Thread: Outriggers

I know some of you guys fish from kayaks, and that being said kayaking is really popular up here as well...Lake Superior. I fish from a canoe mainly and am wondering if any one has any input on outriggers (stabilizers) as far as fishing goes.

I don't care for em personally..

I've never been in a yak or canoe with outriggers on it. However having fished from both, I can foresee those aquatic training wheels as being a royal PITA to fish around.

I usually don't use them myself, just thinking more of a safety factor having young kids in the canoe and fishing at the same time. Thanks for the input guys.

[quote author=BDL1969 link=topic=3110.msg28445#msg28445 date=1365515375]
I usually don't use them myself, just thinking more of a safety factor having young kids in the canoe and fishing at the same time. Thanks for the input guys.
[/quote]If you're just paddling around the extra drag may be worth accepting for the added stability, I just don't know having zero experience with outriggers. However, I can foresee giving up a lot of that stability in certain fishing situations.

If you have kids that are so young that you feel the need stabilize your canoe to accommodate them, you should really be questioning if you should be taking them out on the water or not. If you keep the kids inshore, away a lot of boat traffic and wind you should be fine without the riggers if you keep them low in the canoe. Any other weight you can add down low would help. As far as fishing in the open gulf with young children in a canoe, I wouldn't if I were you.

Thanks DRH. I would be only canoeing on small inland lakes for the most part, never on the Gulf. My kids know how to swim but can sometimes get a little crazy in the canoe. Never really took into account how stabilizers might get in the way of fishing though, thanks.

[quote author=BDL1969 link=topic=3110.msg28471#msg28471 date=1365530579]
My kids know how to swim but can sometimes get a little crazy in the canoe.[/quote]

A perfect chance for a learning experience. When they start to act up, try to scare them a bit. Once you have their attention then they will have respect for the lesson on how to behave in a boat. Get em started off right the first time, while they are young and it will stick with them for life and they will forget that they ever didn't know how to do it right.

Good idea DRH!