??'s on pulling boards

[james_walleye]

A few quick questions. I just got back from Green Bay and we did well pulling cranks on boards. So im going to grab a couple setups for pulling boards and add this to my arsenal. Just looking for some insight on the kind of line to spool up for this? If a person uses say fireline do you use a mono leader? And where can a person pick up the precision trolling book?

Also i've always fished shap raps but i've heard great things about flickershads and all the guys out on Green Bay were using them with great success. We had great luck on them as well. Seems as though its a great crank for 1/2 the money. Just looking for more firsthand accounts of people using them and also wondering if the dive curves are pretty much comparable to shad raps?

And if there are any other tips for running boards i'd really like to hear them. Thanks.

[Morneau132]

I've pulled boards using fireline, but you can have problems with the line slipping or releasing from the clips in bigger waves. You can fix this by wrapping around the clip one time or by using the firmer orange clips.

[PerchJerker]

We're talking about heading to Green Bay in the next few weeks --- never been there before, used to go to Erie but didn't want to do the long drive this year. I'd love to hear anything else you can tell us about your Green Bay trip.

For boards, I go with 10 lb XT for a few reasons

- the Precision Trolling dive curves are based on 10 lb XT

- XT is tough and has a nice stretch to it, and both characteristics are ideal when pulling boards -- especially the stretch (no-stretch lines like fireline can get way too jerky with boards)

- the boards hold onto mono much better than they hold onto narrow, slipperier fireline

When we were at Erie we ran 3 boards off each side of the boat. At times we tried 2 boards and a flatline off each side, but the flatlines usually caught the fewest fish. Some guys out there run a 'herbie', very similar to a planer board but it goes right behind the boat and gets the bait farther away from the boat, but I liked running 3 boards off each side.

[Jim Hudson]

James,

Like Perch said, just keep it simple and run 10lb Mono for your board lines. XT is what I run as well.

The fireline deal, usually equates for those times you need extra depth from your lures. And for me, someone who trolls 90% of the time, from walleyes to trout, I need extra depth maybe 5% of the time.

Also, Flicker Shads. Yes, they are the real deal as they work in all situations, from cold water to warm water. Its all about the action of the lure.

[james_walleye]

Thanks for the info guys, i just went and purchased the precision trolling book.

Perch we went out intending on fishing the Fox out of De Pere but it was a bit slow so we headed out to the bay. The friend we visited is good friends with one of the best known guides in that area and he had no clients friday so we jumped in with him for the day. We had great luck. We had 70 walleyes in 1 1/2 days of trolling. Yesterday on our own we fished a 1/2 day out there. We had a bunch in that 24-26" range with very few under 20". Last evening, the guy we fished with on friday had a 30 1/2" and we saw a 31 1/2" caught while out friday. We also had alot of muskie encounters. I got my first ski at 37". My friend had a 34" and 47" and we had a couple other ones smash our boards that we missed. I also had a 34" pike. We were fishing a sand/rock transition in 5-7' (very stained water) and our friend said that bite stays great through april and beyond. If there is anything else you would like to know you can email me [email protected].

[Swimbait2009]

Where'd you find the trolling book?

[MIDNIGHT777]

Perchjerker and others have made some great comments regarding boards. I also prefer running 10 lb mono. Much less hassle calculating the depth the crank is running and less slip on the board. I have the Offshore boards with the tattle flags and upgraded OR 18 releases. These releases are not cheap, but hold the line (even braid) fantastic. I like the tattle flags because I can read them to detect a bait that is not running right or one that has a little weed or something hung up on it (sometimes a small fish).

Surely a fun way to fish..........

Matt

[james_walleye]

Swim i got the book at gander.

[PerchJerker]

We were fishing a sand/rock transition in 5-7' (very stained water) and our friend said that bite stays great through april and beyond.

Interesting. I knew it was a shallow bite out there but I thought more like 10-12 fow. Were you bumping the bottom with your baits or did you keep them up off the bottom?

[james_walleye]

We were running the baits 14 feet behind the boards off of bottom. And as it gets into april and beyond it turns into more of an "eater" bite. If you want to get into the monsters and you don't mind fishing at night i would suggest heading north to Sturgeon Bay. Our friend who guides had a streak of 7 nights with at least 1 fish at 30" including fish in that 32" and over range. That bite is also relatively shallow running around 8'.

[Team Otter]

Good stuff james_walleye. As you know, my interest level has peaked.

I've trolled with boards and Fireline but had a 6 - 10' section of Berkley Vanish tied off the main line to the lure. Is this an option besides going with just mono?

Also, when considering how shallow the bite really is and it's all about lure action (i.e. Flicker Shad), have those fish been introduced to Salmo Hornets?

[Northlander]

Mono will hold better in releases and when fishing that shallow there is no need for a superline.

Yes your Hornets will catch fish. I havent found a spot hornets dont work at one time or another.

In that shallow water try some sticks like bomber long A's, Brads shallow divers, Smithwick rattlin rogues, husky jerk-baits etc. off the boards 120' or so depending on depth. Deadly for the boat shy eyes.

[james_walleye]

I'm sure those hornets would work out there Otter. I don't know why they wouldnt. If we can get together to do the prefishing in May i would like to run some boards out there...see what size fish a guy can come up with. Like i said im a newbie at it but it has to work out there and i'd like to expieriment out there with it.

[Kahuner]

I'm not trying to hijack this thread but the comments/questions I have relate to trolling for walleyes from boards BUT in the summer months when you do need more depth.

My question is, what are the recommendations for summer months when you need to run the lures at 20' deep or so? I've heard of people trolling body baits on Mille Lacs during summer, trolling on the tops of the mud flats and supposedly they do well. From the boards would you use dipsy's? I'm thinking that using fireline would help get deeper.

In the spring, trolling shallow water, I agree with everything mention so far.

[james_walleye]

Kahuner i know guys that do well pulling reef runners, deep diver thundersticks, and rapala taildancer TDD9's on Mille Lacs. All get down to over 20' without letting a mile of line out. Just glancing at the precision trolling book the reef runner and thunderstick get down to 20' with about 80' of line out and the taildancer gets to 20' with about 90' out. These numbers are with 10 lb test mono. Looks like with 10 lb fireline all these get to 20' with about 10' less line out. I've already went and purchased a few of these cranks with the intentions of trying them on Mille Lacs this summer.

[Kahuner]

james_walleye,

Thanks for the reply. I use 4lb Fireline w/ 8 lb mono leader so maybe I could deduct another 10' of line out for a total of 70' of line or so.

[rattleL]

i know last summer to we ran deep water with boards but actually the fish were finicky and we caught them on stick baits. The salmon guys in michigan taught us about running a mono to lure then a longer section of lead then mono again to get small rigs down deep. Something a guy needs to experiment with.

[scoutWBL]

james_walleye Thanks for starting this thread, it motivated me to go out and by some boards today. I picked up 2 Off Shore and tattle flags for them. Can't wait to try the out this week (Iowa). Will I be able to use the flags with crank baits or will they pull to hard?

[PerchPounder]

tattle tails will work fine with crank baits.

[james_walleye]

Hey Scout i've used the boards i've bought twice in the last week on Lake Pepin with decent success. The first fish that hit it was about a 6 pound northern and he crushed it. They have most definitely helped us boat more fish with the ability to use 2 rods on the river. It adds a visual element to the game which i have enjoyed.

[NCLaker]

What do you look for in a rod to use for pulling boards?? I will mostly be using it on the river, by also some open water.

Can you use the same rod that use used for long lining or lead core for your cranks? Or should I be using a stiff rod? Also, any recommendations on rod lengths?

Thanks!

[ottertailguy]

Hey guys, maybe someone could point out what I'm doing wrong? I bought a church walleye board and add the flag system last fall and for some reason it pulls really hard. I use it with mh St.Croix muskie rod that is rated just under 3 oz lure with an Abu Garcia 6500 c3 reel that has 30 lb braided line on. I was just using a med. size shad rap and it was pulling really really hard. Even though I'm pretty sure it's set up right, something is wrong. I'll take a picture of it later this weekend if needed. Thanks for any help.

[2thepointsetters]

Hey guys, maybe someone could point out what I'm doing wrong? I bought a church walleye board and add the flag system last fall and for some reason it pulls really hard. I use it with mh St.Croix muskie rod that is rated just under 3 oz lure with an Abu Garcia 6500 c3 reel that has 30 lb braided line on. I was just using a med. size shad rap and it was pulling really really hard. Even though I'm pretty sure it's set up right, something is wrong. I'll take a picture of it later this weekend if needed. Thanks for any help.

What do you mean by pulling hard? They will bend rods that have a strong back bone and are meant for boards. Shimano makes a TDR for around $30 that is designed for boards and dipsies. The board will pull the same with different lures, however when I run 16 ounce weights on the line to get the lure to 80 f.o.w. the board pulls hard.

This pic is a diawa wilderness board rod (far right) and you can see how much it bends. In the pic there is a yellow bird on it.

[tacklejunkie]

Has anybody used those "Heartland" rods from Daiwa for boards?

I got a few of their 9 footers for dipseys but I see their 7'6 one says it's for boards

[Northlander]

Some of my 1st board rods were heartlands. They did just fine until I upgraded and sold them. I like longer board rods in the 8' to 9' range and I use telescoping for easier storage.