Planer Board help

[Smellson]

I've decided im going to finally learn how to fish planer boards this summer for wallayes, I think Ive got it kinda figured out but I still have a couple questions. 1. Do most people keep both clips on the boards and attach them both to the line or do you just keep one clip and just use an o-ring on the other end? 2.I see that the new off-shore boards now come with the high tension springs, do these thing still allow your line to snap out when you get a fish or do you manually have to unsnap both snap when reeling in fish? If both clips continue to hold the line when a fish hits then how does the board end up behind the boat for you to real it in without geting tangled with the other boards? Hope I dont sound too dumb!

Thanks

[Northlander]

I use both tension springs on my offshores. I also run the tattle tail flags. I highly recomend that. Helps ya know if ya got weeds or small perch on.

The flag will drop and then the board will sag back. You will have to clear other boards inside the one hit. I usually have my partner real the clearing board up to the board and lay it in the splash well on the opposite side of the boat.

Fight the fish until ya get to the board and have your partner, or yourself, snap the board off then fight the fish to the net.

Then send out the board in the splash well and reset the set up you just got the fish on.

I prefer offshores because they are a bit bigger and handle bigger waves better than other boards.

Look at the "Pros' and I would say the majority are using offshores.

[Jim Hudson]

Smellson

Glad to hear you getting into the trolling game.. And with the use of boards. The definately increase your catchs..

Steve offered you good advice. With this, I will tell you how I set up my boards and then try to answer your questions best as possible.

I run both Offshore and Church Tackle boards. Offshore for walleyes and Church for salmon and trout. Just a quirky thing for me.

Walleyes specifically, I have two different pad (release) styles I use.

First is the pro release. This is where I put both OR 19 pinch pads onto the the front arm of the board. So, when looking at the arm, you have the one pad already attached, and behind that, there is another hole to attach a second pad. I place the second one here at about a 45 degree angle from the other. This seems to allow the board to run better and to see strikes better as well. I use this set-up when running crankbaits.

Second, I use the tattle flag system, as Steve mentioned. I use this when running harnesses. Lets me see "hangers", light biters, etc. This is pretty straight forward on how to set-up with the spring set-up. Then when you set it, leave a bit of slack of line between the clips for the flag system to work properly. You can adjust the spring tension and such too, for situations when you have heavy keel weights and such on your spinner set-up.

Now, for running the boards.. If, just starting out. I would suggest after setting your boards and when getting a fish, especially walleyes.. To never set the board to release. Keep the pressure of the board on when fighting the fish. Helps keep steady pressure and keeps em pinned better, IMHO. Then, when say your outside board (the furthest from the boat on either side) gets a fish, just reel in the other boards and clear the lines. This will make it much easier for you when first starting this racket.

You can cheat boards across and all that good stuff, but you have to have your leads from the board to the lure staggered right and have an eye for how the board and line will cross behind the others. Especially with a fish on. But, I will give you some insight on how I do it..

When I am alone and running say two boards on one side of the boat. If a fish hits the outside board.. I have the clickers engaged on my reels. I freespool my inside line. letting that board go back and past the line I am reeling in. After I know I am clear, I engage the reel again, and have the board come back into place. With this, one thing to remember, you must then bring the front rod under the inside board rod when getting the fish to the boat. Takes a bit of getting used to, but works well for fishing alone.

Also, by keeping your outside lines longer then your inside ones, you are able to better cheat your boards across the others without bringing in those boards. Gotta have some clearance though, and this doesnt always work.

Good luck with your board ventures.

[Northlander]

Great info Jim.

Only thing I will add is that when alone and running 3 lines I will board 2 and long line 1 on a longer 8.5 to 12' rod. That way when I get a fish on the board on the smae side as the long line I just take that rod and switch it to the other side of the boat.

[PerchJerker]

Lots of good info here already. I agree, for walleyes you want the board to stay on the line until you have the board in the boat. I use Offshore Boards with tattle flags and the snapper release on the front clip. The easiest and "safest" way to land a fish on middle or outside boards is to reel in the inside lines. I do it much like Steve does, let the line go out right behind the boat or even use a rod holder on the other side of the boat, once you have the board out of the water.

Also, make sure you still have the boat moving forward when you're fighting a fish on a board and for sure when you're unclipping a board. You need to be moving to keep the other lines in position, and to keep pressure on the fish so it doesn't come unhooked. If you have an experienced person running the motor you can slow down while reeling in the board, speed up slightly while unclipping the board to keep tension on the fish, then slow down again after the board is off.

[Smellson]

Hey thanks for the info guys...Everything mentioned makes sense, I had just read somewhere about having one of the clips release and then the board and fish would slide back behind the boat for you to reel in. Again thanks for the info, other suggestions welcome!