Outriggers are what turn a cluster of lines behind the boat into a real spread. They lift lines up and out to the sides so lures run in clean water away from the prop wash, and they let you run more lines without tangling. Setting them up correctly is one of the simplest ways to raise more fish.
What outriggers do
- Widen the spread so lures cover more water and look like a scattered bait school.
- Lift the line angle so lures stay at the surface and pop, smoke, and dive correctly.
- Act as a drop-back: when a fish strikes, the line pops from the clip and the slack gives the fish a moment to turn on the lure before the hook sets.
Halyards and pulleys
Each outrigger runs a halyard, a loop of line through pulleys at the base and tip. A release clip attaches to the halyard. You clip your fishing line into the release, then pull the halyard to run the clip out to the pole. Use heavy mono or braided halyard line, check it for wear every trip, and keep the loop tight enough that it does not sag in the wind.
Choosing release clips
Release clips come with adjustable tension. Set it so normal lure drag does not pop the line, but a striking fish does. Bigger lures and faster speeds need more tension; small lures at slow speeds need less. If lures keep falsely popping out, increase tension slightly or add a rubber band to the line before clipping.
Short rigger and long rigger
Many boats run two clips per outrigger:
- Short rigger: clip set partway out, lure placed on a middle wake wave. This is often one of the most productive positions in the spread.
- Long rigger: clip at the tip, lure placed farther back in cleaner water. It shows well to cautious fish.
On smaller boats with shorter riggers, one clip per side is easier to manage.
Setting the lines
- Let the lure out to the right distance behind the boat.
- Clip the line into the release clip on the halyard.
- Pull the halyard to send the clip out while letting line off the reel.
- Adjust until the lure sits on the front face of its wake wave.
- Leave a slight belly in the line between the rod tip and clip.
Common outrigger mistakes
- Lures too close together, causing crossed lines in turns.
- Release tension too light, leading to constant false releases.
- Outriggers not fully deployed, which collapses the spread width.
- Worn halyards that snap on the strike.
Outriggers and the rest of the spread
Rigger lines work together with flat lines on the corners and a shotgun line down the middle. Stagger every position so no two lures share a wake wave. Our guides on how to build a trolling spread and how far back to run each lure show the full layout.
