Why should I run outriggers on my boat?

by Tony Holden - Kilwell

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This is a common question and the first of many questions we often get asked when people are setting up their boat to go gamefishing.

Kilwell has been manufacturing outriggers for many decades for the local and overseas markets and for many years they were very basic glass riggers between 12 and 14 feet long, with the traditional wingnut or bent butt bases or the basic Longreach versions used on launches.

Three years ago, we were fortunate to catch up with Bonze Fleet of Bonze Lures fame and started some collaboration work between Bonze, Jason Daniels in our Fibretube division and our Kilwell Sports product team. We quickly learnt there was a lot more to these products than just a simple tip and roller troller rigging set up on a basic outrigger pole.

We worked on several key areas as follows:

• Making the riggers light and stiff, yet robust enough to be able to withstand bangs and knocks when traveling both at sea and on the road

• They needed to look sharp as a lot of these riggers are being put on rigs worth a lot of money and presentation is a big part of that

• Most of all they need to be fit for purpose and by that they need to be stiff, easy to use and take a minimum of a double halyard on each rigger.

Back to the initial question of why should I run outriggers on my boat? Well the answer to that question is “Do gamefish need to see your lure or bait in order to get it to strike?” The answer is a resounding yes. Boats when underway put out a lot of whitewash not only from the prop, but also from the bow and stern quarters, and this whitewater will inhibit a gamefish from being able to see and in turn attack and attempt to feed on your offering.

By using outriggers of the right length for your boat you are able to get your lures out into clear water where they can be seen and entice the fish and get that long-awaited strike. You also cover a greater area and run your lines at different heights, which helps reduce the chance of line tangles along with being able to set your lures where they run best. We would also encourage you to run all four or five lures out of the riggers, hence the double halyards, and also a shotgun or centre rigger. This again is to make your lures visible to the fish and increase your chances of getting them to strike.

One of the other enhancements we have worked on is putting lightweight spear tips on the top of the riggers to stop your rigging from tangling at the ends. The reason we have not gone to metal spear tips is because the extra weight detracts from the performance/action of the rigger, so we have machined a purpose-milled lightweight nylon spear tip. We have also set up special jigs for drilling and installing strategically placed eyelits in order to keep all the rigging in a tidy, functional and easy to get to place for quick access and adjustment.

Another area of improvement from our collaboration with Bonze was to include spigots specifically made to fit the different bases on the market and have a firm and flush fit. We have also made longer and stiffer bent base riggers for use in rod holders, which can run double halyards and be tied back to take the stress off the rod holders. To see the best example of these riggers, check out Dwayne Sweeney’s boat Mini Chiefie that was set up by Bonze using all the latest gear available.

We can also custom-build riggers to suit and the finish now comes in many different forms, including Carbon 12 k, Carbon 3 k or a custom-paint finish. Kilwell can supply riggers up to 9.5m long.

Some of our recent highlights has been building and suppling riggers to Riviera Boats in both New Zealand and Australia. Also set-ups for Eddy Lawler from Peak Sportsfishing, Built to Fish, iFish Australia on their NZ Built Extreme and the Fishing and Adventure Boys, along with Bonze Fleets’ own purpose-built Gamefisher.

Another part of the puzzle is what sort of rigging should I use? Should I run Roller Trollers, release clips, rubber bands off shark clips, and do I need taglines and return weights? The answer to this question is probably the most complex and depends on a lot of variables such as rigger position, rod holder positions, cockpit size and boat layout, along with personal preference. Our suggestion here would be to look at the set-ups on successful boats you know like the previously mentioned Mini Chiefie or your local top club teams who are continuously catching fish. Our team at Kilwell are also more than happy to try and help you out and can also put you on to their specialist partners around the country who can help you with the supply of gear and set-up.

I do hope this answers some of the questions around rigger choice and set-up and realise these add-ons are a functional part of the set-up and not there just to look cool.

Cheers from the team at Kilwell and good luck for the coming season. We can’t wait! Of note, I have increased my strikes on the short corners by over 25% since running these positions out of my riggers!

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