[nossmayo]

As someone who resides on the coast of the English Channel, and never gets a close encounter with Sport Fish boats, I am somewhat mystified by how the outriggers on such vessels are deployed in the pursuit of prey.

Could someone please explain (perhaps with photos or graphics) the processes, the gear, the protocols and the merits of a contemporary SF set-up and quite how you guys go about hauling in a big one.

Perhaps, if the thread develops, we could widen the scope of the debate and contributors could tell us what it was like to go fishing with Ernest H. before things got all carbon fibre and complicated, but in the meantime - just what the hell is all that stuff for??

Thanks.

Rookie.

[Pascal]

Short version... They deployed outward their tips probably 15' or more from the boat

Just like a flag pole they have a halyard which instead of raising a flag, raise a clip.

The fishing line goes from the rid to that clip and then back in water allowing the bait orclure to be trolled further outside allowing more lines to be used.

When a fish bites, the line releases from the sprin loaded clip.

But what do i know about fishing...

[Capt J]

What Pascal said, but the outriggers extend out at a 45 degree angle from the boat (vertical angle) or more. You also typically can run 2 or 3 lines off of each outrigger, at different lengths away from the sides of the boat.

[Manny]

That right there is the basic explanation of how outriggers work. There are several ways they could be rigged, just depends on the preference of the people fishing. My usual set up is putting up 2 lines and a teaser per outrigger. The teasers attract the fish and from there you hope the fish strike at one of the 4 lines that are cast, although a lot of times the fish seem to go at the teasers more often! Each line is anchored to the outrigger with a small clip that releases the line from the outrigger whenever there's a sudden jerk coming from the line, a clear indication that a fish took the bait. Once the line detaches from the outrigger, you pick up the rod and commence reeling in the fish. Like Pascal mentioned, it's a way to have more lines out at the same time, and personally I think they make the boat look good in addition.

[NYCAP123]

I've known a few who don't fish at all, but have them because they like the look. I've known some others who seem to specialize in bending them on bridges. Bottom line though is that the more lines you have out, the better your odds of catching. You can only have so many line off the stern before you start tangling. With riggers, you can have some line entering the water close to the boat with others further out. Another item you might find interesting is kites. Sport fishing is quite an science for some guys, from lures to baits to riggers & towers to the boats themselves.

[nossmayo]

Thanks guys.
I shall spend the winter figuring out to set up outriggers off my 14' run-around in the hope of doubling my mackerel and sea-bass catch next summer!

[NYCAP123]

Originally Posted by nossmayo

Thanks guys.
I shall spend the winter figuring out to set up outriggers off my 14' run-around in the hope of doubling my mackerel and sea-bass catch next summer!

OK, maybe we should have mentioned that these are used for trolling not drift or anchored fishing.

[Bamboo]

Originally Posted by NYCAP123

OK, maybe we should have mentioned that these are used for trolling not drift or anchored fishing.

You surely can use them while drifting or anchored to spread the lines away from the boat.

[NYCAP123]

Originally Posted by Bamboo

You surely can use them while drifting or anchored to spread the lines away from the boat.

Guess you could. You could probably also deploy them to add a bit of stability on a drift. Just never have. Somehow I don't see them going on his 14' runabout anyway though.

[Jorge Lang]

Many moons ago, I had an 18 footer with outriggers mounted on the T-top. While I can never compare that boat to the comfort of 70' Viking of a 54' Bertram, it was a lot of fun and those outriggers caught fish. I'm sure if the set up is right, a 14 footer could do the same.

[nossmayo]

Hi Guys,

I wasn't actualy being serious about setting up a rig on my 14 footer. Sorry to have got you all excited! Thanks to my flippancy, that gulf between the US and the UK in terms of humour and irony and sarcasm just got a bit wider.....

On a genuine note, I would be interested to learn how Hemingway and his contemporaries ran their boats and rigs. How far have we come in the last fifty years? or has it always been this way?


Cheers.


NM

[NYCAP123]

We've come about $10,000,000 but I don't think we've matched his excitement yet. I believe I read recently that his boat is a landmark in Cuba; that it had gone into disrepair, but has since been refurbished.

[Manny]

Aside from the boats, not much has really changed in the last 50 years in terms of how people fish and rig, although a bunch of new techniques for fishing have been developed, nothing has replaced the the traditional rod and reel. Hemingway's boat was actually revolutionary in its time in that it actually had a flybridge, something uncommonly used for fishing. Now a days, all sportfishers have a flybridge.

[rodsteel]

Article about Pilar - there is a photo with the outriggers deployed

Ooops - that is one of the "unmentionables" - just google "Pilar tribute to an old man"

[dennismc]

Here at "Sportsmans" in Islamorada, there is a duplicate of the original Pilar, this one is the one that he "test drove prior to deciding on his own Pilar, quite the
fishing/cruising craft