What size downrigger booms?

[sslopok]

What size downrigger booms should I be looking at? I had short booms on my 16.5 lund. I am picking up my new to me boat this Saturday and want to start outfitting it with tracks and riggers. Just want to know if you guys like 42 inch booms or the 2 fters? I need to get 2 for a 19ft aluminum boat.

Thanks,

Brandon

[ALLEYES]

The bigger the spread of your baits the less likely to get in tangles.

[Rascal Trophy Fishing]

Sounds like the new boat shouldn't need anything bigger than 2 footers. When your next new boat is bigger yet, perhaps has a swim platform, and higher gunwales, then consider the 4 footers.

[sslopok]

The biggest spread I will run is 2 riggers and 4 divers.

Thanks

[jimcr]

You didn't say if your running them on the rear or the side. Side riggers I would run as long as I could get , as for the rear long enough to clear the back of the boat .

Just picked up 2 new electric side riggers for my boat and took the manuals and moved them to the rear. I like to keep the rear open and having long booms on the riggers allows to move them off to the side some to keep the back open if needed.

[sherman51]

i like running the short booms if im only going to run 2 riggers. that way you dont really need to use ball retrievers. if your going to run them off the back just make sure there long enough to clear everything. when i run 2 riggers on mine i run them off the sides and used swivel bases then turned them back at a 45 degree angle. that way i could clear my diver rods and still leave the back open for landing fish. if you think you might ever need longer booms you might think about big jons with the long booms and just save the extra sections of boom. and the pro tournaments come with the auto stops. i got new ones this year and love the auto stops. just another opinion.

sherman

you can check out the big jon riggers at lordoftheriggers.com

[sslopok]

They will be on the sides.

[jimcr]

Then I would go like Sherman said Get the big Jons with the auto stops ( I just bought them myself) you can keep the extensions off if you want to shorten things up . I have my manuals on the back and my new electrics on the sides . if I want to run off the back the riggers will reach , and I don't have to use the manuals . The only time I will use the manuals will be if I need more than 2 riggers. It just depends where the action is on any particular day.

[Nailer]

I fully agree with Sherman on this. Short arms are nice for setting lines, and adding sliders.

[BenLubbs]

I love the short arms on my Walkers. I run them at 45 degrees off the corners and have no issues with tangles. I can just reach over the side of the boat and connect the line, no tipping up the arm or anything.

[ericjeeper]

I run two unitroll 10s on the side, extended out as far as they will go. I simply swing them forward to clip on the line. piece of cake.

[mattmishler]

We have brute es with 5ft arms, they are the best rigger ever, I can tell by the boom if theres a fish on before the rod goes.

[JWheeler]

I have walkers. I have 4, but only have 3 on the boat. 4' arms. 2 perpendicular going off the sides and the one out the back extended to 4' too. Never really seem to have any issues with them getting in the way of netting fish.

[mattmishler]

. Never really seem to have any issues with them getting in the way of netting fish.

With chad netting they gett in the way lol

[JWheeler]

With chad netting they gett in the way lol

We had a real crazy one last weekend too. Squirrelly fish running all over. I did modify the way I set my booms last weekend. The down and outs out to the side 90*, and only the one rigger down the chute, it opened things up and seemed t really open it up even more.

[anonymous]

The length you need depends on where you are going to mount them. I have a 20 footer and need 4 foot booms to reach over the back of the boat and and still be accessible to rig them comfortably since I have a rear casting deck. If you can rig them comfortably with them mounted all the way to the back corner and still be able to swivel them to the side, then that is all the boom length you need. I agree with all the other comments about shorter booms being easier to rig with. The sectional or extendable booms are a good way to go so that you can taylor them to your needs.

[sherman51]

hey

i hope you got the info you was looking for. have you made any decisions on your riggers yet?? all the top brands are good riggers. with the long booms the walkers are a reel good choice, because you can get them with auto stop and the auto ball retrievers. i really like those auto ball retrievers. i think the new cannon mag 10,s come with the auto stop. and some scotty,s come with extendable booms and auto stops. now for the money i think the big jon,s with auto stops are a good choice, and i really like the way the booms flex on the big jon,s. puts alot less stress on your boat. and doesnt jerk your weights so bad in rough water. but they are all good riggers. just what you like the best, and what you can afford. i was using the big jon sportsmans with the 2 ft booms they were good riggers. i bought the auto stops to go on them but never got them on before i sold them. but you can add a 1 ft section of boom to the newer sportsman models. but i bought a new to me boat with twin outdrives and wanted to go with 4 riggers. so i bought 4 new pro tournaments with auto stops and 4 ft booms. i used them this year and just loved them. its really nice to just hit the up button and forget the rigger while you fight your fish. let us know what you decide.

sherman

[sslopok]

I think I am going to go with the Walker Kokanee Electrics. They have 3 foot booms, auto stops, and positive ion, and swivel mounts. For 384 each I didnt think that was bad. I am only going to run 2 off the sides towards the back of boat. Wish i could run them straight off the rear, but I have a seat that folds down into a casting platform that would get in the way.

I found some used cannon 10 mags with 42 inch booms on ebay that I also liked, but they don't have the auto shut off. You guys seem to think the auto shut offs are the way to go to save time and gear.

Thanks for the help,

Brandon

[sherman51]

I think I am going to go with the Walker Kokanee Electrics. They have 3 foot booms, auto stops, and positive ion, and swivel mounts. For 384 each I didnt think that was bad. I am only going to run 2 off the sides towards the back of boat. Wish i could run them straight off the rear, but I have a seat that folds down into a casting platform that would get in the way.

I found some used cannon 10 mags with 42 inch booms on ebay that I also liked, but they don't have the auto shut off. You guys seem to think the auto shut offs are the way to go to save time and gear.

Thanks for the help,

Brandon

i personaly think you made a great decision. walker makes a fine rigger. and if you find the booms are alittle long for rigging you can always add the auto ball retrievers. and yes on the auto stops. once you use them you,ll see why they are the way to go.

sherman

[sslopok]

Well I changed my mind...go figure!

I ended up buying two new Big Jon electric Capt. Paks. I paid $545 for the pair combined. They were kinda stripped down though. They only have a clamp on rod holder instead of the 2 adjustables. It is also missing the ball cradle. They will get me in the game cheap. I was going to put them on traxstech track swivels anyway. I will buy the auto stops down the road if I think I need them. I feel better buying a michigan made product versus the Walkers that were Canadian made. Also like the sectional booms so I can find which lengths work well for me. Tip up booms are a plus too. Thanks for all the recommendations.

Hopefully I can hit the big water before the year is over.

[sherman51]

if you had said something i would have tried to help. i sent a email to [email protected] and got 2 big jon pro tournaments with the clamp on rod holders and swivel bases and auto stops for 659.00 including shipping

[sslopok]

I should have sent him an email. I saw that he has special pricing for local guys.

[sherman51]

if you had said something i would have tried to help. i sent a email to [email protected] and got 2 big jon pro tournaments with the clamp on rod holders and swivel bases and auto stops for 659.00 including shipping

sorry but i just noticed i hit the wrong number, it was 759.00 and not 659.00. but i thought that was still a good buy. and i dont know if you knew it but the pro,s has a bigger motor than the sportsmans or the capt packs. they will lift my 13 lb weights at 200 ft per min.

but you,ll be very happy with yours, and you did get a pretty good price on them. and remember if you get the auto stops or any other big jon stuff check with [email protected] before you buy.

sherman

[anonymous]

Good choice on the riggers. Keep an eye on ebay over the winter for the ball cradles and swivel bases, there are some good deals to be had. Good luck.

[sherman51]

Good choice on the riggers. Keep an eye on ebay over the winter for the ball cradles and swivel bases, there are some good deals to be had. Good luck.

i have to agree with him on this one. i,ve bought alot of stuff from ebay. as a matter of fact the 1st set of the pro tournaments i got this year was off ebay. there was 2 places running auctions on them with no reserve. huntingandfishingusa and lordoftheriggers, (you can contact either one of them for better info.) they didnt have any of the extras, they was stripped down models. but i already had the rod holders and swivel bases i got off ebay for my sportsmans last year. so all i needed was the riggers. got the pair for 525.00 and 25 shipping. you can run across some good buys. just make sure you dont pay more than you can get it from lord of the riggers. and he does sell some used stuff also. double rod holders, swivel bases and such. i do want you to know that i dont really know the guy at lord of the riggers. i just know he has treated me right. i dont even remember his name right now. but i think its tony, he is a good guy. and you get his best prices by sending him an email to the address i gave you.

sherman