Who knows something about planer boards?

[richg99]

I think I was on a boat that used planer boards twice in my life.

However, since my old wrists are giving out, I've decided that I had better do some trolling, instead of so much casting.

Today I found a DIY trolling board on Youtube ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZuAeFm3t6A ).

While the video is a bit long and drawn out, the gentleman does a thorough job of explaining how he made his variation. Since I had some of my favorite DIY material at hand, (WalMart cutting boards) I was able to scrounge up all of the other items that were needed. I substituted freely, given that no nearby stores are open here on Sunday. I cobbled this together in an hour or so this afternoon.

Please take a look at his video (you might want to skip some portions), and my version shown in the picture attached. Does it look like it will do the job? Did I leave anything out? What might I find when I take it on the water in a day or so? This trolling is all Greek to me ( my apologies to the Greeks, who were a very inventive nation)

Any help appreciated. thanks, richg99

p.s. I am wondering if the cutting board will simply float rather than plane. Perhaps I need to add weight to its bottom edge????

p.p.s. After giving it some thought, I added some temporary weights to the bottom. That should keep the cutting board upright ( I hope).

 

[Todd in NY]

Interesting concept for the DIY planer boards.

I recommend the Big Jon Side-Liner In-line planer boards. They are simple to use, reversible (right or left) and inexpensive at $23.99 each. They were made by Wille many years ago, and now made by Big Jon. I am still using an old set of Wille Side-Liner boards and they work great. Below is a link to one of many places to buy them. If the link violates forum rules, please forgive me. I have no affiliation with Fishusa dot com. Just trying to help a fellow member.

https://www.fishusa.com/Wille-Big-Jon-Side-Liner-In-Line-Planer-Board

 

[LDUBS]

I'm familiar with the in-line planer boards like the one Todd/NY recommended. I can't really offer any design advice, but I do have a couple of Scotty Power Grip Releases that might work well with your DIY planer boards. These are identical to Scotty's planer board releases except they have an 18" leader. You can easily adapt them to your planer board.

Anyway, these releases are much larger than what I use for trout. If interested I would be happy to put them in the mail to you. Just drop me a PM with your address.

 

[richg99]

LDUBS. Thanks, I may take you up on your offer after I do a LOT more learning.

I was watching some YouTube videos on a planer board today. It looked like the guy attached his fishing line to the board, and that was all that held the board onto the boat.

Then, he talked about the quick-release (maybe that is the item that you speak of) and how it would POP when the fish hit. What happens to the board then? Does it drag on the line when you are fighting the fish? Does it float away and you have to go get it?

Sorry, but I am really dumb on this topic. (and many others, too).

rich

 

[jethro]

I use planer boards frequently. Seen a lot of DIY versions but never those. They look interesting! I use a tall planer mast and real big boards to troll lots of lines up to 150' from the boat. I've got a fairly big boat and with the planer mast I can troll 8 to 10 lines and not have a total mess when one or more hook a fish. The Scotty releases that LDUBS talks about are exactly what I use. Inline planers get the job done but suck to catch fish on- at least the smaller size coldwater fish we typically see here in the Northeast. Maybe for the big Great Lakes fish but for 2 and 3 lb salmon and trout, inline planers take a lot of the fun out of the fight.

So to explain, Rich, there are two basic styles of planer boards. Small, inline boards that attach to the fishing line and stay on the line even when you catch a fish, and big planer boards that will use "releases" that pop. The big system is fairly involved and typically uses a tall mast up front to get the line as high up as possible which allows you to get the board far from the boat. The boards are big so that they pull the line really hard even when making an inside turn. So think of this system just like a big clothesline that goes out to the left and right of the boat. We then use little pinch pad type releases attached to shower curtain rings to hang our fishing lines off of. To set, you will let out as much line as you want to troll, then you clip the pinch pad release directly to the fishing line. Next you take the release, which has your line trolling out behind the boat, and clip the shower curtain ring to the clothesline. Finally, you let out more line from the reel to send that release as far down the clothesline as you wish. When a fish strikes the idea is that it will release from the pinch pad and you are fighting nothing more than the fish, similar to the way a downrigger works. We have dozens of these releases on board so that we can reset the whole setup without reeling in the clothesline and big planer board. The releases just go out to the end of the line and we retrieve them when we are done with the trolling session.

In early spring we are almost exclusively fishing planers because the fish are close to the surface and they are disturbed by the big boat when it passes. The fish are spooked by the boat and then swim to either side and then our presentation is out there. Another reason to use planers is to impart more action from lake chop to your fishing line without having to use a dodger. Finally, the reason I use planers most is to allow more lines to drag behind the boat. I can fish 5 people each with two rods easily by having 2 lines on each downrigger and 3 lines on each of the planer boards. It's quite an operation.

Let me know if you have any questions at all.

 

[richg99]

Thanks, guys. Seems silly that someone who has been fishing for over 70 years still is a "Babe in the Woods" on such a topic. So many different ways to chase our fishy friends!

I found a YouTube video that showed how the two connection points on the board work. It appeared that the fishing line is the only line used. It is affixed to the release-able top clip first and then led through the bottom carabiner.

After a fish hits, the line should release from the top clip and...the bottom carabiner simply allows the line to feed through freely. So, my assumption that the board comes up the line with the fish ...is correct ???

Looking at the planer that I copied from the youtube video, it appears to this dummy that there isn't anything on my board that will drive the board to move away from the boat. Most of the pictures that I have seen have a slanted/angled piece that clearly would direct the board to move out.

I considered just adding a little "rudder" onto the cutting board. However, every Planer Board that I looked at had a slanted foam piece glued onto the top of the board itself. I think I will make up a piece like that and glue it onto the top of my cutting board. I hope to throw the new creation into the water this afternoon, so I better get busy.

I love experimenting, especially when it works!

Any and all comments appreciated.
rich

 

[LDUBS]

After a fish hits, the line should release from the top clip and...the bottom carabiner simply allows the line to feed through freely. So, my assumption that the board comes up the line with the fish ...is correct ???

This is correct. What you are describing is an "In-lilne" Planer board. After a release the board rides up and down the line as you retrieve the fish. Some folks will disconnect the board while fighting the fish. Sometimes this has to be done because it is not unusual to get a fish on without a full release.

The Mast style boards that Jethro uses are attached with a separate line. Once you get a release it is just you and the fish. The planer board stays with the separate line attached to the mast.

Rich, for someone like me who fishes alone most of the time with two rods, the benefit of planer boards is to spread my two lines out to get them out from right behind the boat. This is good because the outboard's turbulence will chase fish away from the boat. So logically dragging a lure right behind the boat kind isn't going to be too productive. However, IMO this is only an issue when trolling shallow. If trolling deeper this becomes less of an issue. So, if fishing alone and trolling shallow, maybe use longer 8.5' or 9' rods to spread the lines and/or increase your set-back. Frankly, I still use my down riggers at say 4' - 6 'deep but I increase the set back to well over 150'. I've managed plenty of limits doing this without planer boards.

If trolling multiple lines then the real beauty of planer boards becomes apparent -- just as Jethro described.

Having said all of that, planer boards are pretty cool contraptions and I have a kind of natural addiction to stuff like that. Haha

 

[LDUBS]

Looking at the planer that I copied from the youtube video, it appears to this dummy that there isn't anything on my board that will drive the board to move away from the boat. Most of the pictures that I have seen have a slanted/angled piece that clearly would direct the board to move out.

I considered just adding a little "rudder" onto the cutting board. However, every Planer Board that I looked at had a slanted foam piece glued onto the top of the board itself. I think I will make up a piece like that and glue it onto the top of my cutting board. I hope to throw the new creation into the water this afternoon, so I better get busy.

For an in-line planer board a rudder or curve is not an essential requirement. Because of the way it is rigged with the release clip back from the front edge and the line coming off the trailing edge, the planer board is going to naturally angle away from the boat. I'm not saying those made with curves are not better (or worse), just that there are some that don't have that feature.

Keep in mind that if you are doing the "in-line" style, the weight of the planer board, including the drag from cutting across the water, is going to be on your rod. Bigger planer board means you will need a heavy rod to drag it around. Most I see for trout are pretty small.

 

[richg99]

I didn't get a chance to do a sea trial. The monsoons started just about when I could have given it a try.

Tomorrow morning, I am taking a new resident of this community and showing him 3 walk-on trout fishing areas. He moved from NJ and trout fishing is what he did the most there. At least he won't have to buy a boat (yet) and will be able to fish anytime he wants.

Wednesday I am going fishing with a muskie guide an hour from our TN place. I saw ONE muskie caught out of that body of water in the 5 years that we have been here. The guide said "if we don't at least have a shot at one muskie, he'll give me a free trip later in the year" Pretty good guarantee for a guide, I'd say. I think that he holds the TN record for muskie in the 50-inch range. We shall see.

https://tnmusky.com/

 

[jethro]

Keep in mind that if you are doing the "in-line" style, the weight of the planer board, including the drag from cutting across the water, is going to be on your rod. Bigger planer board means you will need a heavy rod to drag it around. Most I see for trout are pretty small.

I was going to say something about that after looking at the pictures. The inline planers I have used are very small but more importantly very light, usually made of foam. Rich, I predict you will be awestruck of the amount of drag that planer you made will create.

 

[richg99]

Jethro. Thanks for the comment.

Since I know NOTHING about these things...are you saying a similar design, but made from foam board, would be better? I thought the WalMart cutting board looked a lot lighter than the aluminum sheet that was used on the YT video. I understand "lighter is better".

Tell me more, please.

 

[LDUBS]

I see that some of the commercially made planer boards have some ballast along the bottom trailing edge to give the boards the correct attitude while in use.

Thought I would paste this link to another planer board build by a TB member (from 2017). Says they worked well.

https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=436102#p436102

 

[richg99]

Thanks again. Those look similar in construction to my video's finished product. Different shape though. I hope to try mine later in the week.

I did drop my unit into the water. It floated upright and appeared to do the job. We shall see.

 

[jethro]

Jethro. Thanks for the comment.

Since I know NOTHING about these things...are you saying a similar design, but made from foam board, would be better? I thought the WalMart cutting board looked a lot lighter than the aluminum sheet that was used on the YT video. I understand "lighter is better".

Tell me more, please.

Well, I've never used that particular design personally. The inline boards I have used were small and extremely light. But even so I had to use a very stiff rod to fight the drag.

 

[1960 yellowboat]

I've had a set of Yellowbird boards for many years. They were inlines but I use them differently now.
I have an old heavy duty fiberglass rod with 80 lb. test on a penn 209 that I connect directly to the board.
Then I run releases down that line to the bait.
And here's a neat trick if you set them up this way.
In a river with some current, you can fish from shore and use the board to pull your bait out into the water away from shore.
I use this system here in the gulf and let the tides do the work.
I only use Yellowbirds
Don't know nuttin about other brands

 

[richg99]

Thanks, guys. Keep the suggestions and comments coming. By Thursday, maybe I'll know what I am doing!!!

 

[richg99]

Thursday has come and gone. My DIY planer board dragged a lot (as predicted here) and flopped over on her side much of the time. Obviously, I did something wrong with my build.

What I did learn though, is that trolling is NOT for me.

Wednesday I went with the muskie guide. We trolled about half of the time. Boring....(and no muskies, either). Then, on Thursday, I took my DIY board out on my local lake. Boring....and whether the board stayed upright or not, I am not going to be doing much trolling. Thanks for all of the assistance here.

Oh, when I was faced with a choice of trolling or doing something about my casting technique (to help with the bad wrist), I modified my casting technique. I probably look like a doofus who never threw a lure before, but the lure/worm goes out and catches fish. I don't get near my former distance, but I get to go fishing. It is hard to un-learn 70+ years of casting, but I am doing it.

regards, richg99

 

[jethro]

Yes, it takes a certain type of person to troll, not everyone I take out has been able to handle it. But if it was boring then you weren't fishing hard enough. Changing lures and colors, changing depths, changing your presentation.. flashers, dodgers, cowbells.. if you aren't catching then you need to try something else. Still, there are entire days I troll and catch nothing, and it can make for a hard day on the water.

 

[richg99]

Thanks, Jethro. Even at my very old age, I am saddled with advanced A.D.D.!! ha Ha

Add in the 2 cycle outboard that was spewing smoke, it wasn't a pleasant time.

However, since I put an extra rod holder right next to my motoring position, the other day I stuck a rod and lure in it as I crossed the widest portion of my little lake. I caught a nice bass five minutes into the run, so maybe I am a closet troller after all. rich

 

[LDUBS]

Be careful. A few times watching the rod go bonkers when you get a nice one on and you might get hooked!

Either way, glad to hear you have a workable casting option. Casting distance doesn't matter as long as you're catching. And like they say, enjoying being on the water is the main thing. Catching is just icing on the cake.