Thread: First time with planer boards

Great question!! Waiting to hear some replys myself. I also have been wanting to get some boards myself.

Here is a video by Tommy and then there are several more. This should get you started.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PrKarQGOa0I

The very best thing to do is try to get a trip with someone who pulls them on a regular basis.

Originally Posted by cray

The very best thing to do is try to get a trip with someone who pulls them on a regular basis.

Ditto! Rickie (rnvinc) and I went down to Chickamaugua a couple years back and fished with Chris (tenncrappie). He make a great small board that works really well with longline type jigs and roadrunners (Lil Spoiler) which has been copied several times. We spent 2 days picking his brain about his equipment,how he sets up his gear, and what to look for. I haven't used them as much as I would like but they have helped me put several good catches in my boat.

Sent you a pm JT

Some fishermen that have never used planer boards get intimidated when trying to use them for the first time. I have been using them for 5 years and have learned through trial and error that there are some distinct advantages, even after the crappie go deep.
1. Allows for the use of shorter poles which are easier for all the obvious reasons. I run 6 or 8 foot poles usually the same length on each side of the boat.

2. Allows you to pull through water your boat didn't disturb. This is really a difference maker in shallower or clear water where the fish are suspended 6-10 feet deep.

3. When running baits on shallow suspended fish you don't need line counters.

4. When long-lining or cranking with line-counter reels in deep water you know exactly how much line is behind the board. You don't have to guess how much line there is from the surface of the water to the reel.

5. You can determine how much separation there is between each pole.

6. This probably should be #1. It allows you to fish a bait shallower than usual away from boat. When I find the strike zone I can run ALL my baits that depth.

Here are some disadvantages:

1. Most times the planer boards do not trip. The strike of a crappie is just not violent enough to trip boards that were made to catch larger fish. Sometimes if you are not paying attention when a small fish strikes you can drag him around for a while. If your board for any reason seems to be running different than the other boards, you either have a foul bait, a foul board or a fish. 90% of the time its a dink. I use Water Bugz boards. You can set the tension spring on the clip that holds your line to the lightest setting to make it easier to trip the board. When I catch a fish I pick up the pole and point it to the back of the boat to allow it to clear the other boards. First I give the pole a good jerk to trip the board. If this doesn't work I reel in and let the tip of the rod trip the board. Be sure when you do this with less than 25 feet of line to let the board slowly ease back to the fish. THE BOARD CAN AND WILL KNOCK A FISH OFF THE HOOK if you let it slam against them.

2. Takes up a lot of room in a crowded are. Most of the time I avoid the congested fishing spots as a courtesy to other fishermen.

3. When you have a mess it is usually a lulu. I typically unsnap the boards take off the baits and start over. If gar are an issue, boards can be more of a headache than its worth.

I am a firm believer planer boards are the difference maker in some conditions. While I do spider rig on occasion, I really consider myself a cranker. I really take advantage of them early and late. The first time I experienced catching crappie with them in late February I felt like a kid at Christmas. All I had ever been told is that cranking is a hot weather tactic. I am hear to tell you that is BS.
It's been 2 weeks since I have been on the water, but I was doing pretty good with them at Grenada then. Averaged 20 keepers 6 trips in a row.
I will be at Grenada in the morning & more than likely pulling cranks behind boards.
I know this was "little " long-winded but I hope it was helpful.
If you see a fat guy in a red war eagle with boards following the boat its probably me.
BTW I am no expert, this is just the way I do it. I had no-one to show me the ropes and until recently hadn't seen many people using them. Hell, the first time I used them I ran them backwards and still caught fish.
Good luck

Great read tubbytom.

I'll add a couple of things. For cranks I run the lime green Opti boards with the flags. They are much less expensive than others and work really well. I bought mine at Northwoods Wholesale. The Optis have releases on the front and back. On the ring the back release is on, I just installed a snap swivel and run the line thru it.That way if both release trip, the board is still attached to the line and will slide down to a large red bead I put above a barrel swivel that the main line attaches to on one end and the leader to the crank attaches to on the back. I pull some slack in the line from the front release to the back release which is also hooked to the flag spring. That way any trash or a dink will give the flag the maximum action.

I too try to avoid crowded areas but just like running multiple poles with cranks, folks are just too nosey to stay away and have to try to get as close as they can to see or even as me what the devil I'm doing running walleye gear on KY and Barkley Lakes.

Vince you are correct about being intimidated, i will never forget a few years ago you told me to use Planner boards and i borrow yours for the tournament. My partner and i looked at those boards for two days and never attempted to try them. We later learned that Tommy won the tournament using planner boards pulling the same crank baits we were fishing with.We were just to darn "Hard Headed" and refused to try them.

Since that day i have started using them and they do work well. i definitely like the Water Bugz boards.