planer boards and lead core

hello there i have a question bout using leadcore and planer boards, currently im running 3 planer boards on each side of my boat 1 board has 2 colors the second one has 4 colors and the third one has 6 colors.i am wondering if its possible to run 1 color 2 color 3 color on each side of my boat? with out having any troubles,im not sure if thats possible? casue the dept of each color is so close in range while underwater. im about to order another set of planer boards so i can run 4 on each side,and with the summer coming up im gunna mainly be using the boards for rainbows and browns since the lakers go down a little deeper so ill just use the down riggers for them. but if anyone has any tips or tricks on whats im trying to do lol please reply!!!!!!

I run two to three boards on a side, all with 1, 2 or 3 colors during the coho bite at times. Running them isn’t an issue for me, my question always comes down to if I really want the deeper, longer line inside. Sometimes with the coho, or smaller browns, you don’t get enough pullback to clear inside lines. I’ve started making a small turn to help the inside lines drop a bit while dealing an getting an outside line in…. but I’m far from a pro at this…. two years into it only. Big fish make it easier.

I assume you’re asking if you can clip the board directly to the lead core?

The answer is yes although you do run a risk of the lead breaking where it is clipped. Personally I’ve done it many times but I really don’t like to. I don’t like the lead core hitting the water in the waves. It sends the board backward some. There’s always that risk it’ll break.

The answers yes but there are risks and downsides.

I know someone who lives in Duluth who hates lead core and only uses snap weights in stead. Personally I’m beginning to hate lead core too and may consider doing the same.

If as biggill replied to a question I missed in that- lead in front of a board, I never do that. I change out the amount of lead, or swap a real with different amount as needed.

I’m on the opposite side of his thought… the more I use lead the more I like it, but this is in Lake MI.

Okay cool yeah I just wasn’t sure if 1 ,2 ,3 color wasti close in range to put on one side of the boat but I think I’m gunna do 2,3,4,5 color on botg sides of the boat since I’m getting more gear…

Yes, you can do it. Just always remember to run your highest lines out the farthest, so you’d do 1 color on the far board, 2 on the middle board and 3 on the inside board.

I know the action on the lure will be different , but wouldn’t snap weights be easier?

The difference between 1 n 3 colors is very little. Three ft maybe 4 per color. The fish won’t see the difference. Your leed of the board will have more affect?

huskerdu wrote:

I know the action on the lure will be different , but wouldn’t snap weights be easier?

guppie weights are much easier and cheaper IMHO.

i forgot about this post haha i just found it but im going to be running 4 planer boards on each side of the boat with 5,6,7,8 colors of leadcore 5 being on the outside 8 closest to the boat, another question tho for anyone who has done this type of set up, how long should my leaders be? i tend to have tangles when im reeling in fish with other lines and it happened alot to me this winter, should i have my leaders all at the same lenght say 50 feet each or i was thinking about 90 foot leader for 5 colors of lead, 60 ft leader for 6 colors, 30 ft leader for 7 and 20 ft leader for 8 colors which puts all my lines 240 ft behind the boat and the 8 colors at 260 ft .does this make sense to have it like this??

1man10reels wrote:

i forgot about this post haha i just found it but im going to be running 4 planer boards on each side of the boat with 5,6,7,8 colors of leadcore 5 being on the outside 8 closest to the boat, another question tho for anyone who has done this type of set up, how long should my leaders be? i tend to have tangles when im reeling in fish with other lines and it happened alot to me this winter, should i have my leaders all at the same lenght say 50 feet each or i was thinking about 90 foot leader for 5 colors of lead, 60 ft leader for 6 colors, 30 ft leader for 7 and 20 ft leader for 8 colors which puts all my lines 240 ft behind the boat and the 8 colors at 260 ft .does this make sense to have it like this??

Use line counters to try to put your spread the same distance back. Dont Adjust leader length adjust the distance from the leadcore to the planer.
For example… 8 color is 240 feet plus 30 foot leader so 270 feet from board to lure. 5 color is 150 feet plus 30 foot leader for total of 180 feet. Let out another 90 feet of backer and clip on your board. This is how you mimick a bait ball is to put all your gear relativley the same distance behind boat.

For my use, both depth and length are key to avoiding tangles when running multiple lead board lines per side. The deepest and longest go closest to the boat and the short high lines go on the outside. I keep 2 color difference between boards on each side of the boat. If fishing high in the water column, I’d fish 1, 3, 5 color on one side and 2, 4, 6 on color on the other side. If you want to run all shallow (same color or only different by one) you can do it, but you will likely have to reel in inside boards before switching out baits on outside, then when letting back out, set outside to in. Small fish are also an issue one on an outside board can take out your inside lines since they don’t pull back high and far enough to clear.

Also……If you want to run 1,2,3 color on each side, I’d run the 3 straight out the side of the boat with no board, then the two color on a board, but keep the distance from rod to board fairly close, then run the one color on a board WAY out and back.

Short lengths of copper behind a board don’t pull hard at all, so when you reel in the outside single color, the board will pull out harder than the lead is pulling back, so the board will want to pass your 2 color board on the outside rather than come in behind it. That’s why I’d keep the 2 color board closer to the boat so you can get the 1 color back behind it on the way in.

i use line counter reels but putting the leadcore further in the water will make it run deeper if i let out say 30 yards are backing them attaching it to the planer board thats doesnt make sense, i was just trying to figure out if having them all at the same lenghts behind the boat will it cause more or less tangles, using leaders to make them all at the same lenghts will def be easier then putting more backing in the water,im going to be running 5,6,7,8 colors of lead core on both sides of the boat with 8 total boards