Luckily, if you already know-how, then you’ll find it’s a whole lot easier with the right generator and lights.
Better still, you’ll learn faster when you can see where the fish are. Unlike standard fishing, you won’t have problems getting a bite. Since the bait is no issue, all you need is patience and a body of water that has fish. In an SHTF scenario, you won’t have to worry about what to eat so long as you’re near a good fishing spot.
Proper lights can make all the difference in bowfishing, and the right generator will keep them burning for as long as you require. Staying fed doesn’t have to be hard, even when the world falls apart.
