Layout of downriggers

[Chas0218]

Ok so I have 3 cannon uni-trolls with the 4' arms and a walker with a custom 3' boom.

I want to run all for riggers in the spring and summer but trying to figure out how to run them and where to put them on the boat. I currently run 2 of the 4' uni-trolls off the sides pointing 90* from the boat. The 3rd and forth I was going to run straight back off the transom. My boat has a 8.5' beam. My outside riggers are 3'+ forward of the transom. So the rigger weights would be 7' from each other in all directions.

Should I just run 3 of the uni-trolls and sell the walker? Or will they be separated enough to not worry about tangles.

Thanks,

Chas

[Chas0218]

Here is a photo of what I wanted to try. Basically I wasn't sure if my fishing lines at the forward downriggers would be too close and get tangled with my rear fishing lines on the downriggers further back. I was planning on running spin dr. fly combos on all 4.

[LongLine]

With that as your layout, I'd definitely run the forward rigg'rs shallower than the rear ones and only take very gradual turns. Also keep an eye on the currents. (I'm thinking that if you ran the forward ones deeper then blowback would take those lines closer to the rear ones & added potential for tangles.)

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[NJ Double J]

I run 4 riggers off my boat all the time . I have 8'6' beam also but my riggers are 5 footers and I use the pancake weights on my side riggers and i bend the back fin slightly . this gets them even further away from you boat. The back riggers should be your deepest . once in a while the riggers cross but that happens to everybody in nasty currents.

Jersey Jim

[spoonfed-1]

You should be fine with your layout.

I run my side riggers deeper than the corners without any issues off an 8 ft beam. Just got to make sure the rod man works the fish off the side until it is out and above the higher corner rigger. Then they can move and play them off the back of the boat.

Just personal preference I guess.

Good luck

Glen

[DJ 17]

I also have a rigger/ rodholder question. I have 2 riggers off the side 90 deg. to the boat. On each boom I have mounted cannon double rod holders. From time to time I have trouble with the two lines tangling. I know that running a slider on the deeper rod would tend to catch the other one, but what would be causing the 2 main lines to tangle? They are always set a minimum of 10 vertical feet apart. Any help is always appreciated.

Screamin' Reels,

DJ

[bandrus1]

I have a set up just like that on a 19 foot alum. boat and have never had a tangle in rigger wires

[Chas0218]

I was thinking too of buying heavier rigger weights for the front to prevent blow back. Would that help? I run 10lb finned balls off the rear riggers and figured I would run some nice 12-15 lb fish/torpedos on the front.

[spoonfed-1]

I was thinking too of buying heavier rigger weights for the front to prevent blow back. Would that help? I run 10lb finned balls off the rear riggers and figured I would run some nice 12-15 lb fish/torpedos on the front.

I find running 4 weights of the same design avoids issue as they will all track identical.

Some guys like the finned pancake weights on the sides but I have had nightmares running them in strong sub surface currents and now use them to hold the top down on a storage box under the camper.

You should be all right running two torpedoes on the sides.

I didn't find much of an improvement from the 12's to the 15's on the Torpedo weights.

They are 2 lbs heavier but also have a bigger profile moving through bthe water.

Glen

[Fish Hunter]

We run 4 riggers, and stack sometimes, plus dipseys or boards.

Wide sweeping turns will keep you out of trouble.

[Gator]

We have the same layout on out boat, 8.5 ft beam, and we've not tangled yet, fingers crossed. We run 12 lb torpedos on the side riggers and try to keep them above the rear riggers. This past spring I put a pair of cable planers on the side riggers...they hook between the downrigger cable and the weight and are supposed to plane to the side...but they pulled so much that they kept blowing the fuses. And the additional pull, combined with the 5' arms, created enough torque that I worried about the mount, even on 48" tracks. I'm always trying to build a better mousetrap, but I think that those things were a failed experiment for us.

Honestly, between divers and copper, we rarely run all four downriggers at the same time. Stealth presentations seem to work better with clear water, anyway. I know that Gambell took his fourth rigger off the boat entirely and just runs one down the chute, but he has an I/O.

[DJ 17]

Bandrus,

I guess I didn't explain it well. I have never had rigger wires tangle either. I meant 2 stacked rods on one rigger getting tangled together.

DJ

[bandrus1]

Bandrus,

I guess I didn't explain it well. I have never had rigger wires tangle either. I meant 2 stacked rods on one rigger getting tangled together.

DJ

got ya

[Gill-T]

Lower the ball slowly. The stacked line should be half the set back the down-line has. If you keep the distances short off the ball or stacker you will decrease tangles as well.

[Chas0218]

sweet thanks for all the great info. I bought a hilts shark mold online to make a few 10lbs weights I just couldn't justify $55 a weight when the mold and hooks are $70 shipped. between the 4 triggers and 2 dipsy rods I should be set. I might actually run 4 tipsy but not if it's crowded.

[ Post made via Android ]

[ReelPower]

I have the same layout on an 8' beam. Heavier fish on the gunnel riggers seems to help as I run those deep, shallower off the corners may stack one, not both.

Biggest detail is deployment, deepest first, always. If you have flashers out there pull two riggers and reset deep first to make sure not tangle on the deployment. Gives you a good reason to check things out anyway.

Swivel mounts are VERY helpful, as are strong mates with the manual riggers.

[Chas0218]

haha ya they will all be on swivels except the walker. I h ave been huffing the 10 pound balls on the manuals since a kid so for me its easy. My wife on the other hand could use a little more practice haha. The unitrolls seem to be the easiest retrival when talking manual downriggers.