trolling planer bobbers for bass

[sickembass]

I searched for trolling methods bass fishing, got fishin minnesota forums... i thought i had read something about fishing with "planer bobbers" or an article or book reference hear in the forum...

anyway, ~ has anyone tried planer bobbers while trolling? if so, what type of bait, artificial, or plastic are you using?

I have just got a pair of planer bobbers. Not sure how to fish with them just yet. so, if anyone has information about best methods or what may have worked for you. let me know.

thinking about a rapala minnow that dives about 8-10 feet. use around rip rap and just parallel the shore. The planer bobber goes out to the side of the boat as not to spook a school, I want to move constantly, or controlled drifting ( motor up, get them out to the side (s) then drift)

[broken_line]

i have done best back trolling small spoons in 14 fow also using large spinners at higher speeds

[sickembass]

halffast... lol... good one. i havent tried spoons, i have used them and caught crappie..

still looking for planer bobber use info... i may try spinners but not sure if planer bobber will be able to go fast enough to activate spinner.

also how do you put your picture on there like that?

[PerchJerker]

I think you're talking about planer boards, at least that's what we call them around here. As you say, they are a board that you clip your line to, and the board carries your line off to the side of the boat.

We use them a lot for walleye and salmon trolling, primarily for open water fish that are relating to baitfish, not cover. They also work well when using multiple lines, because planer boards allow you to spread out your lines to cover more water and reduce tangles.

Crankbaits, spoons, crawler harnesses with live crawlers or plastic crawlers, etc. are common baits to run behind boards.

I use boards a lot but not for bass. The bass fishing I do is for bass that are tight to cover, usually weeds. Trolling crankbaits behind boards in or near the weeds is an excercise in frustration, your baits will constantly be picking up weeds. But using boards to troll along a rip-rapped shoreline is an effective technique, I have done that in some locations and caught walleyes, saugers, white bass and smallmouths doing it.

Hope this helps. And welcome to Fishing Minnesota.

[sickembass]

thanks perchjerker ~ good info. yeh, these are called "planer bobbers" or mini side planer boards.there about 7 1/2" long with a quick release function. they are unique, i also want to try them at night for bass. They glow in the dark so you know where they are as not to loose them i guess. any tips for night time bass trolling with planer bobbers? i have had limited luck fishing at night for bass ~ hoping these make a little difference.

[sickembass]

p.s. still looking for trolling manual or articles with references to "planer bobbers" but appriciate tips from fellow fisherman here in the forum.

p.s.s. are we allowed to reference web sites for information found on the subject (s)?

[Ray Esboldt]

My guess is that you have some association with this product. You can post links and all sorts of stuff if you become a sponsor of our site. Use the "Contact Us..." link at the bottom of the page if you're interested in that.

[sickembass]

just looking for more ideas / proven methods trolling presentation.

as i write this, i see above my reply box, an add for ":fishing planer boards" although, it is an add by google, not by hotspots or outdoor pro.

i will give it (search the internet ~ again) a try.

thinking about the harness idea also (ref: perchjerker)

That one sounds wick ~ ed good