DeadAnt...

are your forward holders on out on an angle??

heya DA, back in canada i have seen lures spread out for trolling for lake trout. they are similar to paravanes and have a clip attached. when you get a strike they release the line. they look like two parallel fins attached at an angle, um hard to describe, but effective and cheap as until you arrange a buyer for one of your kidneys to support TAS. i'll see if i can find a pic on the net.

On my first boat (MM) we caught plenty of tuna ,from skippies to 'fin with no riggers. The forward rod holders were angled out about 30-40 degrees, the rear ones almost straight back,or about 10deg. Trolled 4 lures easily. The rear lines were on either release clips or the (easier/cheaper) rubber bands down to the boat handrails. Forward lures off the rod tip and set to where ya want them. Had to take a little care in turns and rougher water to stop the fwd lines interfering with the rear, but no real probs.Had a couple of Stripies in there a couple of times (with Tuna lures!) but ND. Anyway, go for it, Tuna don't care, and if you're pulling marlin lures, you've still got A good as chance as many, if the fish aare about. Just do big zigzags(or small ones if ya want)..can put your marlin lures in clear water.Or at least keep you awake.
Keep your hard earned in your wallet 'till you see what you may need. Cheers.

Peter Pakula is often quoted as saying you don't necessarily need outriggers on a small boat - I think his small boat (Cockroach?) didn't have them and he merely had his two long lures run off the rocket launcher angled out at 45 degrees. That's small boats, but have you had a look at the outriggers on Rick Pollock's Pursuit?

One thing you can't really get without riggers, or at least a rocket launcher, is height and some (admittedly marlin lures) really need that to work properly. But as MM says, for tuna probably makes more difference to the boat driver than the fish.

DA, I'm afraid my previous set of outriggers disappeared a couple of days ago courtesy of TradeMe - would have loved to see them go to a forum member.

obald

 

Awesome,

    I'm inspired to go forth and experiment.  It sounds like it worth waiting to get the right set of riggers and I can still fish without them.  I just need to invest in some rubber bands and I'm away and laughing.  An excursion was planned this weekend but the weather has buggered that.  I may just have to play in the boat and do some rigging and brownie point winning.

    Thanks for all the input

     DA