Outriggers

[Paddler]

I have a small boat, and normally run five rods. Two off the corners, one down the middle off the slashboard, and two off the gunnels about two feet forward of the transom. Like this, but I added a bracket across the slashwell this year:



So, here is my boat, with the radar arch:



The question for other small boat owners, or anybody with outriggers, is which outriggers would work best on my boat? I can weld bases to the radar arch, or use gunnel mount riggers. The problem is there is limited access to things with my side curtains mounted, if that's a concern. They need to be removable, also. Or, the obvious question, will they help if I'm only running five rods?

[LQQKASTAR]

yes they would help to make your spread wider(obvisouly) but why just stay with five rods? at least ad one new rod per outrigger and you can do 2 per outrigger, it would be nice to mount your rod holders higher than the rest, so when you do get a fish on the line isnt hitting you or the other poles.
looking at your boat again, i think your good just like you are. a tight run of gear is better than a wide birth of gear thats not tight. if you can ad more poles, go for it, if not run like you are.

[Tinman]

Trolling 4 rods is about all I can reasonably handle (21 foot dory, 8 foot beam) , especially when the action is hot. With the mayhem of unhooking, spiking, bleeding, untangling, transferring to the slurry tank, re-tying and keeping in radio contact with wingmen, we often fall behind in re-deploying trolling lines. Last trip we could barely keep a couple of lines going.

[Duckie]

Outriggers will definitely help in widening your spread. I like the positions of your troll gear. 5 rods is probably perfect. Anymore than 5 rods in that boat might be a bit challenging to manage.

[Mypursuit]

glad you put this up...my boat now looks just fine to me; thanks; I was sitting here snorting tuna thinking I needed outriggers; and how was I gonna put a crow's nest on a 17:grin:, I've got at least as much room as you do....:smile:

[Cornfed]

Paddler - A side questions for you....Did you have a bad experience with someone throwing your pole out of the boat? I see you have your poles fastened to the cleats. How difficult is it to unhook one of these lines when you are fighting a fish?

[Pau Hana]

You could get a Taco gunwale mount outrigger setup, and place them just aft of your aft bimini supports.

I'd fly no more than 5 lines (2 rigger line set long, 2 on the transom set medium, and 1 center aft set short) on any boat under 28'/narrower that a 9' beam. It may be cool to troll with a huge number of lines, but Tinman hit it spot on- it gets busy, and chaos ensues. Throw in a few more lines to clear & stow, not to mention the inevitable tangles, and things can get ugly pretty quickly....

[Paddler]

Cornfed, I haven't lost a rod yet. But I have had a rod holder shift, not come out, but shift. Those leashes are easy to take off, and provide piece of mind. If somebody tightens a drag, then forgets to reset it when they put the line back out, funny things could happen. Cheap insurance for rigs that cost $200-$300 apiece.

I'm happy with 5 rods, and have handlines, too, so could run 7-9 lines. I was just wondering if outriggers would help. I have no problems now with the occasional tangle, as the mono is easy to deal with. Don't think we've lost a fish yet to a tangle. But the outriggers do look cool. I guess the only real advantage would be to run 7 rods, two off the riggers, plus what I'm already doing. Probably not necessary, especially considering my limited ice capacity.

[packer]

I have gunnel mounted 18' outriggers on my 21' Striper and i run 2 rods on each side and 2 hand lines off the stern with the option of running two more rods on rod holders . I run an inverted V pattern and i can make tight turns without tangling lines . The really nice part is not having to bring all the lines in when you hook one on the shorter lines as the out riggers really help keeping the lines up and out . i have my outrigger tips set about 3' ahead of the stern and its really nice to see where your lines are at . Once you get used to setting them up they really work the spread nicely. If we hve several fish on sometimes we reel up and just leave the lures in the water . if you do it this way you need to get the roller releases .

[jamescaird]

Paddler, I have the same boat but with an ext. transom,use the same setup on the gunnels and 3 more holders across the transom. On the 2 furthest from the transom on each side I use scotty striker rod holders and 7ft.rods,on the next 2,6and half ft.rods. Along the transom 6ft. rods,usually in a W pattern.

On 1 trip this year we ran 7 rods and 2 handlines. That's with 3 people who could either run the boat or set lines,after a while it became to much like work.

With our setups I just don't see a reason spending money on outriggers.

[cptdarel]

this is a inexpensive set up that works well for me, a smaller consept of my larger boat.

[Paddler]

Yes, I run 6 1/2' rods on the most forward holders, then 5 1/2' rods off the corners. Five rods really is enough, as I only have two guys in the boat most of the time. Guess I could run three off the transom, too. Just thought outriggers could help spread things out, but I think I'll wait for a bigger boat. You know, flopper stoppers, cabin heat, outriggers--in my second career as a commercial troller.

[retaliate]

5 rod's is plenty for your Boat, We use 2 Long(9 1/2') Side Rod's 90 deg. out 75' to 125' which work like Outrigger Rod's, 2 Corner Rod's 40' to 80', & 1 straight down the center 125' to 175' in a "W" pattern, ocassionally We'll add a Handline or Two, if someone really want's them, but most years, espically this year, we catch all the Tuna we want/could hold without Handlines or any additional Rod's, Outriggers in a Boat your size just dosn't make sense.

[Reelentless]

Originally Posted by Pau Hana

You could get a Taco gunwale mount outrigger setup, and place them just aft of your aft bimini supports.

I'd fly no more than 5 lines (2 rigger line set long, 2 on the transom set medium, and 1 center aft set short) on any boat under 28'/narrower that a 9' beam. It may be cool to troll with a huge number of lines, but Tinman hit it spot on- it gets busy, and chaos ensues. Throw in a few more lines to clear & stow, not to mention the inevitable tangles, and things can get ugly pretty quickly....

I dont think they would look good on your arch. Just an opinion.

[Killertraylor]

I have a similar sized boat - a 22' NorthRiver Seahawk. I have the Taco gunwhale mounted outriggers. We've used the outriggers on just a few trips. I found them to be too labor intensive with a small crew. If we were fishing longer trolls for bigger fish, I'm sure I'd use them more, but they seem to be too much work to constantly re-deploy for albacore fishing.

If you get them, don't skimp on the flimsy fiberglass poles, get the good Taco aluminum poles.

[Puffin]

Talk to bait o eggs he has some nice ones he built seem to work well. I see you are a smart fisherman and have those rods securely attached to a dog leash Good onya keeps gear loss to a minimum. Cheap insurance we had a lamiglass pole break below the reelseat this year and a five dollar dogleash would have prevented a $500 loss. Got out the sewing mach and all stations are now equipped with em.

[Highmark]

The clips are a vary good thing. I had a Tuna Pull My Pole right out of my hand this summer. It was a vary sickening . I felt Like Tom Hanks. In His movie. when he said WILSON
I had to go in to cabin and let things settle down a little .
That pole had Been with me a long time. It was Like loosing and Old friend :frown:.
The bummer was the clips were there. Just had not clipped it on. They
are now . everytime. I use side plainer boards, they Work great. And I do not have to take down anything back at the dock.

HM

[quote=Puffin;1661009] I see you are a smart fisherman and have those rods securely attached to a dog leash Good onya keeps gear loss to a mininmum.

[Cornfed]

I'm taking my dogs off the leash right now...They don't need them, right?

[Reel Obsession]

"I had a Tuna Pull My Pole right out of my hand this summer. It was a vary sickening . I felt Like Tom Hanks. In His movie. when he said WILSON
I had to go in to cabin and let things settle down a little .
That pole had Been with me a long time. It was Like loosing and Old friend :frown:."

Too funny......

[fyshndad]

Originally Posted by Reel Obsession

"I had a Tuna Pull My Pole right out of my hand this summer. It was a vary sickening . I felt Like Tom Hanks. In His movie. when he said WILSON
I had to go in to cabin and let things settle down a little .
That pole had Been with me a long time. It was Like loosing and Old friend :frown:."

Too funny......

I do not think that is funny at all!

I lost a $500 Penn International with a $200 rod this year and I feel Highmarks pain

NOT FUNNY in any way shape or form period

I too now lash my rods down

[Reel Obsession]

Geeez, guy loses his best friend and his sense of humor all at the same time, that's one bad day fishin'......

[Reelentless]

Originally Posted by Reel Obsession

Geeez, guy loses his best friend and his sense of humor all at the same time, that's one bad day fishin'......

I admit it. I chuckled when I read the comment about Tom Hanks too.

[tomictime]

What's all the fuss, "Wilson" was a bobber, not some expensive rod or reel??????

Originally Posted by Reelentless

I admit it. I chuckled when I read the comment about Tom Hanks too.

[Highmark]

Actually Wilson was soccer ball. And my pole and I have been fishing together for about 20 years. Lots of good times with that pole. it was hard to see it fly away like that. It was gone in a flash. All I had time to say sh___. then it set in :shocked:.
It was after the fact the I felt like tom and his sanity saver.
But it did make me sick...It cost me $234.oo to replace the rod and reel.

HM

Originally Posted by tomictime

What's all the fuss, "Wilson" was a bobber, not some expensive rod or reel??????

[tomictime]

round white thing = bobber

Originally Posted by Highmark

Actually Wilson was soccer ball. And my pole and I have been fishing together for about 20 years. Lots of good times with that pole. it was hard to see it fly away like that. It was gone in a flash. All I had time to say sh___. then it set in :shocked:.
It was after the fact the I felt like tom and his sanity saver.
But it did make me sick...It cost me $234.oo to replace the rod and reel.

HM

[Highmark]

I guess. if that is how you see it...:smile:

HM

Originally Posted by tomictime

round white thing = bobber