Using Planner Boards for Crappie By Bernard Williams

I want to begin by saying you don’t have to be a Yankee to use planer boards for crappie. Before the Crappie Masters 2013 most of us southern boys would laugh at the idea of using something so outlandish. My major problem with using planer boards was I don’t need them to catch our crappie, so I thought. Boy was I wrong!

When the fish get scattered and spooky, I could see my catch ratio continue to get smaller and smaller each time I fished. One day I came across an article about using planer boards for walleye. I started to read everything I could find about walleye fishermen, how they could go out in those massive impoundments and catch large sacks of walleye.

This was about the same time when Tommy Skarlis and Kyle Stieneldt came down to Grenada and beat the snot out of us using Off Shore Planer Boards. These walleye pros beat us like we stole something. Crappie are no different, they have the exact same tendencies and patterns.

I did my research, there were scores of different planer boards to choose and there were many sizes to choose from. I did what most fishermen do when they’re trying to learn a new technique. I purchased a few different styles and sizes of boards until I finally settled on my style of board. It was the Stealth Planer. I liked it for one reason. I didn’t have to buy new planer board poles. The big planner boards require a heavy duty pole; they put lots of pressure on the rod and rod tip.

My favorite feature of the Stealth Planer is I don’t need a partner to remove the board when I reel in the fish. In other words, I can fight the fish and not the board. When the fish strikes, sometimes it will cause the board to release or I set the hook and it releases. The board simply slides back to the swivel that’s attached to the leader.

Here are a few other features that attracted me to the Stealth Planer by RediRig:

• Tension adjustable release with a phillips screwdriver.
• You can see the red and green from a long distance.
• Color code port and starboard (Green for starboard, Red for Port).
• Sits upright even when you stop. If your line breaks this board will float.
• Weighted bend allows for better turning radius (boards won't bunch up).
• Rides over waves not like other boards that drag through the waves.
• Made of high density foam, marine grade adhesive, shatter proof plastic and all stainless steel, it will not rust.

The Board Setup



The Leader Setup:

• 10ft B’n’M BrushCutter Jig Pole
• Okuma – CW-345D – Cold Water Low Profile Line Counter Reel.
• Spyder-Loc Rod Holders
• 20# Vicous Braid or 10# Vicous Mono
• 1 – Size 5 Swivel
• 6ft - 8# Vicous Mono for leader
• .5 oz Egg sinker
• 2 - ¼ oz Original Road Runners
• Bobby Garland Stroll-R’s in your favorite colors

Here’s how I connect the dots:

• I place the bead on the line and tie the swivel to the line, either mono or braid.
• I pull off approximately 6 feet of mono an attach it to the opposite end of the swivel.
• I slide a road runner up the line to about 2 feet from the swivel and tie a 6 inch loop knot attaching the 1^st road runner.
• I attach the egg sinker 2 feet below the road runner.
• Finally I attach a road runner to the end of the line with a 3 in loop knot.

Deploying the Planer Board: (Say I want to fish approximately 12 feet)

• Drop the rig to the end of the 10’ B’n’M BrushCutter Rod, if I want to fish 12’ deep, I need approximately 16’ of line to the planer board.
• Since the distance from the reel to the 1^st guide on the rod is approximately 2’, I need to make 3 – 2’ pulls.
• I attach the board and put the line in the tension release.
• I flip the reel release and let my board float out to the distance desired.
• I like my boards approximately 50’, 40’, 30’ and 20’ away from the boat on each side of the boat.
• Each rod is placed in the Spyder-Loc Rodholders.

I selected the BrushCutter rod because of its tip action and backbone, it allows for an excellent hookset and board release. When the fish strikes sometimes it will cause the board to release, other times you have to set the hook to make the board release.

I tested several other rods and found these boards could be pulled with either Pro Staff Trolling pole or BrushCutter rod.

The Okuma CW-345D Linecounter allows for excellent control when reeling in the fish and board. The low profile feature is a perfect combination for pulling these boards. Once you get the spread, the linecounter allows you to put it in the exact location next time.

Using this setup I can fish soft plastics or live bait. When fishing live bait I substitute No. 2 Tru-Turn red hooks for the Road Runners. The Tru-Turn hooks are perfect for attaching #6 live shiners and fishing slow during colder months.

Here is my depth chart: