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lets start a new discussion on outriggers/center rigger,how long,single spreader,no spreader,brand with advantagious----whatever.
i feel the center rigger is a tremedous advantage,for one with 8or 9 rods out the area just in back of the boat becomes a cluster f--k for lack of a better description.especially if more than two knock downs unless the spreader bar get hit you would have to clear them before reeling a tuna in.i run a way back off the rod holder on the bridge than one closer on the center rigger, one pro here on long island runs two off the center.the center rigger definitly gets a daisy chain/bird at the back of the pack.

Bob - sure is a pretty B31. My view is that the center rigger should be more in the air, say the tip about where the outrigger tips are when stowed. The reason is that most of us pull our shotgun, or long, off the center rigger, so the higher it is the better. Cock your center rigger up about another 30 degrees is my vote.

UV

Bob,

Your B31 is looking good! ....your center rigger is about right for your design layout in my opinion, but usually troll one shotgun line off your center rigger for most and me included. I have a full marlin tower on mine B31 and have Rupp 28' liftouts w/single spreader and 15-16 center rigger off the floor of the top of the tower.

I usually run 5-6 rods and 2 teasers from the bridge off the riggers or from the transom. In my opinion more than 5-6 rods is a cluster $#*!, in rough seas it would only be 4 rods. Offshore Marlin fishing is what I'm set up for. Then if the seas are calm, we have 1 bait down on the bahama momma rig.

Then there are always different strokes for every fisherman for there method of trolling for fish. I'll post some pictures so you can see how I do my set up.

DQ

thank you gentlemen for the compliment.i should have said targeted species are tuna if it was marlin i would definitely use less rods.it seems like all over the world you will get many versions of what works best that is why i started this post cmon down under or maui i would love to see what bestfor you

Seems to me that the spread is not enough if you hit a large school yellows or blackfin of tunas trolling 8-9 rods, that would be mass confusion without getting cut-off.

DQ

Bob,

Most of the outriggers here are fibreglass especially on the charter fleet out of Cairns and most run 4 rods only plus teasers and live bait maybe on a kite with the occasional boat running a centre rigger, which I like.

Rough weather is the norm with trade-winds out of Cairns and the West Coast and endless fronts coming through in the southern regions.

On our boat we picnic more than we fish at the moment though we're gaining momentum.

I like your set-up and Phoenix is a seriously beautiful 31.

I'm looking forward to meeting you one day.....see if you talk like you write!

Regards

Nic

The center rigger should be as high as you can get it. UV is right. Just my 2 cents

Bob,
Here's my B31 center rigger.





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R,
DQ

Bob,

As you know I removed my riggers a long time ago---considering my crew is mostly me and one other---I run 5 lines and two teasers----and would say 80% of the action on the short lines .

Here's our set up. It works. The center rigger is above the outrigger tips in the fishing position. Very functional, keeps the spreader bars dancing up nice and high.
If we are tuna fishing it 6.8 kts 1-2 spreader bars and 2 daisy chains. The rest is medium sized naked bally's on fluro. Total 8-10 rods depending on sea state. Center rigger will get a small bar or naked hoo.
Marlin fishing with a good crew 6 rods 2 bridge teasers. 4 dink baits on 25's or 30's and 1 large b&w hoo and 1 large spanish or naked hoo on 80's
No center rigger (seen to many fish get into it jumping across the wake)

Damn JP,

You got JR over there sprinkling with that little outrigger for those stripers?

DQ

Nah he's just messin with the buckles on the life vest.
He pee's in the scuppers

They say I'm to old to pee in the scuppers, that ain't fair!

DQ

i looked at a merritt,rybovich,jim smith and derived the angle of the center rigger from the horizon.then i tig welded the bracket on the radar arch.that angle set the angle for the "cactus" to clear the 4kw open array and be parallel to the center rigger.i bent the pipe for the cautus support then sent the radar support and pipe to be power coated.if you look a the first posted picture you can see the two are parallel i cannot change this if you look at capt cq he has the same angle look at the boats for sale in the back of marlin magnazine they all have the same center rigger angle.as far as height goes i can`t go higher tha the radar arch.

Bob, there lies the myth....that the center rigger has to be bent over sort of horizonal with the top of the tower. Pure myth...the Japs developed the "green stick" trolling rig for their commercail tuna boats years ago, basically a high mast, say 80' that they towed a long line from, with the first "birds" at the end, and the lures dangled off the same line, just barely clipping the wave tops....they killed the fish with that rig.

When I read and studied the "green sticks" I made my center rigger out of an old outrigger pole and stuck it in a rocket launcher on the back of the FB...it is tall, real tall, and we catch a ton of fish off it since it's our shotgun line...because its so tall I can make a wide range Softhead dance 150' behind the boat at low speed.

UV

very impressive vic that seams to mimic a kite with a hell of a lot less work to have a lure dangle 150' in back of a 31 bert has to be real effective, might even entice a finicky white marlin------hmmm !

Vic,

Did you mount it on the overhang at the back of the flybridge? Do you have a pic?

Thanks

Nic

Nic - no, I got some old Lee outrigger pole parts and crafted together about an 18 foot pole and just stuck it in one of the 6 rocket launchers that are welded to my aft FB rail, just happened to find the one on the centerline. It sticks up at about a 45 degree angle, about like JP's does in his pix above, but a little taller. The base of the pole was too small for the rocket launcher, so I got some PVC pipe that fit the pole on the I.D. and fit the rocket launcher on the O.D., cut a notch in the PVC to fit the pin in the rocket launcher, and it works like a charm. I'll see if I have a pic of it, if not will take one this weekend for you. I have it rigged with a loop up and back line thru some eyes to a tag line and we can pull a reeeeel long shotgun off it. At Tropic Star they use the same sort of center rigger, real tall. The obvious principle is that by going tall you can keep your bait close to the surface at low speed way baaaaaak. Catch the lookers.....

UV

UV

Without consulting with him, my center rigger is set up like Vic's, and is a very stout section cut from alonger rigger.

Thanks UV, I'm going to make up something similar.

Bob Lico I hope you don't think I was out of line about how you write, I love it, when I read your stuff I can just see you going 38 knots even though you say you de-tuned Phoenix I have trouble keeping up.

Regards

Nic