Fishing: Using the boom as an outrigger for trolling?

[RECESS]

I am an avid angler. One of the great things about sailboats is the fishing from the back. I have attached a photo of a typical power boat teaser school using an outrigger to get it to run off the side of the boat to prevent tangling the line you are fishing with.

It is typical to run 150 lb test from the teaser to the reel with a small amount of 30 lb test at the end of the spool. That way the teaser will handle a direct hit and hopefully the large fish loses interest. If the fish does not lose interest and pulls out the entire spool under drag, it will snap when you get to the 30 lb test.

I like to troll using the 10 hp. It can be a real circus to drop the sails when you have a fish on the line and is is really great to have the power to maneuver the boat with a fish on. I find it is more important to have the sailboat in the right place so the fish does not run you into the rigging.

The outrigger is a nice feature to have for a teaser school of the back to bring fish close to the boat. Many outrigger set ups are really nothing special.

What do you all think about using the boom as an Outrigger to run the teaser bait to the side of the boat if trolling under power? Any serious problems foreseen?

 

[Calif. Ted]

I don't use a teaser but just mount the rod holders out to the sides and troll under sail, I just heave to when I get a strike. Taught the Admiral to heave to very quickly at the cry of "Fish On!".

 

[sailaway78]

Interesting idea

However, if you are talking teasers, you are probably looking for much bigger fish than I am. Normally I just trolll while sailing, with the rod holders mounted out at an angle, one on each side. Works pretty good for me, but I am not looking for really big fish. I don't see why the boom wouldn't work as an outrigger for what you want to do. It is certainly strong enough. Not sure it would be long enough to get the teaser line out far enough to work though. But certainly an interesting idea.

 

[RECESS]

Mahi Mahi

I am looking to get these guys motivated to leave their nice floating shaded ocean condos to get behind my sailboat. From what I have seen these teasers are excellent at bringing dolphin (mahi mahi) up to strike.

I was also wondering if the boom would get the teaser far enough off to the side. I just think it will be easier to use the boom then to rig an outrigger to the boat. An actual outrigger must be rather stout.

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

It sure would be fun

to use the boom and a wisker pole so you were sporting dual out riggers-then mount a fancy fighting chair and enter a big stakes tournament where everybody else had 60 feet and 2000 horses.

 

[sailaway78]

Mahi Mahi

I catch quite a few Mahi Mahi in the gulf, trolling a spoon while sailing. Also my fair share of spanish and king mackeral. Have caught quite a few spanish in Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound. Usually pull a silver spoon on one side, and a gold on the other. Never tried a teaser. Wonder why you couldn't pulll a teaser set up straight behind the boat, when offshore, and a couple of rods rigged out on each side? Just run it way back. Mid summer there are lots of really big floating weed patches out there, and if sailing I just run straight through the big ones.

 

[RECESS]

Teaser straight back

I have heard of the reason not to run them straight back. Once you have a large fish on it will usualy run straight back from the momentum of the boat going forward. You run the risk of your line becoming tangled into the teaser. With the teaser off to the side and the fish moving directly behind the boat, once it is hooked you have a chance to get the teaser out of the water before a tangle presents a problem. You always want the jig running behind the teaser.

 

[Benny]

Sounds like to much work for me.

I keep a fishing pole aboard and when I feel like fishing as I sail I'll drop a line out the back. Do must of my fishing at the fish market; $20 bait brings home a good piece everytime.

 

[BrianW]

Sounds like a great idea, however it mostly depends on why you're out in your sailboat. With me, I'm mostly sailing (along shoreline of Gulf of Mexico) and secondarily throw a line out to see if the cobia or king or spanish mackeral want to disturb my sailing. I've never had a problem with fishing straight off the stern. If your main goal is fishing and are using your sailboat to get you there, your idea sounds like a seriously good plan if fishing directly off the stern doesn't quite do the job. BrianW

 

[RECESS]

The nice thing

about a sailboat is you can enjoy both at the same time. I can sail out to a nice hole off shore. Bottom fish and relax, or spend a little time trolling and then sail back. I love to fish and having a large reel running out under drag gets my heart pounding.

 

[r.w.landau]

Nice N Easy, how to you keep the spoons from spinning the line?

Do you have to regularly trail your line with nothing attached to get the twist out?
r.w.landau

 

[newly anonymous]

Another question for Nice N Easy

Are you finding that speed is a problem? I've trolled cedar plugs for thousands of miles, literally, and the only thing I've ever caught is an albatross. Seriously.

I'm told that larger sailboats tend to sail too fast to troll effectively. (Please don't read this as an accusation that you're slow, of course. :dance: )

(that was my first-ever emoticon, in case anyone's wondering. couldn't resist the little booyah guy.)