TAKEOFF
BOAT RIGGING
RIGGING FOR BIG WATER
P
HOW TO STAY SAFE AND SECURE ON VAST, WINDSWEPT FISHERIES
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roperly rigged boats are vital to tourna-
ment success and, in some instances,
can offer a true competitive advantage.
Nowhere is this more apparent than on
expansive, rough waters.
While many tournament anglers are adept
at the offshore game, they often fail at secur-
ing their boats for the massive waves of
Northern fisheries, particularly the Great
Lakes, ruining their chances for a successful
day before ever making a cast.
As the major tournament trails expanded
throughout the ’90s to include premier big-water
By Joe Balog
venues, I transformed my life to take on the chal-
lenge. In those days, bass boat manufacturers
were relatively clueless in the ways of big-water
rigging. My tournament cohorts and I in the
Great Lakes region were navigating a bone-
crushing test lab on their behalf.
What I learned through the process of real-
world trial and error while working with boat
and equipment manufacturers could fill sev-
eral volumes on the subject of big-water rig-
ging. However, let’s cover the core principles
and avoid confusion so you can refine and
meet your specific needs.
FLWFISHING.COM I JULY 2017