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Every year I think, “Maybe I should invest in planer boards”. But the information can be so conflicting when asking around. Example: I was at the new Field and Stream store recently look at the Big Jon mast, associate working there say’s “you don’t want those - use inlines”.
My question is, do you guys use inlines or does everyone use the big boards?
Currently we can run 6 lines total, 4 Dipsy and 2 downrigger but I’m always looking for ways to add more baits.
Depends on the boat and how much you want in invest. Do you have a hardtop? Can you access your bow easily? If the answer to both of those questions is no then you should maybe consider inline boards.
Providing your reels are calibrated accurately with inlines you can keep all of your lines in the strike zone at all times. With big boards you can do almost the same but the inside lines may be to high while waiting on the outside line to come back to the boat or to deep once you bring in the outside line and slide your inside lines outside. Storage of six smaller boards is almost always easier with a boat the size of yours vs the big boards.
You would also have to have several releases for the big boards vs none for the inlines. We ran 8 inlines last Sat. without any problems and you should be able to also. You should also be able to run the the riggers and at least 2 of the dipsy's with inlines or big boards. I find it easier to run the inlines and others would beg to differ with me as they find the big boards easier to run.
So with that being said it may be best for you to hitch a ride with a couple of people who run each style boards so you can judge for yourself. Either method should help you run more lines and catch more fish.
Skinny, small boards are great as long as the fish hit them like their supposed to , and the boards go out behind the boat and into the shoot ,it's when they just mouth them and swim with the bait, it's hard to tell if you have a bite or not ,the back end sometimes will sag or pull down just slightly,the flag system helps with that , and then you have to pull in the board along with the fish, the trick with that is to keep your rod tip close to the water and once it's up to the boat in one motion pick the board out of the water, the new clips avalable now for the boards are fantastic all you have to do is just hit the lever,and pop the line is out they even are great on braid, now for me I still like the big boards I can tell easier when I have a walleye hanging and see a rubber band stretch 2 or 3 times the length than there normally running, and when they pop you don't have to fight a board , just a fish , I have a small boat and depending on the number of people I'll run 6 -8 on the boards and 2 flat lines down the shoot , good luck