Outriggers... Again

[DazSamFishing]

G'Day all,

Well the boat is about 2 weeks away and while I was at the GC Boat show I popped by the Solas stand to check out their outriggers...

Just wondering if anyone has them or knows anything about them? I am just a bit concerned about the cost... $695 for the lot... S/s bases, 12ft poles (adjustable) and cords/clips/tensioners...

Considering I got a quote of around the $1500 mark for Reelax (which I know are top quality) I am really considering to give the cheaper alternative ago...which is really within our budget!

I appreciate any info/feedback/opinions!

Daz

[GLENO]

Hey Daz,

I will be also very interested to hear some more about these. Regards Gleno

[Smelly]

purpose of outriggers?

[jeffo]

daz- for starters, what are you fishing for??

Type of boat and what else you are putting on the boat.

[Grand_Marlin]

G'day Daz,

There are a few reasons Reelax are twice the price, but mainly quality, adjustability and useability.

Reelax have been designing and using these products for 30 odd years... they know their stuff.

If your decison is based on price alone, then it wont really matter what you fit.
It is only when you get a bi tof experience up with using outriggers that you will appreciate the advantages of Reelax.

Also, as Jeffo asks .. what type of fish are you targeting? If you are only ever targeting Mackeral in the bay, then the quality wont be as important.

Step up into towing bigger baits / lures for Marlin etc, then the flaws in quality will show.

Cheers

Pete

[DazSamFishing]

G' Day all...

The Boat is a Makocraft canyon runner 610 with a verado 175hp and everything else you can think of for an off shore rig. The majority of my fishing will be done off shore Gold coast and would prefer to travel as far as possible (weather permitting and considering the 220l of fuel I have)... So I endeavor to really get into the trolling game... even join a game fishing club!

I plan to target wahoo, macks, tuna, kings and later down the track... marlin.

I have purchased 4 trolling outfits, a witch doctor and all the rigging essentials and have been studying off shore trolling for a while now...

Hope this helps...

Thanks to all...

Pete: can you do any better on the Reelax riggers?

Daz

[jeffo]

ok daz- as long as you are planning on doing ALOT of marlin fishing then yes riggers are well worth it-but spend the $$ if you need to.

for trolling anything else apart from skirted lures and skip baits i wouldnt even bother with the riggers....in saying that we have caught plenty of billfish with 2 rods and a teaser in the water (sometimes less).

IF you plan on getting into marlin fishing down the track and plan on joining a gamefishing club then i strongly suggest holding off on buying your cheaper riggers and go out with some of the boys who have been in the game a while and really get used to what an outrigger does. you will learn a hell of a lot about them and it will really help when setting them up on your own boat.

If some one asked me to set riggers up on their boat 4 years ago i would have stuck them low to the water and straight out from the middle of the boat-sure the spread would have been there....but the hight wouldnt have been, and the amount of drop back frrom the clip on the bite would have been far from ideal.

As you have probably found out there is far more to riggers than getting the baits and lures outside of the prop wash- a quick look at Peter pakulas old boat "THE ANIMAL" and you will soon see that. You can tell that boat from a mile away from the hight of the riggers, the angle is much greater than that on most other game boats.

hope that has helped a bit- if it was me i would wait a while and get the good gear.

For the record the set on my boat are one piece 4.5m poles on a 4.9m boat.

[Grand_Marlin]

Daz,

Give me a call, I will see what I can work out

Cheers

Pete.

ps ... I just finished fitting an 80lb Reelax game chair - do you want one of these too .... only another 7 g's fitted

Cheers

Pete - 0419 263 264

[Sportfish_5]

Those Solas one are a POS The bases are not up to it.

Save up for the Reelax ones

U think they are dear have a look at some Tacos or Lees


You would be better off initially getting a pair offset rod holders if you are mainly targeting hoos, macks and yellowfin and gaining a lot more experience trolling before targeting the stickfaces.

Try a set of these for a start ---->>>>>

http://www.cesmithco.com/product/outrigger.htm

[DazSamFishing]

Cheers greg...

Are those off set rod holders sold anywhere locally?

Daz

[Fat_Chilli]

Isn't the Max HP of a 610 Mako 150hp?

[DazSamFishing]

Thats right... But Tim Stessl will be approving the extra ponies...

The 135, 150 and 175hp verados are identical weights...

Daz

[Fat_Chilli]

She's gona fly

[Sportfish_5]

Cheers greg...

Are those off set rod holders sold anywhere locally?

Daz

Reelax make some locally but just order them from West marine or similar on the net for the CE Smith versions.

[hercules]

I have trolled 5 lines without riggers for a couple of years now with no problems . I troll 3 from the rocket launcher and two from the transom . This was mainly for 8kg and because of the height variations and angled holders on the rocketlauncher there was rarely any tangles unless your turning circles were too tight or towing small lures in a lot of wind .
I recently bought a set of second hand riggers and got new reelax bases so will see how they go . I have heard of some problems with cheap bases so went with the tried and tested . (mates boat has them with no dramas )
The reason for going to riggers is a wider spread for my lures(how much difference that will make time will tell ) but mostly when using 37kg tackle for blues , having 80wides on 12kg strike drag out of 45degree rocket launcher is probably pushing the realms of sanity Then again catching blue marlin out of my little haines well , i can't help myself
Craig