Hey guys I am going to start trolling with planner boards this year. Its my understanding that you need a pretty stiff rod to fish planer boards with. Just wondering if the depth master trolling rods are stiff enough to fish planner boards with? Thanks for the help guys.
I don’t have any, but would think that the depth master trolling series would work just fine. I wouldn’t get them to stiff though. You will need a little play in the tip to absorb some of the wave action. To stiff, and the rod can kind of throw the board around in the waves.
I use both Fish Eagle 2 series rods, (steelhead rods) and a set of Jason Mitchell telescoping rods that I bought from Dean at Everts Resort last year. They both work really well for me.
You might want to give Dean a holler. He does a great job of matching rods with whatever your needs may be! 
I would use the specific planer board rod that Cabelas makes, very inexpensive yet very durable. I have used them, i often use them as a bottom bouncer rod as well…
We use the Cabelas Depth Master telescoping, 8′ 6″ for boards. They work great. I think they’re even stamped “planer board”.
I’ve used the Cabela’s Depth Master rods for years to pull boards and I have no complaints. Like Joel said you don’t need a real heavy rod. Medium action is pretty standard for Planer board specific rods. You need some backbone to pull the wieght of the board but you also need some sponge to absorb the board surge when it gets windy. I would recomend the Cabelas 9′ telescopic depthmaster rod. Telescopic rods are alot easier to work with in the boat compared to 2 piece rods and the 9′ length helps keep your tow line up over the swells.
Bill
I have the 8’6″ and 9′ planer board rods. They’re inexpensive and work just fine. I also have a couple Cabela’s TSX rods that I use with leadcore and I’m happy with them also. If it says Cabela’s you really can’t beat the warranty either.
I picked up some cabelas innerflow rods last year and will buying a few more quickly. It’s nice not having to deal with guides and tangles at the tip.
These double as my salmon rods also. You have to watch running super braids with big fish though, made a good groove in the entry hole to the rod last year on a big king. I will switch to mono this year for the trip to Lake Michigan. With walleye I have had no problems.
I’ve got 2 innerflow rods that I use for trolling. I agree that it is nice to not have to worry about the eye guides catching on something. Haven’t had any problems with them.
JD
I have used both the 9 ft depthmaster rods and the 8’6″ TXS rods. The depthmaster has a much softer tip and works well as aboard rod or for trolling leadcore. The TXS is a little stiffer and works very well for boards.
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I’ve got 2 innerflow rods that I use for trolling. I agree that it is nice to not have to worry about the eye guides catching on something. Haven’t had any problems with them.
JD
How much of an issue is it to string the line up through the blank? Do you have issues if moisture accumulates inside the blank on a day when the temps drop below freezing? I like the idea of not having any guides but I know the line will pick up water and when that gets reeled through the blank on a cold day… what happens?
Each rod comes with a “pull wire” that feeds very easily up the rod. I don’t know that I would want to have to re thread the rod in rough or inclement weather, though. Fortunately, I have not yet had to pull the line through outside of the house.
As far as the moisture freezing, I can’t give you an answer on that. I haven’t had the innerflow rods out in cold temps. If I have the chance to test them, I can let you know.
JD
I use some 17# mono for a pull string. I lost the wire long ago. I haven’t really used them much in freezing weather but that is a good question I have never even thought about. By the time it’s that cold out, I’m sitting in a tree stand.
I love mine
I’ve got the 8’6″ Downrigger model and they work fine 
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I’ve got 2 innerflow rods that I use for trolling. I agree that it is nice to not have to worry about the eye guides catching on something. Haven’t had any problems with them.
JD
How much of an issue is it to string the line up through the blank? Do you have issues if moisture accumulates inside the blank on a day when the temps drop below freezing? I like the idea of not having any guides but I know the line will pick up water and when that gets reeled through the blank on a cold day… what happens?
I have a in-flow rod that I got free with a reel purchase. The wire is easy to thread through the rod as long as it doesn’t have any kinks in it. 
If that does happen, here’s a good tip. Because of the kink in the wire, what usually happens is the wire gets about half way and then it won’t go any further. Just take the rod and cast it very aggressively (whip it) and that wire line will usually come out the end. I would like to take credit for this but I can’t. After spending about a half hour on it and cussing the whole time… my dad took the rod from me and whipped it twice and out came the wire line in about 5 seconds… 
I’ve never used it below freezing temps.
I have all Shimano trolling rods but I work at Cabelas and I can tell you we sell a boat load of those rods and the combos with the DM line counter reels. The combos are $49.99 now for our Great Outdoor Days sale which is a killer deal for a trolling combo.
Andy is that all cabelas or just the one u work at
I wonder if a spritz of silicon spray or some other friction reducing spray down the rod tube occasionally would help out with any line grooving problems?
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