A bowfishing arrow and method of bowfishing. The bowfishing arrow includes a shaft having a main stem. A locking pin is slidably movable within a bore of the main stem. A fish point with a pair of pivoting barbs is secured to the distal end of the main stem. An outer sleeve is longitudinally movable with respect to the main stem and the locking pin is engaged with the outer sleeve to move with the outer sleeve. The barbs pivot between a shooting position, a locked position, and an unlocked position. When in the locked position, an end of the locking pin is clamped between cams preventing the barbs from pivoting to toward the unlocked position and the shooting position until the fish is landed. A one-handed maneuver is all that is required to release the arrow from the fish after it is landed.