planers, yellow birds or off shore ???

[analyzer]

I am a novice planer board user, but I've always wanted to try them, especially when we have 4 guys trolling at the same time.

Yellow birds are about half the price of the other brand. Which do you recommend?

[PerchJerker]

Offshore and Church (gary roach) are the two popular brands for trollers around here. I have 4 offshore boards, 2 set up with the tattle flags, and really like them. Only complaint I have is they're not great at holding onto Fireline, but if you give the line a double wrap before you put it in the clip it will solve the problem. I've heard the gary roach boards hold Fireline better than the Offshore boards.

If you're looking for a fun day, go trolling on Lake Pepin. Good scenery, and you can use 2 lines per person. Great spot to break out the planer boards.

[ChuckN]

I've only owned Yellow Birds. I like them because they are easy to use and they (help) catch fish.

[This message has been edited by ChuckN (edited 04-01-2004).]

[FishinFix]

I like the Gary Roach boards.

[walleyewacker]

Offshore boards by far. From what I have whitnessed, the balacance and track better, the cut water better at low speed, and they wont dive nearly as easy. Wrapping fireline is kind of a pain though but works. The tattle flags are a must for smaller fish but at the same time I cant get the flags to hold up with big deep cranks. If anyone has suggestions for this let me know.

[Guest]

The Church boards get my thumbs up.
Only boards I have seen that hold superlines without wrapping.

[Mike Walerak]

My vote is for Off Shore.
One trick I have learned is to take the back clip off and add it to the front one. The fireline does not seem to break free as often this way.
mw

[This message has been edited by Mike Walerak (edited 04-01-2004).]

[rmh2o]

I havnt tried any others but I have the offshore boards and have no complaints.I think you can purchase stronger clamps for them also if you run superline.Also the spring in the clamp is made to slide back and forth for more or less tension.

[End of the Line]

I have used all 3, and definately like the Offshore boards the best. They handle a heavier pull and do better yellow birds. I have not tried the new "Big Birds" though. I changed all the releases for my own use too. But that's a choice with any of the options to change the releases.

------------------
End of the Line Charters
Lake Superior
1-888-U-HOOK-EM
www.minnesotacharterfishing.com

[analyzer]

Thanks everybody,

Offshore it is!

I love this board, you guys make decision making much easier.

Thankyou.

[PerchJerker]

Couple tricks for the Offshore board users...

Like rmh2o said, make sure the spring inside the clip is slid out all the way, to increase the tension.

Like Mike W and others said, you can use stronger clips. The red clips hold with more tension than the black clips that come on the boards. And using a double line wrap through the clip solves most of the problems.

You can replace the rubber pads in the clips as they wear.

I've never tried it, but I've heard of people rigging the clips from roach boards onto their offshore boards to hold fireline better.

To increase the spring tension on the tattle flags, you can cut small slits in the front of your board, by the bottom. The slit holds the spring and puts more tension on the flag. You can also buy springs at a hardware store - get heavier and/or shorter spring and you've got more holding power.