Planer Boards are one of the most useful, yet underutilized tools in the fishing industry today. The main reason not many fishermen currently use planer boards is simple: they are not widely advertized, and not many people know exactly what they are, or how to use them. At its very basic, a planer board is a device that allows fisherman to cover more area at one time, have more control over their lines and reach places they would not otherwise be able to reach.
Planer boards are a flat device that is usually made from wood or foam (as these materials float best); they are attached to fishing lines, and allow fisherman to have more than one line going at a time. They also serve the advantage of allowing fishermen to extend their lures out further, without having to worry about their line sinking. This provides fisherman with a huge advantage, since they can get their bait further from their noisy boats, without having to worry about their hooks/ lures sinking and getting caught on something.
Considering how useful a tool planer boards are, they are extremely simple to install and use. A planer board system consists of several key components that must be installed before the system can be used; the common components that make up these systems are:
- The planer board
- A line with tackle (either live bait or a lure)
- A rod & reel (alternatively there are specially designed Planer Board Mast Systems available).
Installing a Planer Board Mast System
The first thing to install is the backer board for the planer board mast system on your boat. Determine where you want the board positioned on your boat, and then use the base plate to draw where you will drill the screw holes into your boat. You will then want to pre-drill the holes for the base plate; you can then screw the base plate into your boat. From there, you will need to insert the mast into the base plate, and then follow your systems instructions on how to finish installing your planer board. The systems mast is one of the most important elements, as the mast is what allows you to control the board and the fishing line.
Setting Up Your Planer Board and Line
Once you have your mast ready, or rod set up, you can then bait your fishing line, and follow your models instructions for placing your line in the water. The Informative Fisherman did such a great job explaining how to set up and use planer boards (specifically the original and best, Yellow Bird Planer Board), we’ll let him do the talking on this part:
After you have properly installed your planer board system, you are ready to start fishing. Lower the planer board into the water, and then release the line until the board is far enough from your boat that fish will not be frightened by the noise. Once you have released enough line that the planer board is in your desired location, you will want to make sure the reel on the rod or planer board mast system is locked. Many fishermen like to install more than one planer board, so that they can utilize more than one line at a time.
Considering how simple and effective planer boards are, it is surprising that more avid fishermen don’t utilize these systems. I would highly recommend the use of a planer board to any serious fisherman. These systems allow you to get your lure far enough from your boat to be effective, without you having to worry about the possibility of your lure sinking to the bottom and getting caught. This benefit, plus the fact that these systems allow an easier way for you to use more than one line at a time, makes planer boards more than worth the money they cost, and even the effort of installing a mast system.
