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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! - Planer Boards
February 25, 2007
Saltwater anglers use outriggers to spread baits when trolling. Freshwater anglers accomplish the same results with devices known as side planers. Depending on design, size and shape, baits can be positioned at considerable distances off either side of the boat. Pulling planer boards is extremely popular with area striper and crappie anglers.
Fishing with the boards allows an angler to cover a wider swath than just the distance between the rods positioned on the boat gunnels. In order to better understand the concept, think of the boat as a lawn mower, and the water's surface as the lawn. If you look behind a mower, you can see the path that has been trimmed. The wake of a boat also creates a path. In order to speed the lawn cutting process, one must either increase the speed, or use a mower with a wider cutting deck. Since anglers know that trolling at fast speeds will drown baits or make them to swim unnaturally, side planer boards are recommended when searching for fish.
Planers provide other advantages. They distance baits far from the presence of the boat, which helps prevent the spooking of leery fish. The boards also allow one to use lures in water more shallow that a boat can run. Properly positioned boards allow anglers to fish more lines and help minimize the chance of tangling. A popular technique is to position the inshore board(s) so that they pass inside near docks, while the outside board(s) are weighted slightly as they swim the channel side.
Boards can be quite effective in calm or shallow water. The greater the distance they are from the boat, the better. Anglers might set them to run 100' off the sides. It is important to angle the rods high enough so that the line doesn't drag. Weights can be added to sink baits to a desired depth. In rough water, it is easier to see and control boards close to the boat.
Rigging planer boards is easy. First, position the bait 10' or more from the boat. Attach the line to the alligator clip on the front of the board. Close the rear snap over the line. When secured, place the board in the water and pay out the desired distance. When a strike occurs, the line snaps from the clip and pulls through the snap. It is stopped by a bead placed above the two-way swivel that connects the leader to the hook.
Planers are designed to float upright. They are made of wood, plastic, metal or Styrofoam, and are sold as a set of left and right. Popular colors are orange and chartreuse. Both colors are easy to locate in rough water. Boards come in lengths up to twenty-four inches. The smaller ones work well with light tackle. Larger boards are used with heavy tackle, large baits and rough conditions.
Tips from Capt. Gus:
* With water current, boards can be fished from an anchored boat.
* Boards with built-in noise makers, usually BB's, rattle to attract fish.
* Varying speeds allow baits to rise and fall, which entices reaction strikes.
Upcoming Events:
Jim Ledbetter Memorial – Bass Tournament – March 10, 2007 – Queen's Landing, Lake Norman
Total guaranteed prize money will be over $15,000. For more information, contact Bob Patrick at 828-459-1119.
Daylight Savings Time begins on Sunday, March 11, 2007
NCCATS - Catfish Tournament - March 17, 2007 - Badin Works/Alcoa - Badin Lake
For more information, visit www.NCCATS.com.
Hot Spot of the Week – The area around the Highway 150 Bridge is producing nice catches of stripers and bass. Watch for diving birds and swirls on the surface, both indications of feeding activity.
The lake level is down 94.5 or 5.5' below full pond. Surface water temperature is in the low-to-mid forties.
Captain Gus Gustafson of Lake Norman Ventures, Inc. is an outdoor columnist and a full time professional fishing guide on Lake Norman, NC. Visit his web site, Fishin' With Gus! at www.FishingWithGus.com or call 704-617-6812.
For additional information e-mail Gus at Gus@LakeNorman.com
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