down rigger placement

[dock tales]

Need some opinions to help with downrigger set up. Last fall purchased a new ride 30ft sundancer keeping boat in ludington for winter storage so I have way to much time to think about this and get no where yet. I am setting boat up as follows. 2 diver rod holders on each side, have radar arch with 4 rod holders for boards on each side, I will be running a rigger at each corner, the question is the shoot. keep going back and forth on putting a rigger in center or leaving clear, beam is 11ft I own 4 riggers so its not a cost issue have never run anything in the center before any input would be great Thanks

[Just Hook'n]

I would kill for 11 feet across and a third rigger. I like to keep my middle clean, but that is because I am only 9' across. I have been on many boats (bigger ones) and the middle rigger plain catches fish. I would run it as close to straight up and down as possible. in other words, if you have screws and no swim platform run a short arm straight down. if you have IOs and a swim platform you may have to run a 3 or 4' boom. Run a heavy weight as this will decrease blowback and I am already sure you know this should be your deepest rigger (10-20 below others). I've been really surprised that this one (on big boats) never seems to get in the way of netting fish. Now, if you bring a fish on green all bets are off. But if I had the room like you do I would definately run a middle rigger. Look at all the good charter captain boats in a marina some time. Almost everyone is running a three rigger system on similar sized boats.

[mattmishler]

I like four riggers when i have fished on the bonebender(39 searay) and dragin-ballz (30 taira pursuit). They both have 4 riggers and they have about the same size boat as you. They run them so you have the back fairly open. When i have fished with them nettin is a breez you have 7-9feet to net with so the riggers are a little close together but they never tangle them.

[Boltman]

I'm thinking your swim platform if you have one is going to get in the way... I cannot run a rigger down the shoot swim platform stick out over 4 feet. I use a Dipsey off the back and take it as deep as I can go.... it works...

PS I have a 2006 32 foot dancer.

[1mainiac]

I just sold 2 of my riggers to go down to 2 riggers I almost never ran 4 however if I had your boat I would run a center riggerand have it on a swivel so you could swing it out of the way to net fish.

[GLF]

I have a 270 Amberjack with a 10' beam, and only run 3 riggers. Alot of the charter captains are only running 3 riggers now.

[KJ pluggin]

Over here on the other side of the pond, at least where I fish, most of the charters and private boats are running 4 or 5 rigger. We always ran 4 riggers and up untill this season we were fishing out of a 19' boat. .

[1mainiac]

My reason for droping 2 riggers was I seldom used the out and downs I can get more versatility out of my wire divers with them out of the way. If I had a wider boat I would add a center rigger on a swivel as it is a very usefull rigger as long as you can get it out of the way to net fish. The only time I like multiple riggers is for harbor patrol but will use stackers for that now.

[ryan]

In my opinion, if you can make it happen, the chute rigger is the most valuable rigger on your boat. We run 3 cannon mag10hs on our boat with an 8' beam. Our chute rigger is run basically on the bottom all year long at any depth of water with a flasher fly combo. typically an 11'' protroll e chip paddle. on days where the fishing is tough this is our goto rod. It is a very reliable setup in the tournaments we fish. big kings are the norm! it also is a great way to catch lakers on the slow days or in the tournaments when we need them. I for one would find it exteremely hard to fish without a chute rigger.

[Erik Soderberg]

If I where you I would put the third rigger on. I have a 33 searay express and run four big johns. My dad has a 34 searay sudancer and runs 6 cannons. I have not had a problem netting on either boat.

[Paulywood]

I have been on a few boats with the center rigger and I think it's always in the way. It effectively cuts the beam in half. I think that 4 riggers give you more space by running the 2 rear riggers near the corners and 2 out and downs. I'm only running 2 on my boat now but I would like to add 2 more eventually. And I only have an 8' 6" beam. I also like to have the rear riggers on swivel bases. It can be very handy if you have a large/green fish to gain that extra clearance by swinging them out to the side. Just my $.02.

[Nailer]

I would kill for 11 feet across and a third rigger. I like to keep my middle clean' date=' but that is because I am only 9' across. I have been on many boats (bigger ones) and the middle rigger plain catches fish. I would run it as close to straight up and down as possible. in other words, if you have screws and no swim platform run a short arm straight down. if you have IOs and a swim platform you may have to run a 3 or 4' boom. Run a heavy weight as this will decrease blowback and I am already sure you know this should be your deepest rigger (10-20 below others). I've been really surprised that this one (on big boats) never seems to get in the way of netting fish. Now, if you bring a fish on green all bets are off. But if I had the room like you do I would definately run a middle rigger. Look at all the good charter captain boats in a marina some time. Almost everyone is running a three rigger system on similar sized boats.[/quote']

Yea that %100 ^^^

[GLF]

Most of the boats running 3 riggers are running 2 divers per side.

[killerbe20]

I dropped from 4 riggers to 3. Part of my reasoning was i only have a 8'10'' beam. The main reason i switched was because i run two SWR rigs on each corner. Much fewer issues last year with only 3 riggers. I found myself Fishing only 3 of the 4 riggers previous to 2009 much more often then wishing I had extra down riggers the past season. I also have found leadcore and copper becoming increasingly more successful every year. I do do most of my fishing in the "off peak" times though.

[pulpfishin]

Put that center rigger on and set it down on the bottom for Lakers. Make sure it swivels so you can get it the f out of the way for netting. The center rigger is killer for picking up those bonus lakers!

[Hoosier_Steelheader]

I run 4 across and so far it has not been an issue. It did get a bit hairy when we pulled a double a couple of times, but nothing that cost us fish.

[Priority1]

I like 4 riggers. When the rigger bite is hot, Ya give em what they want.

Edited February 11, 2010 by Priority1

[Line Dancin]

I have always fished boats with four or more riggers. My dads boat had four mine has four. If i had the width you have i would have five across the back. My dads buddy who ran a 27 cherokee had five plus all the other stuff out the side. You have to be a little more careful bringing in fish but you will still have plenty of room. When the rigger bite is on it is the best way to kill fish having more riggers. than if you want you can only run three if need be. we used to only run three on his boat and remove two for tourneys. If it was my boat five across the back.

[Yoda]

We dropped to 3 riggers a few years back, will never go back to 4, the waters way to clear. Over all your catch rate will go up on the riggers with only 3 in the water. Most of the time we are only running a 5 rod spread over fish, if we are searching 7 to 9 rods, but never more than 3 riggers, work on your Dipsy and board program, their going to take most of your fish..

[GLF]

I have a 270 Amberjack with a 10' beam, and only run 3 riggers. Alot of the charter captains are only running 3 riggers now.

I do not have a swivel base on the center rigger. One less thing to monkey around with.

[Legacy]

I run 4 riggers, some guys run 3, some run 5, I even know one who runs 6 (yes i said 6). A rigger down the chute can be a real pain in the butt when you have a "rookie" on the rod or the net which makes 4 nice but 5 gives you lots of options. I think though when it comes to the next boat, i may have 5.

[Boltman]

I can figure out how to throw the weight out past the swim platform, that ball is heavy man......Some Sea Rays have small platforms and others have large Biult in ones., mines the large bolted on Fiberglas swim platform...Can't be done unless I have a long Boom on the Rigger... retractable... Now there's a Idea....

I run one rigger on each side and a Dipsey down the shoot...with Wire divers off the sides as well, it's enough for me..

[Nailer]

I can figure out how to throw the weight out past the swim platform, that ball is heavy man......Some Sea Rays have small platforms and others have large Biult in ones., mines the large bolted on Fiberglas swim platform...Can't be done unless I have a long Boom on the Rigger... retractable... Now there's a Idea....

I run one rigger on each side and a Dipsey down the shoot...with Wire divers off the sides as well, it's enough for me..

You meed a retracting cord on a long arm rigger.

[Priority1]

You meed a retracting cord on a long arm rigger.

Ya that.