Planer Boards

Do-it-yourselfers might want to try their hand at constructing the planer board, or side planer, to help them with their surface trolling (see Figure 5-4). The planer board is an effective tool for catching shy fish in shallow waters. Attached with extra strong Dacron line, the planer board can be positioned well to the side of your boat to travel parallel to it. Rigged with a line-releasing mechanism such as those used on downriggers, the Dacron line can be attached directly to the planer board. When the board is set out it will nose away from the boat to whatever distance you desire, taking the fishing line and trailing the lure with it (see Figure 5-5).

After the planer board is set into position, the line from boat to board is adjusted to allow sufficient slack to prevent a premature release. As the fish strikes, the fishing line will be pulled free of the board and will drop back behind it where it can be played without interference. Set up in this manner with a permanently mounted release mechanism, the planer board will have to be wound back in in order to reset your line, which is very time consuming. Newer techniques using large snaps and rubber-tipped alligator clips can eliminate this windup procedure and get your lines back into action almost instantly.

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