How to Fish with Planer Boards: Trolling Tips to Catch More Fish

How to Set Planer Boards for Trolling

The uninitiated may be concerned that fishing multiple lines from one moving boat will lead to a tangled mess. But by following a few simple tips, trolling is easy and trouble-free. Here’s how to set your lines for efficiency without getting tangled.

Start With the Line Farthest From the Boat

Jason Julien, owner of Church Tackle, a leading planer board manufacturer, says, “To set a spread running planer boards, the easiest way is to set your outside line (farthest from the boat) first and work your way in," Julien said.

Tips for Trolling Crankbaits

“When running crankbaits, set your longest lead (the distance from the planer board to the lure) on the outside board and work to your shortest lead coming toward the boat. This is to help keep your lines from tangling when bringing in fish.”

Crawler Harness Setup

While running crawler harnesses or something that is weighted, set your lightest weights on the outside and heavier weights as you get closer to the boat. One ounce on the outside, two ounces on the middle board and three ounces on the closest board, for instance. This puts the lowest-angled lines on the outside to aid in coming over the top of the inside lines without tangling.”

Most Efficient Line Length

Julien keeps his lines as short as possible. He would rather add a snap weight to get a crankbait down deeper than let out more line.

“Keep it as short as possible,” he said. “It's less time to set the hook, less time for the fish to reach the boat and it's more efficient.”

Pro Tips for Reeling in a Board Without Losing a Fish

When you're reeling in a board, especially when you have a fish on, Julien advises anglers to keep the boat in gear and keep the rod tip down.

“Keep your rod tip low,” he said. “You can even put the tip of the rod into the water. It makes the rod less efficient so you're not fighting the board. Reel until you only have about four feet of line from the tip of the rod to the board, then pick up your rod and the board will come with it.”

The last thing you want is for the board to suddenly plunge underwater. Then there's a lot more resistance and the fish could get slack and get away.

“Guys get the board somewhat close to the boat and their instinct is to pop the rod out of the water and the board dives,” Julien said.

Once the board has reached the boat, keep the boat in gear to keep tension on the line so the fish doesn't get away. Then, one angler quickly unclips the board from the line while the other holds the rod. In seconds, the angler can fight the fish the rest of the way without the board in the way. With a little practice, you can perform all of these steps yourself, but a second angler makes it easier.

How to Reset a Board

“To reset a board back into position, you can let the board back straight behind the boat, then put tension on it and work it back into position without pulling the other boards out of position,” Julien said. To do this you might have to let out a lot of line (particularly if you're resetting an outside board) to get beyond the inner and middle lines. Do this without putting tension on the board so it doesn't start planing to the side. Once you've let out enough line to get beyond the lines that are still fishing (and your line counter will tell you this), engage the reel to put tension on the board to get it to plane sideways and into position.

Add Stern Planers to Catch the Spooky Fish You’re Missing

There's another application for planers as well: spooky fish. If you're dealing with shallow fish in clear water, the Church Tackle Stern Planer is a useful tool. This cone-shaped planer board attaches to your line similar to a regular planer board, but it doesn't plane to the side. Instead, it's designed to be fished far behind the boat. When fished far back, a fish that was spooked by the passing boat has time to settle back into position and get back into a feeding mood.

But if you tried to troll a lure far behind your boat without a stern planer, letting out excessive line would cause your lure to go too deep; either fishing below the fish or getting snagged. So the stern planer keeps the right amount of distance between the board and the lure (achieving the desired lure depth) but reduces the chances of the fish spooking because they don’t see your lure until long after your boat has passed.

Best Gear for Planer Board Fishing

You can get started trolling planer boards with most standard medium-sized tackle, but there are some specific recommendations that will make your trolling more effective and efficient.

Why Line Counter Reels are Ideal

High-capacity line-counter level-wind reels are the choice for most planer board anglers. The line counter lets you get your lure to the proper depth if you have a crankbait dive chart and also to replicate the depth if you catch a fish. A strong clicker lets you deploy a lure on its own while you ready another rod. Once it has gone out far enough, just close the bail and the line is set.

The Best Rods for Trolling With Boards

Specialized planer board rods are usually long. This helps get the lines away from the boat and pick up slack line quickly. Plus, they have to deal with a lot of torque from planer boards dragging in the water. Planer board rods usually run 8 to 10 feet, with some measuring even longer!

Picking the Best Fishing Line for Trolling

Monofilament line in the 15- to 20-pound range is the ticket for fishing planer boards. There's a lot of drag on the water with boards, thus the need for heavy line. Plus, mono has another benefit:

“It's easier for boards to stay on,” said Julien “In a trolling application, I think having some stretch is desirable. Braid pulls the hooks out and mono stays in the release better.”

You Can Catch More Fish by Trolling

Trolling with planer boards isn't complicated, but it takes a little practice if you're not used to it. Be sure to check your local regulations first, but trolling is incredibly effective in waters everywhere for a wide variety of species like walleye, crappie, salmon, trout, muskie, northern pike and even striped bass. By applying these simple tips you can start taking advantage of the most efficient way to cover a lot of water and greatly improve your chances of finding active fish.