Planer boards or Outriggers

[cbay]

While trolling for striper, what works best, planer boards or outriggers? What are the best and worst points of each?

Thanks C Bay

[excited]

[Sea King]

planer boards are much cheaper and allow you to get baits even further away from the boat.

[rlcharters]

What we have found, the MD boys have known for years, is that the large fish that come into the Bay to feed prior to breeding or returning to the ocean for the winter are often within the top ten feeet of the water column. We mistakenly have always thought they were deeper. When trolling, the fish scatter from the boat. Outriggers will not get you far enough to the side of your boat. Planer boards or otter boats (Big Jon) will. Unfortunately, if there are a lot of boats fishing the same area, a 300' spread can be cuase for problems. You will never see planer baords used in the VA Beach area because of the large number of boats. It is becoming an increasingly larger problem each year in the Middle Bay, particularly during weekends. However, they do work. If you can stay away from other boats, they are no more difficult to operate than a 300' long line.

[Mushy]

I've got two sets of planer board lines. My weekend lines are 75' each and the week day lines are 150' each. The shorter lines are much easier to use in a crowd.

Mushy
27' Judge
Chesapeake
'Getsome'

[rocksandblues]

mushy
your missing out. I made a new set of triples this summer and I have 600' of line on each side. had to buy every shower ring in town

[Mushy]

OK...... Hope you have plenty of line spooled on those reels!

Mushy

[Sea King]

rocksandblues originally wrote:
mushy
your missing out. I made a new set of triples this summer and I have 600' of line on each side. had to buy every shower ring in town


Is the Potomac wide enough for you to fish! LOL![grin]

[Skinny Water]

600 ft Wow !!!!!! Let me know when you are coming my way. I believe planner boards are more effective than outriggers. Little bite more of a pain to use but they work.


Tu

[fishontackle]

Planer boards hands down will out perform outriggers in 2 foot or less seas. Planer boards are big on the great lakes and have been modified for use in the bay. Unfortunately, what you see in the responses is the use of way too much planer board line to be both successful in landing more fish and SAFE boating/fishing.

All users of planer boards need to start taking action for exactly what people are complaining about with some people running 300-600ft of line. Self policing will avoid MD or VA banning their use.

We carry fully rigged planer boards at fishontackle.com and we do not sell them with more than 75 feet of line, AND YOU ALL KNOW THAT Petey catches his fair share using planers!

FISH ON! Petey!

[clarkaa777]

Saw in Chesapeake Angler that Surfside Bait and Tackle in Mechanicsville has them in stock. Has anyone used this particular board? is it a decent set up? thanks for any info. I am going to purchase a set to use on my 22 CC so cant be too big but also gonna use them on friend's 30 fter. any feedback would be appreciated

Andy

[Mushy]

I've heard great things about the boards that Petey (Fish on Tackle) makes and sells. They're composite too so they should hold up well.

Mushy

[BradF]

Has anybody made their own? I found some plans for some and I am going to try to make them myself. I got the materials today for around $20. I will let you know how it goes.

[catman]

for you guys planing on using planer boards, please make sure you make them very visable with bright paint and use flags. the longer your planer lines, the less manuverable you are. unless your fishing with more than 4 people on board, planer boards are overkill. if your having trouble catching fish trolling w/out planers, you need to rethink your methods. i can troll 12 lines on my 19' boat and have no problem putting fish in the cooler for a 3-4 man crew. just my opinion-------------------------

[rocksandblues]

you all know i am kidding about the length of my lines??...

they are easy to make. ie i made mine so it cant be that hard. Petey does make an awesome set and the composite material he uses lasts longer and weighs less.

[Sea King]

rocksandblues originally wrote:
you all know i am kidding about the length of my lines??...

they are easy to make. ie i made mine so it cant be that hard. Petey does make an awesome set and the composite material he uses lasts longer and weighs less.


LOL![excited]

[Skinny Water]

I have a set of the large 3 board Petey boards and they work well. They dig in and pull hard which keeps the line tight even when in rough seas.

Tu

[Barry Pugh]

I use 75' on each side which allows a nice tght turn for zig zaging. Good to hear from you Rick L.

[capt. dave]

Petey also sell some good release clips.

I made a set of two board planers that would be OK in calm water. I've been trying to sell them.
The set I use has two six inch boards and an eight inch board that is longer than the six inchers. The bigger board gives me a lot more consistent pull, especially in rough water.

They are quite easy to make if you have the right directions.

[slwhitt]

i have never used planner boards but picked some up for this year seems to me that there are a few differnt ways to rig them what is the most efective way or what do yall prefer the best to rig your boards

[slwhitt]

i have never used planner boards but picked some up for this year seems to me that there are a few differnt ways to rig them what is the most efective way or what do yall prefer the best to rig your boards

[slwhitt]

i have never used planner boards befor but i picked some up for this year seems to me that there are a few differnt ways to rig them what is the most efective way to rig them or your preferred way to rig them

[slwhitt]

sorry for the triple post dam computer was messing up and i did not think it got on there and now i cant figure out how to take them off

[rocksandblues]

weed eater line. brass snap swivels

[Mushy]

I installed a stainless steel eye bolt at the back corner of my top and clip the line there. I use the largest weed eater line that Stihl makes for my lines and it's very slick and helps get your lines out. I second what Capt. Dave mentioned about the release clips that Petey sells. I tried 4 of them and about a week later I bought 10 more.
Petey, how many plugs do I have to throw out to get a free shirt? : )

Mushy

[capt. dave]

Here are a few hints about using the side planer boards:

1. Use a strong line or rope for the cable. Anything from 30 feet to 75 feet should be enough. You could run two lines off of each 30 to 50 foot cable and three lines off of each 50 to 75 foot cable.

2. You will need a rod holder for each rod plus an extra one so you can move the rods around while you are setting up.

3. Attach your cable as far foreward and as high up as you can manage. I do mine from the cabin roof top up by the bow. This will let your fishing line release clips slide nicely down the cable to the desired distance out.

4. Use lures that run shallow with a minimum of drag on the side planers. Run your deep and heavy heavy lures from your gunnel rod holders.

5. Troll slowly like 2.5 to 3.5 MPH. Make wide slow turns.

6. If your side planers are not a bright color, paint them so other boats can easily see them and not run into them.

I hope that helps.

[fishontackle]

Alright Mushy

I been holding a 3XL shirt for you, but your wife must be starving you to death with the arrival of the new one. I think I have something more your size![grin]

I sure wish I could make planers for $20....I guess is you skip the allthread, bolts, eye bolts, etc it might be possible[tongue]

Maybe I could just tie a rope around my Labs neck and throw $20 worth of ribeye steak out 75 feet from the boat for her and troll all day[excited]

FISH ON! Petey!

[BradF]

No, I didn't forget that stuff. I just finished two dual planer boards and they turned out great. I already had the all thread in the garage. So, I will correct the cost of materials to $25-$30 and this does not include release clips. Very easy to put together and it only took a couple of hours to finish them. Here is the link if anyone wanted to try them.

http://www.quintefishing.com/make_your_own_dual_planer_boards.htm

[fishontackle]

With my apologies, the point I was driving at was not the difficulty in making them, but the true cost. My 2 board planers which are made from AZEK (PVC) lumber follow a similar design but the lumber alone costs over $5.00 per foot. Cheaper materials can be used, but the AZEKs will not rot or warp and are a little heavier that wood which provides more stability against flipping. Also, I recommend and make 1x8X27 inch boards for use in the chesapeake....6 inch boards are commonly used in the Great Lakes. Most charterboats on the bay run a 1x12x36 3board planer....I have even seen a few 1x12x60s??????

FISH ON! Petey!

[BradF]

Yeah I saw some plans that were about the same except for using 8' boards. I am sure there are better designs and better materials to use. But, this will be the first time I have used them and will see how this goes before I spend any additional time or money on them.

[blue lou]

Planer boards are stupid. I can't catch fish with 4 rods, so my solution, rather than put those 4 baits where the fish are is to put out 20 rods, in the hope that 1 of them finds a suicidal fish. OK, to each his own, but the clusters you see out of Solomons in the spring are some crazy nonsense.

[capt. dave]

blue lou, you have missed the boat on this one. One of the values of planer boards it to spread out your baits so you cover a wider stretch of water. In the spring when the fish are closer to the surface than in the fall, you stand a greater chance of spooking them with your boat, but if you use side planers you reduce the chances of spooking them out of your baits.

Also blue, have you ever used them?

[catman]

the only way you'll scare fish from your baits is if you troll in a streight line. especially wwb shallow lines------------------------

[rocksandblues]

mr Lou,

cant speak for the Solomons area. Dont fish there.

But in the lower Potomac and lower bay i have never had a problem with my planers or others using them. Generally we all give each other wide berth and are fairly polite. plenty of fish for everyone.

No offense, but the Rock population is booming. If you cant catch a bunch you are doing something radically wrong.

[TIE ONE ON]

Picked up a set of Petey's boards today and can't wait to use them. Met a bunch of guys there at his trailer today and had a great time talking about fishing.
In regards to some of the posts on this topic as well as others some people need to chill.
Everybody has ther own opinion about how to fish and what to fish with, but don't be so quick to put down their way.
That is the problem with this site as well as others, if you write down what you fish with and the way you fish you get you get a bunch of sh#t!
Instead of putting someones technique down try to ask why they fish that way. You might learn something.
this is just my opinion.

[fishontackle]

Great to meet up with you Tie-One-On and I hope you put those boards to work. As you could tell on Saturday, guys and girls down on location have lots of ideas and things they have tried successfully and unsuccessfully.

It is all about catchin fish and having fun....hopefully we can all keep it that way!

FISH ON! Petey!

[cgBosun3]

I don't sweat what other folks gripe about...I have fished the bay on and off for more than 30 years, and I still have lots to learn!!! Keep those suggestions coming (except those that deal with where I can stick my comments)!!![wink]

[rlcharters]

Dave, You're making a big mistake disagreeing with Blue Lou. The more people he can convince not to use boards, the better it is for you and me. I agree. They're stupid. But they do catch fish.

[capt. dave]

OK, how about this? SIDE PLANERS DON'T WORK SO DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME USING THEM!!!! Of course that will leave more fish for Rick and me.[wink]

[Seahunter]

I agree. They're stupid. But they do catch fish.

Yep, I agree. Hanging a pair of lightening rods off the side of your boat is a much more intelligent approach[grin]

[Barry Pugh]

Rick and Dave, if it wasn't for your knowledge and support we would all have a difficult time catching fish. Thanks for your support!!!

[cbay]

Does anyone have information on how effective outriggers are?

[rocksandblues]

there is a reason real fishing boats all have them

[capt. dave]

Out riggers are very effective. I've used them extensively out in the ocean for such species as tuna, marlin, dolphin, wahoo, king mackerel, albacore, sailfish, bonito, etc. They help to spread your baits and keep the baits skipping on the surface. They are not very good if you want to troll deep.

[rock n crab]

I got my three 12' board set from Petey last year, ran them in the bay all spring in some pretty snotty conditions and they worked flawlessly...... Most of my spring fish came from the boards but I agree with Lou... hate them...people should not use them..... [wink] Yea right[excited] Can't wait to rig them babies up for the fall... just give people room and when I first used them I stayed away from the crowds util I got comfortable with them.... You most certainly have to be aware of others when running them, hell my boat is now 158.5' wide...... [excited]

[cbay]

Capt Dave,

What lures or rigs would you use on an outrigger, Stretch 25's?

Thanks C Bay

[rocksandblues]

I am NOT answering for capt dave. he is a prof. but. def do not want to run streches off an outrigger.

they pull too hard and tend to wander. esp if your outriggers do not have spreaders.

if you want to run streches, run off rear corners

[capt. dave]

I have never run stretches from an outrigger or a side planer board. I agree with R&B's that it would not be very effective.

When I was running outriggers in the Bay it was for Spanish mackerel and taylor blues using small lures like Clarkes and Drones with very little inline weight. I put the inline planer rods in my rod holders.

Out in the ocean I used mostly Sea Witch/ Ballao rigs, Jap feather/bonito slab rigs, swimming mullet and small squids, or artificials like Gizzmoes or spoons. The object was to skip the baits or run them just under the surface.

[glenallenstriper]

I don't run planers but I always thought that the noise they make going through the water would attract the fish. A school of large menhaden going through the water is noisy and so are planers. No experience with this just an observation from seeing the go by. Planers clearly work and if you need to put a lot of fish in the boat they help.

[capt. dave]

doorag, I used to pull 10 rods on the Sea Fox without planer boards. I don't see your comment as being very logical. A charter boat has to make the customers happy which means catching fish. If using the planer boards, out riggers, or down riggers helps accomplish that, why knock them?

[Seahunter]

I always get a kick out of these types of discussions. You always get these sour grapes type responses on why those that use boards are somehow less skilled at the trade than they.

For me, they are valuable tool in my arsenal. I run boards if I'm fishing 6 rods or my full 16 rod tournament spread for no other purpose than they flat out catch fish. Not sure about others, but my goal when I leave the dock is to put fish in the boat. I’m not out profiling my ride and certainly don’t care how cool I look to others. I out grew vanity years ago. [grin]

[Mushy]

I'm in the same boat as Seahunter. Who doesn't want an advantage when it comes to catching fish??? I keep very few of the fish that we catch and take needed precautions to help the fish survive. Sorry, but I'm addicted to the zing of reel when the big fish strike.

Mushy

[rocksandblues]

how many credits are you taking this semester?

[shawn fisher]

can't we all get along? I love my boards. can't wait to break them out this fall. As for my outriggers they have become post for my planer boards[grin]. Can anybody confirm the chatter that the dnr is looking to limit the amount of line off each side of the boat. I think 75' is perfect. I have seen people with as much as 250' on each side. Thats overkill.

[Ketner]

doorag originally wrote:
they are obnoxious


Guy's probably more qualified than most on this board to judge what is obnoxious.......

[capt. dave]

We've heard all this a couple of times now. Give it a rest.[sad]

[capt. dave]

doorag, you just don't get it do you. I don't think anyone has said outriggers are bad. I think what they have said was planer boards are good for fishing in the Chesapeake Bay.

You ought to stop being nasty if you want others to converse with you on the Northern Neck Board.

[Brandon]

doorag,

If you do not like planer boards that is cool, but do not harass people in a thread about it. Just move on to the next thread about something you like. Stirring the waters does nothing for anyone around here.

Thanks

Brandon

[Skinny Water]

Not only are planner boards more effective for me but I like using them. I love to hear the sound of that clip pop and then the drag go off. Also when I catch a fish off the planner line the only two lines that are between me and the fish are the two mojo lines off the stern. I pull eight lines off the planners and 3 off the boat. Saturday all eight lines off the Petey planner boards were umbrella's. The planner line really help keep umbrella's up high in the water column if that is were you want to fish. I caught one fish Saturday on a umbrella which was only 30' of the planner line. During the Spring the 15' to 30' back lines is what work best for me. If I want a rig to run deep I do not add weight. I just let more line out. Last week I caught a 24.22 lbs fish 115' back of the planner line. Now that so many people use planners most know to look out for them. Some of the folks around the mouth of the bay and the ocean probably do not understand why we use them because they can more fish easier than we can. They have big schools of fish during the Fall and it is better to be able to make tight turns to circle or go back through the fish. Up here in the Potomac fishing is a little more tougher and we have to usually work harder to catch big fish during the Fall. As for the Stretch 20's, 25's, and 30's if I pull those of the planners I put them way back and on the out side. I rather run them off the boat way back because if it fouls up and you have to get it in the clean it all the line in-between must be moved if you can not pop the clip.

Tu