Braid vs mono what works best for you

[Dr.Ed]

I have used 17-20 lb Trilene XT and Church Walleye boards for years and never had a line break. Recently, at Fin/Feather I picked up 4 OPTi 492 Large boards with spring loaded tattle flags and I like them a lot. It takes a lot of guess work out of the equation when it comes to small fish and I can load them and unload them faster than any other inline board I have used.
In case anyone is wondering I am fishing and catching but not in the numbers I want so I have remained silent. I'm running Bandits like everyone else and most of the fish I am catching are big with several Fish Ohio. I hope that next week I can pass on some useful information. Till then, be courteous and safe. (Ch.68 on Tues)

[Gradyfish]

when trolling with inline boards do you just go off the crankbait dive chart and the boards are just a tell sign of a strike?

I think I know what you are asking so here is how the board works. Look at your dive curve, if you want to be 12 ft down get the line out number that correlates with that depth, say 60ft of line out gets you to 12 ft down, from your crankbait let out 60ft of line then attach your planer board, then let out however much more line you want the board away from the boat, I usually put out 100ft after the board on my outside boards, this gets them 100 ft away from the boat. The main purpose of the board is to get you lures away from the boat, but you will also learn to read your boards for strikes, weeds, short fish, larger fish are easy as they will pull your boards backward. You can shorten your learning curve by installing tattle flags to the board. Depending how you set them, the tattle flag will go back slightly to all the way indicating anything from weeds, short fish, to big fish.
When I set my boards out each side I let the length out on the second and third board to fall inline toward the boat, when even a smaller size Walleye gets on it will pull that board out of line and gets my attention.

Hopefully I answered your question!

[Frank]

I also use 12lb. Big game, very good for the price for years I never used it I thought it was cheap junk line,but I was very surprised with the quality of the.I now buy the 4700 yd spools. I like the line and haven't had a breakoff not to mention the cost savings

[Hoytman86]

I run 30lb power pro on top on 25 big game as a backer. I also run abut a 20 ft floro leader. So I have my crank, duo clip with swivel about 20ft leader, and tiny spro 50 lbs swivel, my braid. The small swivel just cranks right through the eyes with no issue. This gives me a little bit stretch when going slow and fighting big fish.

I run this on both big boards and little boards

We go right off the dive curve for the crank, of the 40tt, or inline, or tadpole. The boards both side plan the lines and show and tell fish......even though with these shorts it can be hard to see a bit or even tell a fish is on.

Just asking here, but why a swivel at all? A double uni knot will get the job done and less terminal tackle to buy. I like having the swivels on the line for harnesses, but I usually just put them on the end of the leader that snaps on the harness. Again, just asking, not giving you a hard time.

[branhamautomotive]

To me it gives everything freedom to move. You could use a double uni, which is what I use to splice my braid to the mono backer. But the florocarbon leader does not like to twist. So much like on a worm harness you uses the swivel to allow it to twist in the water and not get all knotted up, it's the same reason.

If you get a she ahead that rolls coming in, of you get 2 or 3 hooks in any fish they won't come straight in, if you get thinks tangled up, it gives another point of movement.

I have fished both with the leader and without, and at slower speeds, and with bigger fish it gives a little bit spring and stretch in the line.

Another side benifit if the inline board slides down the line most of the time it will stop at the swivel, so I now have the chance to get the board off before it get to the fish and still not be pulling funny on the fish, the uni know might do the same I don't know.

Anot her side benifit I did not plan on when I started running the leaders, in muddy water sometimes you won't see a fish till just feet away, if the counter gets bumped and now not readin in the right spot, I know when I see the leader come up I have a certain number of feet to the fish.

Those swivels on ebay are 13.50 for 50 of them. I use size 8 50lbs, they fit through my eyes on the poles. But some rods have smaller eyes and the size 10 35 lbs might need to be used. So for .27 cents each it's nit going to break me at all epically compaired to price of everything else

[Reel_Deal]

well i went ahead and got the 12 lb big game mono. heard a lot of good things and got a lot of info from everyone. i appreciate all the input. hopefully this will elevate my trolling game to new heights. can't wait to get on the lake this weekend to try the new setup out with all the help you guys have given me.