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New boat came with outriggers.... Now???


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Got a new boat this fall, a Pro Line 3250! this is quite a bit bigger than my Lund. I had been fishing. My usual line set up has been 10 color in center, of transom, Downriggers on each corner, then 2 dipsys each side set at 1 and 3. Total 7 lines, beam about 6-7 feet.

The new boat has Downriggers in each corner and the beam is 11ft. It also has out riggers on each side. I have never used any outriggers before... Anyone have any ideas as to how I should rig this for fishing? Thanks

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Very few use Outriggers on the great Lakes. Mostly because they pretty much replace your diver program. With a 11ft beam I would want a center rigger and 2 corner riggers. I would not be against running long coppers off the outriggers but remember you will not be able to run divers and the out riggers without issues.

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I use to run outriggers all the time. But with planer boards in the water on almost every trip and more and more junk lines, the use of outriggers is non existent on my boat .

Flatlines, high divers, cores, coppers, virtually anything can be put in them though.

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Thanks on the congrats on the new boat. Bought it in October, it was docked in Ludington, MI. My son and I piloted it across the lake in some not so smooth water to it's new port... Sturgeon Bay WI. This is a new area for us, used to Bailey's Harbor or Algoma, but want to also use it to fish the Green Bay for perch/walleye.

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I have boards, run them occasionally. Interested as to how you guys set them up. Lately For us, dipsys on braid have been our best producer. I run 2 per side, was wondering if anyone out there runs 3 per side or is that just asking for trouble with tangles?

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I have boards, run them occasionally. Interested as to how you guys set them up. Lately For us, dipsys on braid have been our best producer. I run 2 per side, was wondering if anyone out there runs 3 per side or is that just asking for trouble with tangles?

Long trolls, not alot of turning. When we were doing this, we ran 1 the low diver on 1.5 on a walker 124, 2nd diver with the diver but the 4oz weight on wire and the 3rd a regular 107 on braid. Cross current trolls would cause major tangles

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KJ, I have heard the "bank" mentioned a few times in regards to Sturgeon Bay. Any details on this?

Bank reef, basically the easiest fishing on this side of the lake... that is if you can put up with the traffic, and the run thru the channel at sturgeon bay.

Personally, I don't care how good the fishing is on the bank, you couldn't pay me enough to fish there. I'll take miles of open water any day over that. But that's just me :grin:

Bottom line - its a great piece of structure and holds a lot of fish. Get to know it as much as you can during off-peak times before heading out there on a Saturday morning to fish in the crowds. Hopefully some of the guys that fish there will chime in with more details around that. Good luck! :thumb:

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Take a look at this map. If you go 4 miles strait East out of the ship canal you will hit the South edge of the bank in about 90 FOW, from there you can follow the edge North for about three to four miles. The vast majority of boats are going to run out to the bank and head North in the morning so it gets pretty congested on weekends. If you try going east and west while its busy your not going to make many friends and your probably going to be replacing your long lines. Good luck next season, Sturgeon Bay has a lot to offer and I think you will like it!

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Thanks for the info on the bank! Yep looking at the map seem like it could attract lots of fish/fisherman. Fortunately my work schedule (cop) allows me off time during the week. I usually try to avoid any weekend trips to the lake as best I can and try for mid week. Anybody ever go West. into the Bay? I was talking to some guys last fallat the boat landing... October 5/6 or so, these guys were catching salmon out of the Bay! I had always wanted to try the Bay for walleye/perch but these guys had some nice fish...

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Get rid of the outriggers they are not for Salmon fishing, get yourself a Big Jon Dual Planer riggers and some Otter boats check out www.fishingandhuntingusa.com for the best prices

Really? And otter boats are?

I've ran mine in place of a high outside dipsy. Seemed to work well for me but what do I know? I'm sure a salesman from Alabama knows much more about lake Michigan salmon fishing than I ever will. I really liked using mine walleye trolling with a double pinch pad release. Worked extremely well in waters less than 35' to get those lines spread out.

This is my opinion... good luck and congrats on the new fishing machine!

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First off, congrats on that new beauty Tim, big, and nice fishing platform for sure. Secondly, outriggers already mounted and in nice fresh water condition shouldn't be just offed and sold cheaply. These useful and versatile tools are great for getting lures/bait/lines away from a boat on a spooky day for fishing, which we have all had. Next, consider the replacement cost of them. Some are pretty economical these days, some are very costly. Also, remember that the void is going to leave some nice mounts on the boat, one which a buyer would probably want with the purchase, and this would leave some mounting hardware/holes in the sides/gunnels that dress this vessel up nicely, imho. The outrigger is required tackle for most saltwater applications, and I think they really dress up a fishing boat at sea or dockside. Flying flags in lieu of fishing them is also a good idea, along with decorative lights for parades/tournaments. I say keep them, and be glad someone took the time and expense to leave them behind, as most of these setups can be quite expensive. Can you post a pic. of them on the boat, and what make are they? Thanks.

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Addendum: I know most of the Ludington boats and can't remember this one. I also have fished Algoma/Baileys Harbor many times over the years, and like them over S.B.. St. Bay is quite a travel to Lk. Mich. over the marinas elsewhere. Fishing Green Bay in the late summer and fall is pretty productive at times, don't ignore it, it's also closer than the big lake. We also have a bank we fish in Ludington off Big Pt. Sable, and when the late summer weekends come, it's the last place I usually go, too much combat fishing, not fun. If you do go there, go early and then work it out as required by traffic. One long very early pass can load the cooler quickly before the weekend warriors appear.

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Anybody ever go West. into the Bay? I was talking to some guys last fallat the boat landing... October 5/6 or so, these guys were catching salmon out of the Bay! I had always wanted to try the Bay for walleye/perch but these guys had some nice fish...

I have fished the Green Bay side a few times when it has been to rough on the lake side. You can find a few kings and an occasional brown over there but the fishing isn't nearly as good as the lake side. The bay gets pretty warm, so if you fish that side look for cold water.

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Rascal... The boat was for sale all summer in Ludington. The marina it was kept in was the one with the lodge/pool, pretty close to the S.S. Badger. Almost afraid to say what I paid for this boat for fear I could be arrested for being a thief lol. Owner wanted it gone badly, I think being so close to that coal ferry (SS Badger) didn't help with selling it, always black coal dust on the boats. Paid high teens..... You can google "Ludington Pro Line" and there are still old ads with pics. I need to figure how to add pictures from my phone on here, unfortunately not so technically gifted.

Regarding the Outriggers... still not sure what to do with them. I defintately need to turn the mounts 180 degrees. Right now the way they are mounted they angle towards the stern when deployed and will get in the way of any diver action. I flipped one already and now it angles forward slightly, and leaves plenty of room for netting or setting in Dipsy's. My old set up was 10 color lead center, downriggers on each corner, and then two dipsy's each side for total 7 lines. Trying to figure new set for this boat trying to add some line minimizing headaches and tangles. Input greatly appreciated :no:

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