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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | I just read a post from 12-02 about different planer board opinions. I am just wondering what the in-line planer boards are that you all are using, and what releases. I know what rods and reels I am picking up, just wondering what boards to run. Are the Big Bird boards any good, and what about the Osprey releases that come with them?
I'm looking to increase my odds at getting more lines together in one tangled mess. 
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Posts: 1764
Location: Ogden, Ut | I use Offshore, with the red releases (OR-16??? I think). They kinda suck for superlines as the lines are generally too slick to be pinched in direct. I had to loop them around the release once, which makes them a pain to get off w/o a bunch of practice sometimes. I finally just went to mono for trolling w/ these boards. I bought some of the Snapper releases for this season (OR-18?, again, I think). They supposedly hold most lines securely. Just my experience, not necessarily the right answers....
K. |
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Posts: 131
Location: Kalamazoo, MI | Church tackle walley boards or tx24s. Theyll drag more weight than the offshores without diving. They also have releases that will hold superlines without any problems at all. Ive never tried to pull musky baits behind them, but theyll pull a full core and flasher and fly no problem. I would imagine they would be fine unless you are using a really hard diving crankbait. |
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Posts: 1137
Location: Holly, MI | I have never tried the inline boards. I can't imagine fighting the board all the way back to the boat. We use the big old fashoned double wood boards. They work great in any ammount of wave action. It is funny to see then getting air on bigger waves. The offshore releases are good. With some lures I still have to rubber band the release to tighten up the grip. I also gave up on superlines for my board rods. Good old fat 30 lb mono on my board rods. Make extra sure (like you don't already) the hooks are razor sharp on your board lures. With a rubberbanded release and a major sticky sharp hook you up the odds quite a bit that the board muskie will stay hooked. Don't forget you have the slack after the release lets go and the strech of the mono to deal with. Hit 'em hard! |
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Posts: 20281
Location: oswego, il | Listen to what spieg and sorenson are saying. Get the mr. walleye boards. They will come off the line alot easier than an offshore and that will mean less lost fish. The offshore will pop off and you will have to chase after it at times. The mr walleye stays in the water better too. Make sure you get a couple extra adjustable superclips for the boards for spares. I use flourocarbon for trolling, have had no problems. |
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Posts: 5874
| I've run both the Off Shore and the Mr. Walleye. My choice is the Off Shore, biggest reason being is that when the Mr. Walleye submarines, it is impossible to get it back to the surface. The Off Shore doesn't submarine as much, and when it does go under, it comes to the surface much easier.
The release on the Mr. Walleye is better for super lines, and easier to work, but it will pop off on a good strike, and then the board slides back to the swivel on the leader. Not really a problem, but I prefer the board to saty on until I take it off. You can make the Off Shore boards do the same thing if you replace the rear release with a snap. The Mr. Walleye boards also have an adjustable keel weight. I've played with it, and it does allow the board to bite a little better, and take the bait farther out to the side of the boat.
I prefer and now use only the Off Shore boards. I use the OR-16(RED) releases. The board simply will not pop off with this release. I have used the OR-18 Snapper release, and I like it too. Easier to work in cold weather, and you can tighten it up for super lines so it doesn't slip. Just haven't spent the money on the OR-18, so I continue to use the OR-16. The Off Shore board tends to run a little nose up with hard pulling big baits, so it doesn't bite and get out to the side as well. But, I don't see this as an issue like with eyes and Salmon. Muskies aren't boat shy, so I don't care if the boards are out another 10' or not. I just need them out far enough to avoid my down and wash rod baits, thus preventing tangles.
I do not use super line for trolling. I use 25 lb. Big Game, with a 50 lb. Flouro leader. Not necessary, and too expensive, to fill the whole spool with flouro. I use 8 foot and/or 9 1/2 foot Gander Guide Series Downrigger rods. Long rods that have plenty of backbone to handle big fish, but also are forgiving in the length for fighting the fish. I only lost two fish in my boat last year, and both were due to allowing slack in the line.
The big sow that my boy caught last fall hit on an Off Shore board rod. It took the board under for several minutes, and he simply kept tension on the rod. That fish took the board under several times, and it came to the surface easily each time after. I am glad it was not on a Mr. Walleye board. He would have had a very hard time getting the board back up.
I have 18 Off Shore boards, and 6 Mr Walleye Boards. I use them all at different times when fishing eyes and Salmon. I only use the Off Shores for muskie, and am using the Mr Walleye's less and less for the other fish. I probably should sell them. |
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | Thanks for all the info guys, and that is a great post Shep!!! Is there a certain model of the Off Shore boards that you are using? Or is there just one standard model?
I am familiar with the yellow ones that I see at the local bait shop, but not sure if there are different models. |
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Posts: 5874
| One model of Off Shore. Check around, though, as prices will vary form Gander to Fleet to BPS. Sometimes one place is cheaper than the others. Also, you will have to buy the OR-16 or OR-18 releases separate. Don't bother using the black ones the boards come with.
Please note they come in Starboard and Port side. For you boat-lingo-illiterates, that is right side and left side. 'Course, that also depends on which way you are facing in the boat! LOL
Edited by Shep 3/16/2004 1:04 PM
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | Thanks Shep! I have my local hookup, so the price should be decent. I know they have the OR-16 releases as well. I checked on that this weekend. Now, how many lines will I be able to tangle this year. lol!!!
Thanks again for the info. I will pick up the boards, and I am picking up some Diawa linecounters as well. (the $50 reels?) Bring on the open water!!!!! |
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Posts: 20281
Location: oswego, il | Shep, I have eliminated my walleye boards from diving. I adjusted the weight all the way back on any board that would stall on an inside turn, this keeps the nose up and won't dive when it takes off again. When I reel the baord in, I do not pump the rod. Straight reel it in with the rod pointed at the board. No more dives. I do agree it was a pain is the arse. |
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Posts: 1137
Location: Holly, MI | tuffy1.. Check out those $50 Diawa line counters good. Last summer between 2 of us we bought 6 of them. They are not near as good as the $90 Diawa line counters. They were on sale at Bass Pro for like $29.95, seemed like a bargin. With the drag all the way tight they still will slip line out with a hard pulling bait. The $50 ones are called Accudepth and the better ones are the Sealine SG27LCA or the larger SG47LCA. I think the 27's hold plenty of line (210 feet of 20 lb) unless you want them to double for Salmon trolling when your downrigger might demand an extra 100 feet plus room for a screeming King Salmon.
Tons of guys troll without line counters by counting their passes. Measure one full pass on the level wind and know how many feet out that is. Then you might set the lure at 2 or 3 passes and know how to duplicate that if it produces there. |
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Posts: 3242
Location: Racine, Wi | Thanks for the heads up lobi!! Right now, I use my abu's and count passes. works pretty good, but I always forget how many passes I had out. lol I think the sealines are what the Extreme one runs. They are good reels. |
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Posts: 171
Location: indiana | sorry this has nothing to do with planer boards. i was wondering how to get into the live chat on lotw. |
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| I use Big Jon Otter Boats w/Offshore Tackle snap releases.They might be a little more money but you'll never regret it! Cabelas sells them or bigjon.com .They are without a doubt the best planer board you can get or use! It sure beats pulling in those pain in the rear Church Tackle models. |
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Posts: 20
Location: princeton,mn. | How about rods? Can I use tha same rods I use for salmon when trolling for muskies? |
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Posts: 1137
Location: Holly, MI | redbastrd - 3/17/2004 10:45 AM
How about rods? Can I use tha same rods I use for salmon when trolling for muskies?
I do. I use the Shimano TDR downrigger rods for muskie trolling as well as Salmon. |
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Posts: 20281
Location: oswego, il | For rods, I use a bucktail rod. A fiberglass rod would be ok with a planer board but i like graphite for the down rod, can see if my bait is working better with one. |
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| I have used every type of planer board out there. Nothing comes close to plain old cedar wood boards, they drive through rough water, pull hard far out from the boat, uneffected by weeds, work at any speed, and don't stall on turns.
In-line boards get fouled by weeds, don't pull big muskie baits and either stay on your line, or you have to find them after a 20 minute fight with a big muskie. The plastic cheap planer boards will flip or submerge in rough water, and the otter boards only work at slow speeds.
When planer boards flip or submerge they generally change directions and tangle together every line you have in the water. I have spent days trying to salvage leaders and lures from bee's nest of tangled lines.
The OR-8 releases have two springs in them and will hold big baits and super lines. Although I use #30 mono and #80, 6' florocarbon leaders. The mono is more economic and I prefer some stretch in the line, it doesn't pull the lure out of the muskie's mouth if the drag isn't set perfect.
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | I am with Shep on this one. |
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Posts: 459
Location: New Baden IL | Tuffy,
I use Gary Roach's Mr. Walleye boards. They will take any size bait out away from the boat that I use, and are the easiest to remove of any board that I have tried.
Just my two bits,
Rodney LaCaze |
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Planer board info