I am looking to buy planer boards, not sure if I should pick the Offshore, or Church, brand.
Please tell me what you DO NOT like, and what you DO LIKE, about either brand, based on personal experience.
I value your oppinions.
Thanks, Dennis
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I am looking to buy planer boards, not sure if I should pick the Offshore, or Church, brand.
Please tell me what you DO NOT like, and what you DO LIKE, about either brand, based on personal experience.
I value your oppinions.
Thanks, Dennis
I like the Church "The Walleye" boards for two reasons. You don't have to replace the clips as soon as you buy them and they have an extra pin/clip to keep the board on the line when it comes out of the clips while fighting a fish. I wanted to add that I have nothing negative to say about offshore boards other than they don't have the extra pin/clip to keep the board on your line. When the other two clips come off. I can't even count the number of times that has kept me from having to circle back to pick up a board, and since they're the same price I don't know why you wouldn't want them.
I'd recommend running 17 lb mono (thanks Ebijack!) instead of braid with any in line board. I've run in line weights, cranks and TT40s and they work with all of them. I wouldn't recommend anything over the TT40s off of the TX-22/The Walleye boards though.
I agree with everything you have written. Both boards deserve the reputation that they have, they are both made in America and both get the job done. I personally use the Church boards in the TX-22 model and use braid instead of mono. Almost without fail if there is a report of a lost board it is the OffShore boards that are lost. There are a couple of fixes for that problem, one is expensive and the other is rather cheap.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hoytman86
Like mentioned, either work very well. Just personal preference mostly. I ran Offshore for many years and preferred them to the Church. (sold my boat last year with all the equipment). I had many hours fishing both boards side by side in every possible fishing condition (including tourney's). For me the Offshore ran better overall.
Yes I installed Church super clips, have to do that on the Church also as they do not come with the super clips. If you place the line be it braid or mono into that Church super clip properly, it is not coming out. Unless you "set the hook" when a board is under water.
To fix that, I used Offshore original black, or the orange clips on the tow arm and the Church on the rear. This allows the front clip to release, the board will fall out of formation going to the rear of the boat when a fish strikes. If the board is taken under, you are not fighting the board in anyway. It is just hanging there. And will not come off.
If you want, with the Offshore, you can use a snap ( that is how they originally came) in the rear position so the board will slide down your line if the front clip releases. I never found that to be a good thing. Lost some really nice salmon when they jump and the board is flopping around just ahead of them. I'd rather have to go back and retrieve a board. Heck when only running 4 boards that is a breeze. Now when running 10 boards, it is a PIA. But like mentioned. A Church super clip on the rear, a releasable clip on the tow arm. You should never see that happen. Anyway that is my take.
Thanks Hoytman86, glad you like the #17 mono. No more braid problems.
Do you guys use the Tattle, Toggle, Flags ?
Great info so far, Thanks for your time.
Dennis
I use the flags. It makes detecting when you're dragging a small fish easier for me (which was very important this past year). They're not a must, but if you're not going to get them you would probably be better served by getting two boards in one side than getting one for each side. It's a lot easier to read them if you have two next to each other than one on each side.
I used the tattle flags. Made my own. Use #32 rubber bands, not springs. Yes you will break a very few rubber bands each year. But when you can get a bag for cheap and it is enough to last years. The rubber bands have unlimited tension settings. When set right, the flag will let you know when you have a perch/small fish on or even weeds. Or when a fish is playing with the bait, which allows you to feed the bait to them and catching alot more fish. For under $2/board why not. Snip a small "V" with side cutters at the top hole location to hold the rubber band in any position you place the rubber band. Couple examples.
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640...921/eyCDy9.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640...0/842/scbj.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640...0/829/a9et.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/640...0/209/5few.jpg
Also the rubber bands have alot of other uses holding things closed, together etc.
Thanks ebijack;
You went to a lot of trouble providing these photos, it is appreciated.
Dennis
We run our board very similar to ebijack, but we loop our band around the flag arm. Never tried it on the hook through the flag. We still have our spring on too but on the light setting. Might have to try to remove it.
What we found when running bandits without the bands, just the bait itself pulls hard enough to pull the flag halfway down. So we added the band to help keep it up. We were using #16 and#19, but found sometimes if you did not see the hit, we could be dragging a 2 plus pound white bass and the flag not continue to show. Last trip of the year we looped 2 #16 together to lighten up the tension, bait still ran with flags up but showed those smaller fish alot better. I think the key is just try a couple setting to get what you prefer.
I will try the #32 next year.
For me, using the #32 rubber band. I can set it tight enough where a 3oz weight will not pull the flag down. Or light enough using a 1/4oz weight/harness, one small weed will pull the flag down. BUT, with the setting that light, every wave will pull the flag mostly down, then come right back up. So you still have to be watching when'how the flag is going down.
Flag wire or looped over the flag both work. Since you can use braid/crimps as your connection from the flag to the rear clip and not use wire if you'd like. Works just as well. Then you have to loop the flag.
Attachment 4475
Lots of good info here!!! I was in your position at this time last year. I purchased a few sets of both Offshore and Church to learn with. I ended up preferring Offshore but like them both. Being very tight, I passed on the $10 tattle kit and made my own. Rubber bands are a must, imo, for adjustment to your liking and also be aware of the tension on the flag screw. I used a flat washer and a steel leader with ends removed as in picture above.
I don't have any photos, but a few years ago I lowered the rear eyelet from the upper part of the board where there is a hole and most everyone installs the eyelet for use with the tattle flag. Then put a new hole on the back side directly across from where the eyelet originally used to be on the front side. If that makes sense. And it does make a small difference in how the board rides in the water. Is it worth doing? Maybe. Running heavier weights like 3oz etc. You end up having a bit more of the board showing out of the water than using the higher position. The flag still works as it should, no change there. If I was setting up another 10 or 12 boards, I would make them all this way. You will have to remove the black plastic flag holder/store position ( I never used those anyway). The rubber band can take that job if you need.
We also took the eyelet up front lowered and moved it to the rear side of the board. Took the weight out, cut the plastic stop in front of the weight out (this takes some time with the dremel),moved the weight as far forward as it can go, redrill the hole for the retaining screw, and I was able to pull 40 true trips. The boards did run a little lower in the water, but had a nice run, not nose high, I do not run the tattles, but leave the flags up. I might try to run the tattles with that bigger band, just ran out of time last year to play with them
Ebijack, Offshore adopted your idea of lowering the rear clip. Last year they did it on their bigger boards and now, if you check out their website, their OR12 boards have a lower rear clip. I modified my old boards to try them.
Off Shore has addressed the issues stated previously in this thread. They redesigned the flag arm, and added more holes going up the side of the flag arm. The higher up on the arm you go the more tension you will have.
The Tattle Flag wire is now angled down towards the middle of the board, instead of straight to the back, to help keep the board more level when pulling deep diving cranks.
The weight can be moved forward or back for that reason too.
If you already have OST boards, you don't need to run out and buy new boards to achieve this. The older boards can work too. You would just need to buy the flag replacements...for the new design. The eyelet for the TTF wire can be moved down, by drilling a little hole where it shows in the picture I provided.
I run my Off Shore boards with the Snapper Release (OR-18) on the front arm, because they are easy to operate in the cold when my hands are frozen and stiff.... and an OR-16 on the back. That release has a pin in the center of the pad, and as along as you put the line behind the pin, you're never going to be chasing an escapee board.
I went back for one board this past season, and that was due to line breakage on a monster sheep head, not because the release let go.
Anyway, just thought I would let you know about the new features on the Off Shore boards, in case you hadn't heard about this yet. :)
church walleye boards if ur pulling 3..4...5.oz inlines ...or hard pullin divers...
I might have to try a few of those new flags, at only 3 bucks each that worth trying.
I would love to get to be able to not just fun my flags with my deep cranks, but run them on my tt, and have the tension still light enough to show my when a have 14 inch walleye ot small perch is on, I am sure we will have another season of the shorts. But it's a great sign for the next 10 plus years to come.
If you would like to see the improvments to Offshore boards go to their site they have a video on it.
Dennis