Inline Planer Help

[CaptainNorthwood]

There has to be a better mouse trap out there then the current setup I'm using for walleye. I'm running inline planers and have rigged tattle flags on them. I fish Hubbard Lake almost exclusively, and sometimes the fish are so small, or its so rough, its hard to tell they are even on there. I like the idea of running inlines to widen your area of coverage and increase the number of rods you can use, but my problem is keeping from losing them when fish strike or more often then not waves popping them. My current remedy involves wrapping the line around the clips to keep from popping which works alright, but on some occassions, I'm losing fish because when you go to release the clips, the line gets stuck in or around those tension screws. So whose got a better mouse trap for eyes? I should note I also tried running a leader with a barrel swivel five feet above my harnass/hotntots then attaching a small bead, then completely removing the back clip on the inline and replacing that with a snap swivel, then when the front clip pops off on a fish the whole board will slide as far as the bead, but due to the beads larger diameter it cannot pass. This also worked alright, but the downside was you had to fight the planer all the way to the boat and I worried the swivel would wear at the line over time.

[double trouble]

whose releases are you using and how old are they? the pads wear out after a few years.you can order new pads from offshore or switch from the black or-14 releases to the stronger or-16 red releases. you should only need to switch the front one.remember to put the line all the way in the pad.i almost lost a board last weekend because i didn't put it all the way in.i had to go chase the board.better yet is to use church boards releases. they adjust more and are wider so they do not release. they are also easier to get on and off. i like both boards but church walleye boards rule for pulling core and tough conditions.

[chuckinduck]

Northwood and I use the black 14's I believe. We run the Offshore brand, but will church's planer releases work on the offshores? I just used the church's last week with a buddy for salmon and I'm wishing I'd have spent an extra ten bucks or so on those. They seem like a better design, especially in windy conditions.

[east bay ed]

switch to the or 18 release. on hubbard lake as well as any lakes that have small walleye it is very important to start off with two boards on a side. this makes them easier to read. when one board starts to fall back just lift the rod and feel if you have more drag then you should. this will only come with hours on the water. most of my hubbard lake walleye come from watching the board not the flag. that said i have seen 8lb walleye on saginaw bay that do not drop the flag.

[scottyhoover]

run your boards not to release, this is the easiest.

Use a snap weight clip on the back, and like ED said use a 18 snapper or a or-16 heavy (red or orange) on the front. The guy not on the rod needs to just be ready to make the board removal a smooth process....once you do that you're all good.

make your life easier and run the same lures side by side on 2 boards. Even with tattle flags just make sure you watch to see if one drops out of line.

[chuckinduck]

Thanks guys I'll have to switch to the heavier clips and just hope they hold without wrapping the line. The two planer idea is good, as it stands I can run 5 rods comfortably, but usually run two boards, two dipseys set at 2, then run a high line right down the pipe with a walley diver or hotntot. On calm days I've been able to tell when a fish is on, but I've also drug smaller 12-15" fish on rough days when you can't tell as easy.

[BobB(MI)]

I agree with the others...even Ed. Upgrade to the OR16 (red) or the OR18 (snapper) release and you will not have any more issues. If you buy the Off-Shore Tattle Flag kit, you get 2 of the OR16 releases included. I've replaced all the standard black releases and use them for snap weights less than 2oz.

With either the OR16 or the OR18 you will not have to double wrap your line. If you get the OR18, make sure to adjust the tension. Due to the camming type action, the front 1/3 of the release may hold and the back 2/3 may slip - if so, just tighten the screw.

As for not being able to tell about small fish, don't be afraid to loosen the springs or even replace them with others. Between changing the spring settings and comparing one board to another on the same side (and hours upon hours of practice!), dragging fish should happen less and less...even on Hubbard.

Keep the boards attached for walleyes - only exception is perhaps really large ones that submerge the board (+10lbs) which adds significant tension. Having the boards rigged to release is the ticket for salmon and steelhead that fight and make runs. For the 'eyes, it's best to keep constant tension the whole way in...with the board.

Good luck.
Bob

[SabikiRig]

Northwood,

I have to agree with the others....

Rig the board so the line does not release from the board. The tattle flag does a great job letting you know if there is something on.

The OR18 Snappers and OR16's (Red/Orange Releases) are much better and well worth the investment. The OR18's were made to handle Fireline and they a great job with 12 LB mono without wrapping. Just run the line deeper in the release so they do not trip.

Here is a little tip fo you if you are running harnesses (with inline weights) and plan to upgrade to the OR18's and OR16's. Run the flag spring at the 3rd hole down from the top and leave a little bit of slack in the line between the front (OR18) and the rear release (OR16).

What you want the the flag to do is ride straight vertical when your board is set. If done right you can actually see the flag move back or down as fish are niping the tail of the worm or have taken the bait.....

A three hook Harness with a #5 Colo will not have enough drag to pull the flag down unless it has a fish on or seaweed fouling your harness......

This works method works on both my OR12 (Yellow) and OR31 SST (Orange) boards. I run each color board on both port and starboard. Each rod has its its own board and I do not run multiple rods on one board unless I am running my larger side planers.

The Orange Board on the outside and the Yellow is on the inside. It makes it much easier for me to tell my partner which board may have a fish on.

[Capt Hook]

Northwood

You have been given some good advice by the other post. The only thing I can add is---Watch you rod tips. They will stop working when you pick up extra weight. Next time you think you have something going on- look at the rod tip and them remenber how it looks when you do have something on that rod. I almost never watch the boards anymore. I can tell when I have picked up a weed or a Goby.