In line boards or a mast planar board system

I am looking for some advice on planar boards. I currently, and have for many years, run in-line planar boards with tattle flags. They work well, but I have always wondered if the mast systems would work better. Why is there not more fisherman using the mast systems rather that in-line boards? It would be nice to play the fish directly without the in-line board in the way. Also it seems to me it would be easier to run snap weights using a mast system. I am currently considering purchasing a mast system, however I would like to get some advice, as they are kind of expensive.

Thanks in advance for any advice,

Old Coot

Old Coot (OC), Great question.
I often wondered this my self. I agree with you. I have salmon fished with the mast system and it worked great. If there was a bite on the outside rod, no jostling of the other rods were required. You ended up fighting the fish in the open area out the back. Real easy to set lures out also. I have considered buying the mast system a few times and also considered posting this very same question numerous times, just never got a round to it . So I would like to hear from some others and their opinions of any good or bads and why Walleye fisherman do not use this system.

I do use the mast. I have used in lines before and i did not like the way they pulled on my rods. I like to put my bait clickers on. The mast is litte easyer for me to use. But people seem to want to stop in front of you. If they do you can’t stop, they keep on going. It is easyer to wind the fish in than the boards too. Hope this helps, schulzee

Where do you fish mainly? What types of lakes, what areas?

Thanks for your comments. I would like to hear from some others as well on the use of the mast systems. The only draw back I can think of is if you hook a fish on the outside line, all other lines on that side need to come in to re-set that line again. Is this true? This would only apply when fishing several lines out each side.

Scott,

I fish Pepin, Francis Case and Lac Seul. This year I am going to fish Erie for the first time in late April and Winni for the first time in Late may. I don’t have any real preference in techniques when it comes to catching walleyes, but I find myself trolling some kind of crank bait more and more. It is a very effective technique. I long line mostly, but also use lead core and sometimes snap weight when needed. I have pulled spinners also on in-line boards also.

OC

If I Remeber right, we did not adjust the other rods when a fish bit on the outside line. When a fish bites he releases the line form the clip attached to the Planar board mast line. Which stops the lure from running with the boat and the line between the clip and the rod then does allow the boat more distance between the fish and the boat. Then the line is being led from the rod where your allowed to fight the fish up the Vee pattern of other baits. I bleieve this is what happens. It has been a few years since I fished the salmon on the mast sytem.

After you land the fish. you just let more line out on the other rods on the same side of the last bite to gain more distance between the clip and the boat on the mast line. Then take the rod you just had landed the fish with, send it out on the mast line and now this is your inside rod. I believe you may need to re-adjust the rods in the rod holders at this point. I believe you keep the rod holder nearest the bow as the outside rod and the rod holder nearest the transom as the inside rod.

Just going off of memory from a few years back. We all know what our memeory can do to us !

Scott,

Do you have any experience with this system and do you believe it could work for Walleyes for Open Basin Water trolling??? Erie, Mille Lacs, LOTW? OR do you believe in line would be better???

I fish storm lake, clear lake, spirt lake, lake oahe brushy creek. I use the clicker so if a fish hits it pull alot of line off the reel, ether in side or out side you will have enought line out to keep it ou t of the way of the others. When you get the fish in let the in side line slide down line and reset it. Them set the other where you want them.

Lip Ripper,

Thanks. Now I get. I feel stupid. Of course, the rod that just caught a fish becomes the inside line. Makes sense.

So, what if any are the disadvantages of the mast system. I just can’t think of any, except expense and storage.

My advice would be to stick with inline boards unless you fish the Great Lakes a lot. I do a lot of trolling on Mille Lacs and I would not even consider going to a mast system anymore. When I first got into trolling a lot I was convinced I needed a mast system. I have learned to appreciate the flexibilty on inline boards. There are ways to increase your odds if you do some experimenting with them.

Yes, you still have to fight the board, but that is part of the excitement.

Scott,

What specifically do you not like about the mast system? Again, I don’t see the disadvantages, but I’m sure there must be some or I would see more serious trollers using them. To me fighting the fish without the board in between is more appealing, but I’m not sure it is worth the 400 to 500 bucks to get set up with a mast system. It is hard to break away from something (in line boards) that has been working for years, but I’m always looking for new ways to pull cranks and the mast is a tool I want to learn more about.

Thanks for your help.

My 2 cents worth – inlines are easier to manuever in tighter spaces and around other boats. Mast sytems are really good on bigger waters, Lake Michigan, Erie, etc.

A buddy’s dad has been running a mast for muski fishing for a few years now. He wouldn’t give it up for the world!

He loves it!!!

He uses it from LOTW, Mille Lacs, even smaller lakes, such as Inguadona.

In situations such as muskie fishing. It may be easier to run a mast than pulling bigger boards when battling fish.

Is there a decrease in hooking percentage due to the bit of slack formed when the line is disengaged from the release clip?? Anybody have any other down falls or good things about this system?

I know he has never lost a fish from it.

He was very skeptical about it, thinking that it was a waste of money.

So, on Ingy, he set it up and started trolling. Just as he got everything set, one of the lines popped off the board. As he was cusing and cursing out his son for convincing him to buy the system, he grabbed the rod……..to have it almost ripped out of his hands……….47″ ski in about 2 minutes of trolling open water on a small skinny lake……….

He is SOLD!!!

What he likes about the mast, is that he never has to bring in the boards. He can “snap off” the line from the clip, clean weeds, change lures, change line length, whatever. To re-hook up, he just clips the line to the cable and let it slide down to the board.

Personally, I think this is a better system, than in line boards for fighting bigger fish. The last thing a guy needs is a heavy board flooping around on the line while your are trying to battle a big tuna that is thrashing around.

For the average Pepin walleye of 15 to 25 inches, I think the in line board would be sufficient.

I am assuming we are talking walleye here. Muskie is a whole different ball game. The first disadvantage is the cost of the system. The second it the manueverability of the boards. Third, unless you are running a lot of lines, there isn’t a real advantage. Forth, you have that Mast system in your boat to deal with all them time. As LR mentioned earlier, you also have that “release” to deal with, similar to a downrigger.

The real benefits are if you are pulling a lot of lines it can be easier and if you are pulling large plugs, like muskie lures at higher speeds there is some benefit.

Personally, I love inline boards. They are easier to read, allow you to run quite a few different set-ups and do every thing I need.

You can set inline boards to release from the line, but all they do is slide down to the fish and you still have to fight the board some.

Thanks to all for the helpful coments and advice. I am talking about using them for walleye and “normal” conditions. I think I will stick with in-line planar boards for now and see how I like running them on Erie before I go spending the money on the mast system. My boat is already full of stuff I don’t use, I probably need to get more proficient at the in-line boards before moving on to something else.

I will be fishing at Red Wing Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If any of you see a dark green Ranger 621, full windshield, 250XS and T-8 Kicker swing in and say hey.

Thanks again,

Old Coot

I’m surprised that no one mentioned the action that boards add to the lure.
Like the way boards surf forward faster, then slow down on the back side of the wave. Or the way they jump in rough water, or stop completely, momentarily when hitting water again. Boards can add alot of different actions to the lure.
Some days, this is critical. Other days, the smooth, steady pull of a good mast system may be better. But day in and day out, I’ll take the action that comes with in-line boards.
JWB

Good point Joel..I just didn’t want to give away all the secrets Just kidding! You are right about the “action” of the board, it makes a big difference sometimes.