| Planer boards have been around a long time and | | | | or clean off debris quicker. However, in some lakes |
| questions about how to use them abound. Anglers for | | | | you need to keep the boat 20 or 30 feet away from |
| the most part have the basic idea that planer boards | | | | shore to saturate that prime first break line while your |
| exist to help spread lures out, or to avoid spooking fish. | | | | shallow bait swims along in a couple feet of water up |
| This is the most popular application, however, we find | | | | next to the rocks. With this instance you only need 6 |
| other situations where using a planer board will help | | | | to 10 feet out from the board to the crankbait. |
| take your trolling to a new level. | | | | Another example of using planer boards for maximum |
| The first situation comes with wave action and running | | | | success occurs over a developing weed bed. |
| spinners. Any time you're trolling bottom bouncers with | | | | Sometime in late May to late June you get a dynamite |
| spinners and the wind is kicked up a bit, be sure to get | | | | walleye bite in developing weed beds. The best weed |
| some spinners out on planer boards. The surging | | | | flats will be large areas and the weeds will come 5 or |
| action of the little board compared to the boat will give | | | | 6 feet off the bottom in 12 or 15 feet of water. What |
| your spinners a decided fluttering action. This can drive | | | | this means is you'll only need 20 or 30 feet of line out |
| big walleyes absolutely nuts. Use Gulp! Crawlers for | | | | from your crank bait to the planer board to keep your |
| the boards so you're not constantly reeling in to check | | | | baits above the weeds. Using the long rods in this case |
| your live crawler. | | | | can cost you fish, because these waters remain very |
| An easy way to gauge the line length from the board | | | | clear and like I said earlier, the best flats will be large |
| to the spinner is to simply use a one ounce bottom | | | | areas. You don't want to spook fish with the boat and |
| bouncer. Take the depth you want the spinner to run | | | | your goal is to spread baits out over the flat to find the |
| and double it. That's how much line you need from the | | | | hotspot. Be sure to experiment with crankbaits and |
| bouncer to the board at traditional spinner speeds of | | | | spinners when using planer boards. Always pay |
| around 1.3 MPH. | | | | attention to whether long rods or planer boards will be |
| If walleyes show a preference for your steady | | | | the best way to attack your particular situation. |
| spinners held in the rod holders then switch to snap | | | | These programs are just the tip of the iceberg for |
| weights and longer line lengths from your spinner to | | | | when planer boards or long rods come into play for |
| the weight. This takes undulation out of the spinner. | | | | walleye fishing. We've written scores of informative |
| Another instance occurs when trolling along rocky | | | | walleye wisdom nuggets that you can download off |
| shorelines with crank baits. Long 10 or 12 foot rods are | | | | our site. |
| preferred here, since we can control the baits better | | | | |