Outriggers & Accessories

What Are Fishing Outriggers and Why Do They Matter?

For any serious offshore or sport fishing angler, outriggers are one of the most valuable tools on the boat. These long poles — mounted to the sides of a vessel and angled outward — allow anglers to troll multiple lines simultaneously while keeping them spread apart and free of tangles. By holding lines away from the boat's wake, outriggers present baits more naturally to target species like marlin, wahoo, sailfish, and tuna. When a fish strikes and pulls the line free from the release clip, the result is a dramatic, tension-building drop-back that dramatically increases hook-up rates.

Beyond the poles themselves, a complete outrigger system depends on a carefully matched set of accessories: rigging kits with halyard lines and pulleys, adjustable release clips, line stops, mounting bases, spreaders, and service kits. Choosing the right combination for your boat size, fishing style, and target species is what separates a well-rigged cockpit from a frustrating tangle.

Key Considerations When Shopping Outriggers & Accessories

• Pole Material: Aluminum outrigger poles offer durability and value for most sport fishing applications, while carbon fiber poles provide superior strength-to-weight ratios for larger, faster vessels.
• Pole Length: Longer poles spread lines wider, reducing tangles on rough seas. Match pole length to your boat's beam and the number of lines you plan to run.
• Telescoping vs. Fixed: Telescoping poles collapse for easy storage, trailering, and passing under bridges — a major practical advantage for many anglers.
• Manual vs. Hydraulic: Manual outrigger systems are reliable and budget-friendly. Hydraulic and power-assisted systems offer push-button convenience, especially valuable on larger sportfishing yachts where physically deploying long poles can be demanding.
• Rigging Hardware: Quality release clips, pulleys, and halyard line are just as important as the poles themselves. Look for corrosion-resistant stainless steel and marine-grade components that stand up to saltwater exposure.

Top Outrigger Brands

Taco Metals (TACO Marine) is the category leader by a wide margin, and for good reason. TACO Marine has been a leader in innovative boating and sport fishing products since 1959, manufacturing outrigger systems, rigging kits, and a full range of marine hardware. Their patented Tele-Outrigger — the first aluminum outrigger to telescope down for easy storage, bridge clearance, and trailering — remains a benchmark design trusted by recreational and serious sport anglers alike. Complete kits like the Grand Slam 170 package everything an angler needs to get two lines swimming quickly.

RUPP Marine has been engineering premium sportfishing outrigger systems since 1980 and is a world leader in both manual and hydraulic outrigger systems. Their precision-engineered poles are available in aluminum and carbon fiber, and their Gen2 Power Rigger™ and AutoDeploy™ hydraulic systems bring push-button control to demanding offshore applications. From compact Top Gun packages for smaller center consoles to their Bigg Rigg™ systems for large custom sportfishing yachts, RUPP covers the full spectrum of the sport.

Seachoice offers a practical selection of outrigger accessories and hardware suited for anglers who need reliable, affordable components to complete or refresh their rigging setup. C. Sherman Johnson is a long-established name in marine hardware, known for quality swivels, snap hooks, and fittings that often find their way into outrigger rigging systems. Sierra rounds out the category with marine-grade replacement parts and accessories designed for broad compatibility across common outrigger setups.