dstephe 2 Posted June 21, 2018 What are everyones option on running 3 or 4 down riggers. pro and cons for both. 8.6 ft beam Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TrophySeeker 27 Posted June 21, 2018 Depends on the boat layout. I set up my boat for 5, but only have 3 in place. I'm a straight inboard, so I run one straight down the chute, then 1 on each side/back corner. 3 works really well for me. An outboard or I/O may need to be set up differently. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John E Powell 39 Posted June 21, 2018 2 is often better than 3 or 4. Used to have 5, now almost never even mount the 3rd. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sk8man 593 Posted June 21, 2018 (edited) 11 minutes ago, John E Powell said: 2 is often better than 3 or 4. Used to have 5, now almost never even mount the 3rd. X2 I've used three in the past but pretty much stick with two because sometimes less is more in terms of results. I use sliders on both riggers pretty much all of the time and with a third rigger with larger fish that want to go sideways the third rigger can be in the way or can get into the wire rigs on the sides. but it does very much depend on your particular boat layout as to how well it works Keep the 3rd one in my vehicle as a back-up😀 Edited June 21, 2018 by Sk8man Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spoonfed-1 44 Posted June 22, 2018 Four and would like five but the kicker is in the way. 10 ft beam. Sometimes less is better and on those days I run less. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Adm Byrd 12 Posted June 22, 2018 4 can work relatively shallow but 3 sometimes is too much with the currents, I have 8' 6" beam as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Total Chaos 3 Posted June 22, 2018 I run 2 and do well. When they're on a rigger bite 3 would be nice but I have twin OB's so it's not an option. I'll stack rods if I have to. Total Chaos Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimski2 55 Posted June 22, 2018 2 riggers, 2 dipseys and 2 sideplanersw with leadcore seem to cover a lot of territory. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rich D 25 Posted June 22, 2018 I ran 4 riggers to start on my Thompson, but then went down to 3. I now run 3 riggers on my 11’6” beam, with kicker, run my chute rigger right over my kicker. 3 riggers, 2 dipseys 1-3 coppers. Capt Rich. Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fishtails 13 Posted June 22, 2018 10 guys will give you all different answers. How many riggers depends on your boat and how you fish. I had 4, went down to 3, and now normally run 2. I'd like more for Brown Trout, but 2 is all I need for salmon. With the clear water, fishing has changed. Getting some of your baits further away from the boat can be more productive for salmon once the sun comes up so most guys are down to 3 riggers max. If you fish browns much, they love riggers! Some guys still run 4-5 riggers with lots of success, but its really just a different style of bait presentation. Depends on how you like to fish. Its hard to deny that a rigger fish is much easier to reel in than a 600 copper fish. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyee II 43 Posted June 22, 2018 Having the option to run as many as your boat can handle is the way I think. I am set up with 4 on both my Lund and my Grady. 4 is nice for a 12 rod spread, 3 is perfect for a 9 rod spread, and 2 for the 6 rod spread. I tend to run 3 most times with 2 riggers on one side working a team with a slider on the higher rigger rod so I am covering 3 depths close together. I feel naked running only 2 riggers since I added the other 2. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
garrymny 112 Posted June 22, 2018 My Boat came with 4. I removed 2. I use 2 Drs, 2 with divers, and a lead core if I want a 5th.Sent from my XT1030 using Lake Ontario United mobile app Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yankee Troller 220 Posted December 4, 2018 I set mine up for 5. Not that I'd ever run 5, but it allows me to run 3 or 4. That being said I've never ran more than 3 on this boat. On smaller beam boats I think 2 is all that's really needed. Running multiple divers and junk lines can use up those rods. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sk8man 593 Posted December 4, 2018 (edited) I think Rick is right on the money with his answer. My boat is set up for 4 but I have only run three max and not real often as it pretty much precludes running divers on that side where I have the third downrigger position with the boom out 90 degrees so I'm stuck with either boards or outrigger on that side if I run the rigger there. I always run two downriggers with sliders unless fishing very shallow when I omit the sliders Edited December 4, 2018 by Sk8man Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Silver Fox 157 Posted December 4, 2018 I run 3 also. This past season, if i had a dime for every time I pulled the shute rigger because of a slow rigger bite then all of a sudden came to life, I'd have about 70cents. More is not always better today. Maybe in the 80's and 90's. Silverfoxcharters.net Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zinger11 21 Posted December 4, 2018 3 I have a I/O with a kicker. On the kicker side I run 1 and a diver. The kicker seams to suck in lures if your not careful when setting up Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooked Custom Lures 8 Posted December 4, 2018 What about using wingers on the shallow riggers? would they act as a deep short diver? I know there are a lot of people that use them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimski2 55 Posted December 5, 2018 Two riggers, two dipseys, four in-line planers are enough for me.Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildcat 2 Posted December 5, 2018 I ran 3 on my old boat [10' beam] but on this boat [8'9"beam] I like 2 riggers, 2 wire dipsy, 2 copper. With clearer water seem to do better 2 downriggers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sk8man 593 Posted December 5, 2018 (edited) The recurrent theme seems to be the clearer water conditions have suggested "less might end up as more as far as the fish are concerned" regardless of beam width etc. Too often we tend to overcomplicate the situation with the good old American way of "more must be better" and it isn't always better..... sometimes just adjusting things by running lines further back or away from boat turbulence is all that is needed but often overlooked. Edited December 5, 2018 by Sk8man Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Silver Fox 157 Posted December 5, 2018 How many times have you guys picked up for the day and said "look at the fish on the graph"!Silverfoxcharters.net Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tyee II 43 Posted December 5, 2018 One rigger bouncing or near bottom with a short stretch for Lakers, another rigger on the same side 10-20ft. above the bottom rigger with a SWR, and a probe rigger on the opposite side that changes depth with conditions is what I run most often in the gin-clear waters of Lake Michigan. If I am avoiding Lakers and not running the deep rigger close to bottom, I will still keep the tail gunner second rigger just above with the SWR, and don't have to worry about short stretches spooking fish down deep. The fourth rigger gives me other options that still work in clear water like running a rod right in the prop wash for aggressive Coho. We are lucky to have multiple species to target for much of the summer in the southwestern basin of Lake Michigan and Grand Slams of 5 species are common at times. Having more riggers gives me more options to target more species, and you can pull it off in clear water if you can spread them out into productive areas of the water column. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spoonfed-1 44 Posted December 5, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Tyee II said: One rigger bouncing or near bottom with a short stretch for Lakers, another rigger on the same side 10-20ft. above the bottom rigger with a SWR, and a probe rigger on the opposite side that changes depth with conditions is what I run most often in the gin-clear waters of Lake Michigan. If I am avoiding Lakers and not running the deep rigger close to bottom, I will still keep the tail gunner second rigger just above with the SWR, and don't have to worry about short stretches spooking fish down deep. The fourth rigger gives me other options that still work in clear water like running a rod right in the prop wash for aggressive Coho. We are lucky to have multiple species to target for much of the summer in the southwestern basin of Lake Michigan and Grand Slams of 5 species are common at times. Having more riggers gives me more options to target more species, and you can pull it off in clear water if you can spread them out into productive areas of the water column. Theres one guy that knows how to fish 4 riggers Edited December 5, 2018 by spoonfed-1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Iceman 9 Posted December 7, 2018 dstephe I have always run four riggers on my 20' Lund Newport, & my current boat 22' Hewscraft Searunner for thirty years with no trouble (both with 8' beams). I run out and down riggers with the rigger weight fin bent so it pulls the side riggers out, & away from the boat. I often run four riggers as deep as 160' with no issues. Most days, all riggers take fish. tight lines; John Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gill-T 374 Posted December 8, 2018 4 riggers can be extremely stealthy with braid cable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites