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Posts: 793
Location: Ames, Iowa | Considering using planer boards for the first time. What brand boards do you suggest? Do they all work about the same with baided superlines like PowerPro? Any problems with them.
Thanks,
Don |
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Posts: 1137
Location: Holly, MI | I tried the small in-lind boards and didn't like them. I made a set of bid double wood boards copying the dimensions off a friends set and they worked great. I was having some release problems with powerpro. I think some people use some rubberbands on the clips to make them hold tighter. I'll try this next time out. There are clips out there (don't recall the brand) that adjust for tightness, these might work also.June/July issue of Musky Hunter has an article about running boards and sliders. We did this with some success also. We caught a 42" on a slider in the wash (the slider line is 20 ft long) The fish has to be hand lined back in the last 20 feet however. It worked out just fine tho. |
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Posts: 7123
Location: Northwest Chicago Burbs | Boards do not like superline....tried them last year on 50 and 80lb Spectron, no matter what sized lure I would drag, they would come off. On the advice of Jason Smith (gotta give credit where it is due) I went to 30lb mono for 2 trolling reels, now I can drag behind boards like a champ again.
Slamr |
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Posts: 5874
| I have tried both the Off Shore boards, and the Mr. Walleye/Church boards, and here are my observations.
Mr. Walleye: The release clip on these boards will hold super lines quite well. At least Tuff line, which I use. The boards have an adjustable weight, which when in the forward position, will allow the board to run more level in the water with hard pulling baits. As a result, the front of the board bites better, and will swing out farther to the side. The biggest problem with the Mr Walleye boards is when they submarine, they really submarine, and are hard to get back up to the surface!
Off Shore. You must use the Red OR-16 releases, with the tabs inside or the big black Snapper Releases. The black releases that come on the boards are worthless! Even with these clips, the only way to keep the board from sliding down the line with hard pulling baits is to loop the line through the clip twice. The Off Shore boards do not run as far out to the side as the Mr. Walleye boards, as they tend to be nose up with hard pulling baits.
That being said, I have used the Off Shore boards with the OR-16(Red) releases for the past 2 years almost exclusively. Rods are 8 1/2' Gander Downrigger rods, long with a soft tip, but plenty of backbone. Reels are either Tidewater's or Accudepth 47's, both are Line Counters. No problems with either reel. I use 25# Big Game mono, with 50# floro leaders. Leader length has been 3-4', but last week, I had a mid 40" fish roll up in the line at the boat, and cut off the mono about 15' back. Must have hit the gill plate. This was not on a board rod though. Not sure if I'm gonna go to longer floro leaders or not. One out of many fish may be a quirk?
Edited by Shep 6/10/2003 10:00 AM
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Posts: 20281
Location: oswego, il | Get the mr. walleye board. They perform so much better and are so much easier to take off when fighting a fish. You can just release the front and let the board slide down to your leader. Takes less than a second. The offshore has to come off the line completely. You will need to keep spare clips with the mr. walleye baord. make sure it's the adjustable super clip. You can get them and the boards at churchtackle.com
I don't use superline for trolling. I have not used it but have heard alot of reports that it does not work well. I use 20lb. flourocarbon, great abrasion resistance and good shock absorbsion when a fish hits. |
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | As a newbie to trolling with planer boards two years ago I went through all the mistakes. Use a 17 to 25# line in a mono and the Offshore boards that Shep mentioned with the listed clips, and you have a good combination. I also had the Roach boards, and Shep is right, once the pop under, it takes a winch to get them back to the top. They have great clips and ride well, though. |
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Posts: 1023
Location: Lafayette, IN | I have OR 12's and although I haven't speed trolled with them I've had good experience with my 80# Power Pro (since that's what I had on my reel when I bought the board) and a slight modification to the store bought setup. I replaced the front release with the OR18 Flipper release and replaced the rear split ring and release with just a large, high quality snap swivel. I use a bead stop ahead of my long steel leader so when the fish strikes (or the hook set is made if needed) then the line releases and the board simply spins around and follows the line down to the bead without offering any additional resistance. I'm new at this too so don't feel like you're alone. I'm learning something every day from this board. |
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| Just bought the Mr. Walleye boards. Any general comments for pulling muskie baits? How much line from rod to board? How much line from board to bait? Good baits to use? Baits to avoid? |
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Posts: 20281
Location: oswego, il | AJ, I can pull 10" jakes with them. I can put 10' of line to the board just as well as 50. I fish pressured waters so my spread is not wide, most of the time I keep them within 40'. I put baits on that will get down with minimal line out, I generally go 10-50ft depending in the depth and if it's the inside or outside planer.
I have heard the comment about the planer boards diving. I have this happen with 2 different circumstances. A really sharp turn may make the inside board dive when it goes again. Try not to turn so sharp you completely stall the board. It can happen when you reel in the baord too. You can eliminate that by reeling in the board with the rod tip pointed at the board. Don't pump the rod and reel the slack, that stalls the board and makes it dive. |
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Planer board ???s