planner boards

[ortonville]

what does everybody use for planner boards? i am in the market for a couple and was wondering if the cheaper one would work ok

[PerchJerker]

Offshore are great and what I use mostly, some with the tattle flag and some without. Church (Mr. Walleye) boards are good too. Large cranks and hard pulling deep divers will give you problems with smaller boards.

If you're just starting out, 10 lb mono and the Offshore Boards with tattle flags is the best way to start and learn boards -- it will shorten the learning curve for you. Good luck.

[Tom Linderholm]

Save your money and go straight to off shores or church. I would also give a second vote for the tattle flags as well.

[Northlander]

Off shores with the tattle flags for me too. I buy the board and make my own tattle flags. Very easy and way cheaper. The tattle flags are great for knowing when the weeds and perch are hangin on but not sagging the boards back.

[knoppers]

I use the offshores also. use them on the pontoon trolling for northerns. I have caught a 6 and 10 pounders last weekend. we also use them in canada in spring for lakers.

[captshorelunch]

Offshore here, also. Tattle flags unless I go for salmon or lakers.

[slotlimit]

I don't ave a planner Board but was thinking of getting a couple. How do you make a tatle flag.

[Shack]

What brand of board has a picture of a bird on it and is yellow. Also made of foam. I have a set of these at home and wondering is they are any good. I have not used them and they are still in package. I could return if needed. I will look at name on them to night. The directions also stated they could be use from shore on a river. Any ever done this. Seems like a cool idea, but to good to be true.

Thanks

[big musk411]

I have the otter boat set up with the mast. I am still fairly new, but they seem to work real well. I can troll several large muskie lures off each side of the boat.

Shackbash, I have thought about using boards in the river too. It would be cool to be able to get a bait way out from shore. I have also thought about using them from the boat to get my bait into the super fast current where my anchor will not hold.

[LoonASea]

Those are called "Yellow Birds",,,they work fine but I dont think they can be modified for use with tattle tale flags

Good Luck

Randoid

[PerchJerker]

I've only used Yellow Birds when trolling with salmon spoons, I've heard they don't handle larger crankbaits very well.

[Shack]

Loonasea,

Thanks. Da, yellow and picture of bird "yellow bird". I think you are correct about flag. They were fairly cheap and thats why I got them.

[Corey Bechtold]

Here's the truth about the Church and Off Shore boards. Both get the job done but if you plan on using superlines than you will need to double wrap the clamps or get the more expensive clamps for the Off Shore. I have the Off Shore but if I had to go back I would probably get the Church boards. The back slot holds the line and if your front clamp pops out the board slides back and you just reel back in and re-set the board. I have fished heavy waves and had the Off Shore boards pop off and we had to go chase them down wasting valuable fishing time. We had the line triple wrapped and it still happened. If we would have had the more expensive clamps it may have helped but the Church boards are an easier starter board.

Feel free to ask any more specific questions and I'd be happy to try and answer.

Good fishing,

Corey Bechtold

[PK3]

Does anyone have any guidance on a spring when making your own tattle flags? I have heard of people using a c-73, but these looked to be 1-7/8" long. I bought some springs from a local hardware store and have not used them yet but they feel a little light and the flag may want to lay down?

Thanks.