Fishing is fun, and these days fishing allows you to get outdoors without having to deal with too many people around you. It’s a lot more fun when you actually catch a fish, and to boost your chances you will need better accessories for your boat.
And one of those key accessories that you need for your fishing boat is a set of outriggers. These outriggers are great if you’re a fan of trolling, which in fishing means dragging your fishing lines off the back of your boat while the boat moves through the water.
What Are Outriggers?
Essentially, outriggers are simply the long poles that you mount on the 2 sides of your boat. These poles hold your fishing lines, and you’re able to use a system of clips and pulleys to reel in and release these fishing lines.
The Length of the Outriggers
These poles can be anywhere from 12 to 35 feet long, and the right length depends mainly on the size of your fishing boat (and your own preferences).
Some poles have a fixed length, which offers greater strength. You’ll want a set of fixed length outriggers if you’re into heavy-duty offshore fishing.
The alternative is to go with telescoping outriggers. When you extend the outriggers, you can lock the various sections into place securely using spring-loaded snap buttons made from stainless steel. telescoping outriggers are convenient for storage, and you can retract them if you have to pass underneath low bridges over the water.
What Are Outriggers Made of?
Many poles are made with cold-drawn aluminum, which is lightweight and very strong, and they also look fine. For bigger fishing boats, aluminum outriggers work very well.
You can also go with the more affordable fiberglass outriggers. The fiberglass makes corrosion an absolute non-issue, and you have less weight to deal with. This is the better option if your fishing boat is short and narrow, as the lightweight fiberglass outriggers are less likely to unbalance the weight of the boat. That’s crucial for safety, especially if you’re trolling perpendicular to the waves and swells.
Using Spreaders
The spreaders on outriggers are the bars set perpendicularly, and they’re there to separate the taut guy-lines along the pole. That way, these guy-wires don’t bend or break under load. These spreaders can also give you more space between your stacked lines.
Mounting Your Outriggers
It’s often recommended (especially for newbies) that you get outrigger rigging kits. That way, you get all the mounting accessories you need to rig your outriggers properly. Your rigging kits will then include components such as:
- Crimps
- Snap swivels
- Release clips
- Outrigger cord
- Glass rings or pulleys
You may want to reinforce your outrigger mounts with heavy-gauge aluminum plates, if you’re more into fishing heavy tackle or in rougher waters.
You can mount the outriggers on these areas:
- On the gunwale
- On radar or fishing arches
- On top of a cabin
- On the sides of a cabin
Top Reasons to Use Outriggers on Your Fishing Boat
It’s true that you can catch fish without outriggers. But it’s also true that you’re more likely to catch fish with them. These outriggers offer several crucial advantages that many fishing veterans have come to rely upon.
So, how do these outriggers make things easier and increase your chances of catching your fish?
You’re Able to Cover More Water
With outriggers extending out on both sides of your boat, you’re able to cover a larger area of the water. That an obvious way to increase your chances.
They Keep Your Bait Out of the Wake
Since trolling involves a moving boat while your lines are in the water, the boat creates a wake (also known as the whitewater). That water is more turbulent and less calm than the still water around it, and of course the fish tends to avoid those turbulent water areas.
The outrigger keeps your bait farther from the boat, and away from the wake. So, you don’t have your bait in the areas where the fish aren’t.
You Get a Better View of Your Fish
Another problem with the whitewater is that you don’t get a good view of your fish when you’re trying to hook them. Since the outriggers lay your lines farther away from the wake, you get a nice view that results in greater chances of getting your fish.
The Fishing Lines Are Kept Separate
In deep-sea trolling, dealing with tangled fishing lines is simply one of the more annoying things you’re faced with. You have to keep untangling these knots, and you use up precious time and effort.
But with outriggers, you can set up several fishing lines at the same time to cover more space, and yet you won’t have to deal with tangles and knots. That’s just a relief, and makes your fishing adventure a lot more fun (and a lot less infuriating).
Conclusion
It’s true that newbie anglers can get lucky and catch fish. But you may have noticed that as you gain more experience and learn more angling skills, your chances of catching your fish increase dramatically.
This is actually true for just about any activity, whether its shooting hoops in basket or playing poker in a casino. Luck always plays a factor. But the law of averages always applies, and in the ling run an experienced angler will be more successful.
And an experienced angler also knows just how crucial these outriggers can be. That’s while so many expert trollers have these outriggers on their fishing boats. They’re great investments, because you profit in the end.
With outriggers, you get a better chance of catching your fish. And you minimize the annoying instances of having tangled lines. Those advantages make fishing a lot more fun!