Question: Can I legally fish with a bow and arrow in lakes, streams and rivers in California?

CarpKillers.com Pro staffer - Mark Hughes with his personal record 48 lbs 49.5 inch common Carp taken out of the California Delta! As the day begins Mark heads out on another California Delta Bow fishing adventure. As Mark approaches his favorite secret carp slaying hole he shuts down the outboard motor as he always does. Not quite ready he shuffles some things around preparing himself for some fast action bow fishing fun. While making some racket and still organizing the boat to start flinging arrows. Mark puts on his trusty Costa Del Mar polarized sun glasses and out of the corner of his eye he spots an enormous common carp near the shore line of the murky blue green delta water. This MONSTER common carp was swimming like a huge underwater dragon leisurely heading back to it's dragon lair. Franticly, Mark reaches for his trusty Barracuda Bow with 40 lb draw. Mated with an AMS retrieval reel connected with Muzzy day glow green 200 Lb test bowfishing line tided to an AMS safety slide wrapped around a Yellow Jacket shaft and tipped with a Muzzy Stingray point. Mark nervously pulls the bow string back with his release. Making every effort not to miss one of the largest common carp he's ever crossed paths with. He aims low and lets the arrow fly. Suddenly the carp flies out of the water as if a bomb had gone off. Mark knew that second the mystical flight of the arrow had flown true and penetrated deep. The only problem is Mark notices the arrow shaft had split like a log being hit with an axe. Immediately, line starts ripping out of the reel bottle and it takes everything Mark has not to lose control of the line and the fish. As the fish pulls and tuggs the uncontrollable strength of the fish yanks Mark and the heavy 18 ft bass tracker up stream on an incoming tide. After a relentless 16 minute tug of war ("that felt like an eternity" says Mark) Mark finally set his eyes back on the over size prize. Still struggling to land the tired out monster carp. Mark searches for the gaff praying it meets his hand in time to sink the business end deep into the flesh of this monster. Mark finds the gaff and quickly imbeds the hook deeply penetrating the natural body armor of the massive creature. "This thing had scales the size of silver dollars" declared Mark. He hooked it good and with all of his strength hoisted the monster carp on to the deck of the boat. The surrounding boats cheered and yelled great job! One fellow Bass fishermen even yelled HOLY $H!T THAT'S THE BIGGEST TRASH FISH I'VE EVER SEEN - GREAT JOB THANKS MAN!

Personally I must say.. Well Done - Lady Fingers! Well Done ... One day I WILL beat your record Dirtball!