Downriggers on my Arima are mounted just forward of the stern storage compartments and work well.

But recently have been freshwater fishing with downriggers out of a small aluminum boat and have found using the downriggers very difficult.

My first setup called for each person to reach across the boat to retrieve the rod off the downrigger. Boy, are small boats tippy!!

Next setup each person fished the downrigger on their side of the boat. But that placed the downrigger too far forward for the person fishing out of the front of the boat and since I seat facing the center while at the tiller turning around to retrieve the rod was almost impossible.

Any suggestions on different setups or comments on fishing downriggers out of a 12-14' aluminum boat would be appreciated.

Steve
Redmond

Steve, Let me first say welcome to the board.
I fished for several years out of a 14' aluminum with downriggers. I had them mounted right in line with my rear bench seat. This seemed to work out fine considering the tightness of a small boat. There in itself, is the problem. A small boat is cramped.

Ditto. I place my riggers at the rear seat area on my 15 ft aluminum boat (about 3 ft from the back end). But I have a wide beam so no tipping issues. With no tide concerns I think you can place those riggers anywhere along the sides as you don't have to worry as much about the cable getting into the prop - I think. Trial and error is the best I can offer you...

I fished out of a 12' aluminum in the sound for a few years. I put my downrigger mounts on a small piece of plywood and strapped the plywood to the bench seat. I sat facing the downrigger, I had cannon sport trolls so it was easy to lean over and reach the clip, I don't think I could have done it with bigger downriggers although in a small lake you probably could with calmer water.

As a younger man I used to fish larger lakes with a small downrigger mounted on a 13 foot aluminum canoe..

Also used them from smaller (e.g. 16 foot) class aluminum boats........

Best mounting options depend on the configuration of your boat but my rule of thumb is "go way back" (e.g. keep them near the stern)... For most boats I would be looking at the rear corners. Put a piece of plywood on the corner and mount them so they point backward at a 45 degree angle.......

When two are fishing the guy running the outboard looks forward for traffic and the guy in the front keeps and eye on the riggers....... Not the ideal situation but with small boats you have to make compromises........ but look at the bright side.... You don't need to burn $100 worth of gasoline to bring home $20 worth of salmon..

Unfortunately, with small boats, the guy who is running the motor also has to do the all the downrigger work.

I had two Offshore brackets mounted near the rear bench seat in my 14' aluminum boat and that set up worked good.

Check out your nearest Scotty dealer. I have an Arima set up the same as yours.

Scotty makes a great clamp-on mount that will allow you use their standard size riggers. I use one on cartop boats

Cigar

Yea you can get yourself some small Scotty Clamp on mounting downriggers or a similar Cannon clamp on mount downrigger for your boat. They are both easy to use, take up minimal space and I think the Scotty ones even have a depth guage so you know how far down your ball is going...Hope this helps

We ran downriggers on small boats with a board stretched gunnel to gunnel and secured with bolts running through the oarlocks. The guy on the motor and the guy up front have equal access.

Next suggestion, get a bigger boat.

I have downriggers called LakeTroll by Scotty. They clamp to the side of the boat and you can position them anywhere on the boat. They only take up to a #4 balll, but that will get me down 150' in Lake Washington. As long as there is no tide movement, or current, they will get you down and keep you down.