Planer boards

Any of you guys ever use planer boards for trolling for muskies??? I’m interested in trying this out as you can spread the baits out further from the boat and further from your partners bait as well. Is there a certain brand of planer boards that works better for muskie fishing versus say walleye fishing??? Also, is there a brand that works better for bigger waves that are found often on the bigger lakes?? I’m not trying to be a pontoon troller on Mille Lacs or anything, I fish out of a boat that I refer to as the “Toy Boat.” I know absolutely nothing on this subject, so if you have any advice or information on this, it would be much appreciated.

Use the “salmon” great lakes style planner boards. Use rubber bands for your releases and you fit a 4-6′ pole in your front pedalstal seat hole for your boards to run off of.
Research some salmon fishing techniques and it’ll help a ton.

Awesome. Thanks a lot for the info. I’ll have to do some research on it.

This is just a suggestion, but check out the planner boards that are red in color (I forget the brand). Walleye guys use them too. They are more adjustable and way cheaper than the big boards. The clip that attaches to your line works with any line, even super lines, and if it slips off due to wind/waves you can tighten it up. With the yellow boards you have to buy special clips. They can handle bigger baits too. Even 10″ jakes. Yes the board will be buried a bit, but it still floats and gets the bait away from the boat. The big board set up will cost you about $500.00 for the whole set up, whereas about $50.00 for two walleye boards. The bigger set-up is probably the way to go, but for just starting out the walleye boards are much more cost effective and more portable, and they take up awhole lot less space. Plus you can use them to troll for other fish too.

Thanks rjk. I’ll check them out.

What i would recommend is the red Church brand or yellow OffShore brand inline boards. I personnaly run the yellow Offshore with an upgrade on the snap releases to the OR 18’s which will keep the line from slipping if you use Fireline or superbraids. A set of Offshores would have no problem pulling with most all musky lures. Remember to lighten the drag and engage the clicker to indicate a strike.

I run the dual boards off a Big Jon mast, I also have the off shore in-lines, I definitely prefer the duals. I struggled finding clips that could hold bigger cranks and double 10 blades. I ran across some Opti Tackle “Net Clips”, at Sportsman’s Warehouse and haven’t looked back. They are oversize clips marketed for holding the netting part of a deep landing net back and out of the water. They are oversized and extra heavy duty, they work great. Better than the Off Shore extra heavys. The inline’s just don’t troll big baits well in any sort of wave action. For walleyes, save some dough and get the in-lines. For muskies, just like all your other heavy gear and tackle, you get what you pay for, and a mast set-up is worth the money.

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I run the dual boards off a Big Jon mast, I also have the off shore in-lines, I definitely prefer the duals. I struggled finding clips that could hold bigger cranks and double 10 blades. I ran across some Opti Tackle “Net Clips”, at Sportsman’s Warehouse and haven’t looked back. They are oversize clips marketed for holding the netting part of a deep landing net back and out of the water. They are oversized and extra heavy duty, they work great. Better than the Off Shore extra heavys. The inline’s just don’t troll big baits well in any sort of wave action. For walleyes, save some dough and get the in-lines. For muskies, just like all your other heavy gear and tackle, you get what you pay for, and a mast set-up is worth the money.

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I hate trolling, but Dan is correct

If you end up buying the planer boards, when I used to row troll my boards released, which I like. At night though you need to have some way to light them up so you can see them after the fish is brought to the boat and released. I use reflector tape that is put on semi trucks/trailer. If the flag is not the plastic variety, I apply the sticky side to the flag and staple in place. With a spot light, I can find my board later. I also use the same setup for my tip up flags when ice fishing.

Mark