Problems with planer boards…

Hello all,

I’ve been trying to learn how to use planer boards for a while now, but I keep running into a problem: The boards, instead of kicking out to the side of the boat, lag well behind the boat. The front end of the board ends up tilting up well out of the water, and the back end is just about underwater completely. The rod tip is usually surging/pumping pretty good, too.

I’ve tried it with a a few colors of leadcore out and with braid, and while the braid seemed to work a little better, it still doesn’t seem to work well. And I’ve tried it with an assortment of cranks, all the way to the tiny shad raps and up to the TD-11’s.

Any tips on what I’m doing wrong???

Carmike

First question is what boards are you running ?

What you describe seems normal to me. Especially at crank bait speeds, the boards will be at least level with the back end of the boat or even further back. And, naturally, being the line is hooked to the rear of the board pulling downward, the board will tilt upward toward the front/leading end.

No way can you change this scenario. Off-Shore boards seems the best to use in my meager experience. One can modify them to make them run a little differently and more “readable”. Put BOTH clips on the arm–one facing toward the rear (attached closer to the board) and hook the line into both of them on the arm–no clip on the rear end.

Are you having this problem when trolling WITH the wind? Also make sure your running the correct board for starboard side and port side.

I’ve been pulling OffShore brand boards this summer with almost exclusively TDD-9’s and 11’s. They pull hard and my boards sit un-level in the water but they still go out from the boat. Usually I put out about 50 feet of line after I snap the board on and they run about 20-25 away from the boat going straight.

sounds pretty normal to me…I run offshores and they are always behind the boat and nose up when pulling cranks. Pulling spinners they usually ride more level because there is less drag.

They do run back. Waves will cause board surge, keeping the tip up at 45 degrees can help if your line is dragging in waves. This is a pic of a Superior spread. This board is 150′ out on counter with 150′ power pro behind the board, so not much drag. Take a look how far back it is, its normal.

I agree with the others, that is just how they run with cranks.
If you are worried about being able to read your boards, set the drag and clicker so that it just holds the board without clicking. If a fish hits it, you will hear your clicker take off. The board and forward movement of the boat is generally enough pressure to keep your line tight and fish hooked.

Thanks for all the replies, guys. I’m running Off-shore boards, and in a bit more online research I found a video of a famous fisherman on youtube advocating–as has Mr. Fellegy above–that you put both clips on the front arm. I’ll be up on the pond this weekend, so that’s where I’ll start.

But good to know that I’m not all that far off. It didn’t seem THAT hard to figure out, but I looked at a lot of videos online (usually with guys pulling spinners, I now realize) where the boards would kick well out from the boat and then ride mostly level. I figured I was doing something seriously wrong. Maybe not…for a change.

If I remember, I’ll take a photo this wknd when I’m out “practicing” (which I so far have only tried in flat water…figured if I couldn’t make that work, no way I’d figure it out in waves), and maybe y’all can see if my “spread” looks like yours. Um, now that I say it, that sounds kind of gross.

Oh, and if any of you guys are going to be up there this weekend and want someone to help you split gas (or to split some in my boat), send me a pm.

It may be hard to see, but you can see the board in each of these pictures.

I am no expert fishing with boards but was told that the angle on the front of an Off-Shore is less than that of the Church boards. Less angle causes less “bite” in the water and not pulling as hard away from the boat. Nice thing about the Church boards is that there is a weight built on to the board. This weight can be slit forward to counteract the pull of leadcore keeping the front of the board in the water more.

Anyway, just wanted to show pictures of how far mine are out.