how many lines off a 26CC

[Tyke]

i'm gonna be fishing a 26CC this year for bft. i'm gonna have 15' telescoping outriggers 1 1/2" diameter. how many lines can i realisticly fish off of this boat....4,5,6? and if i fish 6 i'm gonna have to run two lines off of each outrigger pole and they would have squid bars on them is that too much drag on the pole that it's gonna make it snap either just by dragging them of when a fish hits? just curious my dads buddy said no way you can fish 6 lines off the boat too much of a headache! he defineltly said NO WAY on fishing two squid bars or two of anything off of one outrigger pole, said it will break it, i don't think so but looking for a little input.

[fin-chaser]

Tyke,

We fish a 29 ft Hydra Sport and routinely have run 7 rods.

We double rig the outriggers, have one in each corner and one way back on the center. This year we are only going to fish 6 rods..... it does get a little busy back there with 7 rods out.

We have Taco 350 Grand Slam's for outriggers with 15 ft. poles at 1 1/2". We have not had any problems with the poles bending or breaking in the past two seasons and we fish squid bars on the outrigger lines as well.

Suggestion on rigging the outriggers. I would spend the $$$ and get the following:

Set of Hallocks
400# Mono - we use two different colors, it's easier to pick out the one you want to rig or change.
Top shelf hardware.... Talk to Stew at the Hook-up... he has all all of the above and will steer you in the right direction.

Are you fishing out of Bourne Marina ? If so, we'll see you there.

Fin-

[clcharette]

Depends on your crew size and experience. Start out with a 4 rod spread with one off each rigger and one off each corner. This is by far the easiest way to put the fish in the boat.

Once your crew gets use to setting, checking and cleaning weeds off the rigs you can add one down the middle. I personally don't think an unexperienced crew will be able to fish more than 5 rods.

[On The Edge]

If you doubble rig your outriggers and you can get some sort of a center rigger for the WTFB position you can easily run a 7 rod spread. I fish a 25' w/a with 18' doubble rigged outriggers, and 7 rods is no problem. We are more limited to fishable rod holder positions, then space for lines in the water. The trick to running any multi rod spread in a small boat is sepperation and stagering the bait. Pulling a bunch of baits in a strait line is easy but when you need to make a tight turn to bait a school of fish or to get on some fish you need to be able to do so without the lines crossing and grabbing each other.

As for fishing 2 bars or 2 of anything off 1 outrigger..Absolutly yes you can do it. I do it every time out and have not even so much as even come close to bending a our 18' 1 1/2" telescoping outriggers. (the 15' are a little stiffer then the 18')

I have pulled a 3' bar w/15 9" squids in the long rigger position while pulling a 4' splash bar also w/15 9" squids in the inside rigger position with no problem what so ever. Anyone who can not pull 2 bars on an 1 1/2 or better outriggers is not setting them up or running them correctly.

[chumtini]

6-7 here too. Plus someone casting off the bow or dropping a jig from time to time. If it's blowin boots, loaded with weed/bluefish or light handed with a newbie crew, I might thin it out.

Not sure I'd want to pull bars off 15' telescoping or glass poles, especially if your thinking double halyards. I use 18' alum poles (Rupp)

[AlloyToy]

Also a spotter watching, watching, watching.....on a surface chop kinda day you can end up with a balled up mess in a hurry......don't ask how I know this

Plus it's awesome to see the explosion on the surface

Good luck...catch em up

[chumtini]

We double rig the outriggers, have one in each corner and one way back on the center. This year we are only going to fish 6 rods..... it does get a little busy back there with 7 rods out.

I just had an autopilot installed, new for 2009 It's got a hand held remote so I can drive from anywhere in the boat. That should make it a little easier. Certainly safer for those short-handed situations.

Someone said it above. For a new boat, just getting started, whatever, you could start with your 4 primary rods starting from the farthest back, then the next farthest back. For you, that might be the long riggers, then corners. Set one side up, then the other. Then see how it goes. If all looks good, add another.

And don't forget leashes!

[hotreels jr]

I have run up to 8 before on my boat, but it is not needed. 4 rods, 1 on each outrigger and two on the corners for bars. Sluggos we run 1 one each rigger and 2 diving lures on the corners.

[mzajac]

Run as many as you and your crew can handle and clear effectively and quickly. The standard diamond pattern 4 bars is fine. It catches as well as 8 rods out east in my opinion. If you can handle 5 (diamond with a wwb) then fine.

A properly set spread shouldnt tangle with each other when you turn. In big seas the lines going up and down vertically can be a challenge. If you are running bars off the outriggers make sure they are 1 1/2" diameter or they will fail.

[austin ensor]

run as many as you safely can we run 9 off the 28.