Planer Boards

I'm fixing to order some off shore planer boards, plus tadpole weights and had a couple of questions.

1) Are the OR12's (medium size) boards optimum size for cranks and crappie?

2) On tadpoles weights are #1 & #2 weights good enough or are there times when more than 2ounces of weight may be needed?

3) Anyone ever pull jigs under boards with any luck in the murky MS water?

4) I am aware of the Opti planer boards, but the off shore look a little more user friendly, would my observation be correct?

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Originally Posted by Snubbys

I'm fixing to order some off shore planer boards, plus tadpole weights and had a couple of questions.

1) Are the OR12's (medium size) boards optimum size for cranks and crappie?

2) On tadpoles weights are #1 & #2 weights good enough or are there times when more than 2ounces of weight may be needed?

3) Anyone ever pull jigs under boards with any luck in the murky MS water?

4) I am aware of the Opti planer boards, but the off shore look a little more user friendly, would my observation be correct?

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OR-12's will wok fine. They are a top notch Walleye board and are the ones we all started out with before we had other options and fine tuned our game for crappie.

You are mistaken about the Opti's not being user friendly. The Opti clips are much better than the Offshore. They are wider, easier to squeeze and you can tighten down on the tension so you don't have the loop your line around the clip like Offshore.

Number 1 Tadpoles are all you need around here.

Have been using these for years on the Big 4. Perfect for pulling minnow or cranks for crappie. Jeff is a great guy, great service, and best prices around.

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The site is waterbugz dot com...Reply feature wouldn't take URL.

Like Yikes said, the Opti boards are much more user friendly. I have aruturitis in my hands and fingers and the clips on offshore so we're a bear for me to use, especially wrapping the line around clip to keep it from coming off. I went to one called a sidewinder which dosnt work for a lot of people but works good for me. I also got some Redi Rigg floats planners that will pull cranks but to me shine pulling jigs. Light, easy to install, and can be fished with lighter tackle. I would look at the smaller sized Opti boards for pulling cranks.

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Originally Posted by crappiejig

Have been using these for years on the Big 4. Perfect for pulling minnow or cranks for crappie. Jeff is a great guy, great service, and best prices around.

400 Bad Request

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What features of the water bugz do you prefer over the rest, like off shores or opti's? I like dealing with good people and great service is a key factor. And I like a deal just as much as anybody, but a few extra dollar's spent to get the right boards the first time would save me in the long run. And I take it your using the double foam ones?

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Originally Posted by cray

Like Yikes said, the Opti boards are much more user friendly. I have aruturitis in my hands and fingers and the clips on offshore so we're a bear for me to use, especially wrapping the line around clip to keep it from coming off. I went to one called a sidewinder which dosnt work for a lot of people but works good for me. I also got some Redi Rigg floats planners that will pull cranks but to me shine pulling jigs. Light, easy to install, and can be fished with lighter tackle. I would look at the smaller sized Opti boards for pulling cranks.

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You mean the mini opti's for cranks?

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A large Opti is the same size as an OR-12 Walleye board (3.5 x 9.75). The Opti medium is 3" x 7.75" which still has plenty of surface area to pull a 300 Bandit at a 45 degree angle at 1.8mph with less dead weight and less drag on your pole which is better suited for Crappie. Only downside to the Opti medium is it goes out at less of an angle when you go over 2 mph because of less surface area.

I have crappie reaper boards large for crankbaits and small for jigs or spinner baits. Work really well


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Originally Posted by yikess

OR-12's will wok fine. They are a top notch Walleye board and are the ones we all started out with before we had other options and fine tuned our game for crappie.

You are mistaken about the Opti's not being user friendly. The Opti clips are much better than the Offshore. They are wider, easier to squeeze and you can tighten down on the tension so you don't have the loop your line around the clip like Offshore.

Number 1 Tadpoles are all you need around here.

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Are you using the tadpoles to pull jigs or cranks, and how long of a leader are you using??

Yes, using tadpoles to pull anything and everything that can't dive very far. Clear leader is 3 feet.

I like the Opti board clips way better than the Offshore. I like their boards just as well too. Yes, I do have both. I can see the green Opti boards better.

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Originally Posted by yikess

A large Opti is the same size as an OR-12 Walleye board (3.5 x 9.75). The Opti medium is 3" x 7.75" which still has plenty of surface area to pull a 300 Bandit at a 45 degree angle at 1.8mph with less dead weight and less drag on your pole which is better suited for Crappie. Only downside to the Opti medium is it goes out at less of an angle when you go over 2 mph because of less surface area.

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Just to add to this comment. The medium boards don't work as well as the bigger boards when using the Tadpoles. It weighs the back of the board down to much.

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Originally Posted by BigRiverMarine

Just to add to this comment. The medium boards don't work as well as the bigger boards when using the Tadpoles. It weighs the back of the board down to much.

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Good point Bill and very true. Like very thing else in the crappie business you have to give something to get something. Please keep in mind that we aren't talking about slapping on a Bandit, letting out some line and taking off down the lake. What we are talking about is a very precise and accurate presentation that we can monitor from the boat very easily that has been learned over the past eight years of pulling cranks. The larger OR-12 size boards work fine for the masses and I keep mine for higher speeds and extremely windy days. The mediums give me better information on a normal cranking days at normal cranking speeds (1.4 - 1.8). You can visually see if a smaller board has a small fish or has picked up some grass or debris because it will fall out of formation and that tells me to fix it.

Very good information, and thank you guys for the willingness to share your experience with boards. One final question, where is the best place to buy the Opti's from? I can't find a website for their product, I will buy have a dozen of the OR-12's and some tadpoles from Off Shore Tackle. Just need to know where I can get the best deal on the Opti's, a CDC sponsor would be preferred if any sell them.

Opti Tackle Planer Board with Spring Flag System - Mills Fleet Farm

Walmart online

eBay
Several places and I bet Yikes or BRM have some place cheaper.

I found some online for $17.99 a piece for the mediums. Only could order the right side planers, tried to order 3 mediums in for left and said not available. Lol, don't make no sense, I got it figured out. Found them elsewhere for $30 a board, all in stock. Thanks cray, for checking on them anyway. I'm still gonna take the 3 right sides for $17.99 each..

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I can give you the direct phone number for Opti Tackle. They'll ship you some.