planer boards

[Chrisper4694]

got myself a planer board this year as my new technique to try on clear trout lakes, on the theory that when they're high in the water column they scatter to the sides when the boat comes near them so the far out side planer board lure has a much better chance of getting them to bite.

anyway i got the church tackle tx22 special, it had good review from guys trolling the great lakes and supposedly does especially well slow trolling (and i'm hoping works well in rougher water too, maybe i can use it in raritan bay with a shallow diving lure to go in the deep diver spread)

Anyone on here experienced with trolling planer boards? I have some dick's sporting goods rewards cards so i was thinking of picking up a daiwa cold water line counter reel or something...is there a specific ratio i'm looking for in the reel? i'd assume low gear ratio and more power for dragging the board back in?

rod wise, i have a cabelas 7.5' trolling rod that i think will be perfect for freshwater and a similar style rod that is heavier for saltwater (if the planer board can handle the bay chop)

[briansnat]

For trolling I picked up two Cabelas Depth Master trolling combos. Very well made for the money. I also picked up an Okuna trolling combo at Dicks. It cost a bit more than the the Cabelas combo (the Cabelas were on sale) but I think the Cabelas reel is better made.

As for the rods I was torn choosing the action. The idea of reeling in a 20 inch trout on a medium action trolling rod was just not appealing. Where is the fun in that? But a lighter rod doesn't handle the planing boards as well. The rod is almost doubled over just from the drag of the planers. In the end I got one of each.

I also purchased a pair of mini planing boards (I think made by Big Jon). They work well with my regular spinning rods. I prefer to use them on smaller lakes.

[jimmythegreek]

I use the offshore planers w the tattle flag setup, I have 6 and I love them. I can troll super slow and even stop them and they stay upright. I use only daiwa accudepths, theyre inexpensive and all the walleye guys up north use them, Ive landed 30lb stripers on the 27 series, but I mainly use the 17 size w paddle handles for freshwater. Rods I use uglystiks, I use the 8.6 light actions for almost everything when live bait trollling, and I use the 8' light in the tigerlite series for all my planerboard rods. They are inexpensive and have great tips you can read easily, I highly recommend the accudepth/uglystik combo, I did alot of research and the pros/charters troll with these combos alot. its a great way to fish and spread your lines away from the boat and have more lines in the spread