I don't think a riggie will ever out fish a live eel but I still think it's more productive if that makes sense.
1. as you mentioned above you can cast further and you can vary the retrieve. Important.
2. Crazy to believe...but a lot of times on hot nights a fish will double tap a live eel but not take it? Why? no clue, but I would have already went tight with a rigged eel as I could already set the hook.
3. Any little fish get caught and release and sent on their way as oppose to loosing a live eel missing micro-bass (thinking maybe its a bigger fish just tapping it, never happens) or burning my eel fast 5 feet away from them only to have them follow up and still try to get it.
4. My biggest reason - Sometimes on hot nights the bite will light up for 15 minutes out of a hour and with a riggie you can get several fish ASAP while I feel like I get half as many with a live eel because of changing, checking, and taking some life out of a new eel to get him 'fish ready'.
5. No dogfish
