Small boat owners that use downriggers- show me your setups!!

[Thor]

If you decide to go with a board across the beam, you might want to look into a product called "Eagle Feet".  They are brackets designed to clamp onto aluminum boat gunwales for just this purpose.  I never used them, and so I can't vouch for them.

One reason I chose not to mount my riggers on a board across the back of the boat was because I figured that I would be fishing with another person more often than not.  With my rigger in the middle of the boat, it's easy for the passenger to operate while I steer the tiller motor.  If I am by myself, I can just reach forward and get to it, too.  Just something else to consider....

Here is a link to the Eagle Feet website:

http://tandlproducts.com/eagle-feet/

[ADK Fishunter]

here's mine

[hunts2long]

Fishunter, you should be able to put some white perch in that rig. See you at the bait shop....h2l

[Jethro]

That's a nice boat but about 3 sizes larger than what I would consider "small". Mine is a single wall aluminum hull, 1" wide aluminum gunwale.

[bugman1964]

I use Big Jon clamp on down riggers with some small blocks of wood to get them to mount to the boat properly.

[Mac Attack]

That's a nice boat but about 3 sizes larger than what I would consider "small". Mine is a single wall aluminum hull, 1" wide aluminum gunwale.

You can still use it for ideas.

[Jethro]

You can still use it for ideas.

True to that. Question... do you guys find it important or beneficial to have downrigger booms that extend or is it enough to just get out over the side? I suppose they allow Fishunter to be able to position the ball directly off the stern.

[Mac Attack]

True to that. Question... do you guys find it important or beneficial to have downrigger booms that extend or is it enough to just get out over the side? I suppose they allow Fishunter to be able to position the ball directly off the stern.

If you will look closer, they are mounted on swivel bases.
He turns them in for tying up at the dock and back out when fishing.
I turn mine out at a 45 for fishing.
This gets them out away from the boat and also back out of the way from my kicker prop so the cable doesn't get fouled.

Telescoping booms allow you to slide them in for garage space, etc.

Be aware, if you have long booms you will need something to bring the cannonball to the boat to set your lines.
I have seen boat hooks used.
Crude, but it works.
I use a Cannon Retro-Ease.

https://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search;_ylt=A0LEViWiXlpVQLgA0UQnnIlQ?p=cannon+retro+ease&fr=yhs-mozilla-004&fr2=piv-web&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-004

[Doubles Shooter]

True to that. Question... do you guys find it important or beneficial to have downrigger booms that extend or is it enough to just get out over the side? I suppose they allow Fishunter to be able to position the ball directly off the stern.

I like my 4' booms. My boat is narrow with roughly a 63" beam. The extra spread gives me the option of running lures in the prop wash between the downriggers for pike and tiger muskies and a little extra room to bring fish in at the stern without getting into the rigger lines. If I'm running flat lines between the downriggers and planer boards, I'll set them at 45 degrees, again for a little extra room.

[ADK Fishunter]

I have a board that I use on my little boat with 2 downriggers that mounts with two bolts thru the oar locks

[ADK Fishunter]

True to that. Question... do you guys find it important or beneficial to have downrigger booms that extend or is it enough to just get out over the side? I suppose they allow Fishunter to be able to position the ball directly off the stern.

When you run as many lines as I do getting things spread out helps alot

[fishlessman]

True to that. Question... do you guys find it important or beneficial to have downrigger booms that extend or is it enough to just get out over the side? I suppose they allow Fishunter to be able to position the ball directly off the stern.

have long and have had short downriggers, the long ones catch more fish for me. i think its do to the longer mast bouncing and flexing more adding to more presentation down below. i also run 2 straight off the back and two 5 feet up from the back pointing straight out, for some reason the back riggers aiming back catch more fish.