They could have called it "fish hunting."

Bowfishing for inland species is often described as a cross between hunting and fishing, but it incorporates more elements of the hunt. Nevertheless, the target is a fish, regulations require a Pennsylvania fishing license and some rigs include a reel attached to the bow.

In practice, bowfishing is a fun way for archers to get additional off-season field experience with their sporting arm. And for hunters who've upgraded to a compound bow, it's an excuse to pull that old recurve bow out of the basement.

As many Pennsylvania hunters turn their attention to white-tail deer, and anglers focus on trout and bass, bowfishing has declined in popularity since the 1960s -- a spokesman for the Fish and Boat Commission said the sport has a small but dedicated following of mostly young anglers. Yet bowfishing can be accomplished with existing archery gear and a few low-cost accessories, and opportunities to use the equipment are many.

During the next couple of months, carp and suckers will spawn near the banks of creeks and rivers, and the shallows of many lakes will be coffee-stained with silt churned up by spawning activity. Single-minded in the pursuit of reproduction, the large tails and dorsal fins of carp poke out of the water and persistent splashing is visible from a distance. While it's illegal and unethical to intentionally pull bass off spawning beds, giving scavengers access to valuable bass eggs, there's no such legal or ethical restriction on plentiful carp.

When conditions are wrong for crappie fishing and bass are on their redds, a spring angler with a bow in the boat could turn a slow day into a field day. And at night, fish-hunting archers with spotlights might see more action in a single evening than they're likely to see in an entire archery deer season.

"Some nights when we go out, it's either non-stop or we might get only 20 shots," said Frank Hellen of Kingwood, W.Va., who recently lectured at a bowfishing seminar at the Washington, Pa., Gander Mountain.

In Pennsylvania, bowfishing is legal with recurve, compound bows and crossbows, and accessories are available for each type of bow. Hellen prefers a light-poundage recurve.

"With compound bows, you run the risk of the string [attached to arrows] getting tangled, and you want light poundage because you might pull back 200 times on a single trip."

No sights are required; a line-retriever mounts where the sights would be. Hellen uses a jug line retriever -- a plastic bottle stuffed with 25-35 yards of 75-200-pound test Dacron string, which attaches to the arrow. The bottle method offers low drag as line is released, a simple reel retrieves the string into to the bottle, and the unit retails for $75-$100.

For many years, Phil Durr of Phil's Archery Supplies in McKee's Rocks bowfished with a closed-faced Zebco 808 mounted on a 40-pound recurve bow.

"I started using the bottle method in the last year," said Durr. "I guess they work a little better because you don't have to worry about pressing the button on the reel when you shoot. But with the bottle, there's a trigger that releases line, so it's about the same."

The least expensive line retrieval accessory is a $20-$25 open-line spool that peels off string when the arrow is released. With no reel apparatus, the fish are retrieved by hand, a process that can spin the line resulting in tangles.

Line retention presents the greatest danger to the archer when bowfishing. If the line sticks as the attached arrow is released, the arrow could spring back toward the archer. Each line retention method has advantages and drawbacks; none present a guarantee of safety.

The bowfishing arrow generally has a fiberglass shaft with no fletching. Instead of a broadhead, it has collapsing barbs and a twist-off or break-off head. On most bowfishing arrows, the string threads through the rear and ties onto the shaft behind the head. Arrows cost $10 and up, and only a couple are required.

"I use one arrow the whole time," said Hellen, "but I bring an extra one with me, just in case."

Durr said he's never needed a replacement arrow.

Bows and arrows are legal only for carp, suckers and catfish on all Pennsylvania waters, day or night, except in Approved Trout Waters during the closed season and in special regulation waters.

One technique involves wading in on the spawning fish near the banks of creeks and rivers, but most bowfishing anglers patrol rivers and lakes by boat.

"Being up higher gives you a better angle," said Hellen. "During the day, wear polarized sunglasses. Look for muddy areas near the banks; you'll see their fins and tails sticking out of the water. At night use an artificial light."

Most bowfishing shots are taken at 5 to 10 feet in less than 2 feet of water. Aim for center body mass, but a hit anywhere on the fish will generally do the job.

"I've taken shots up to 20 yards, but that's stretching because you can't see them that far away unless you have a boat set up for bowfishing with a tower on the front of the deck," said Hellen. "I usually don't want to take shots that long because I want to positively identify the fish before I shoot."

Hellen does most of his bowfishing at night on the Monongahela River south of the Pennsylvania line, motoring up on spawning carp with a 2,000-watt light.

"It's easier to miss them then you think," he said. "You have to aim low because of the infraction of the water. I call it the 4-10 method -- for every 10 feet of water separating you from the fish, hold 4 inches low."

Struck with an arrow, there's little fight from the big fish. But while archery deer hunting is a solitary endeavor, bowfishing is usually done with at least one buddy in the boat. Hellen said it's all about the shared experience.

"With deer hunting the camaraderie is before and after the hunt," he said. "With bowfishing, it's during the hunt. On a good night, there's a lot of action -- you might literally shoot 100 times -- and it's fun to bust up on each other over how many times you miss. 'Aim lower, stupid' -- we say that a lot."