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  Fishin' with Capt. Gus! ~ Planer Boards
March 15, 2009
Saltwater anglers use outriggers to spread baits when trolling. Freshwater anglers get the same results by using side planers. Depending on design, size and shape, baits can be positioned at considerable distances from 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 swim unnaturally, side planer boards are recommended.
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 not only allow anglers to fish more lines, they 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 and 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 and 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 there 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 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 in rough conditions.
Tips from Capt. Gus:
In moving water, planer boards can be fished from an anchored boat.
Upcoming Events:
A two-hour class offered by Lighthouse Marine Services on “How to Safely Navigate Lake Norman” will be conducted at Gander Mountain, Exit 36 at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 19, 2009. Capt. Gus Gustafson will discuss how to safely navigate the main channel, creek arms, danger spots, and back coves during daylight and at night. Other topics will include navigation and shoal markers, boat ramps, marinas, restaurants & other points of interest. The registration fee for this class is $25.00. To register, call 704 587 0325 or email uscgc17@bellsouth.org.
On Saturday, March 21, 2009, Light House Marine Services will offer a Boater Safety and PWC Class. Registration fee is $49.00 for this eight-hour session beginning at 9:00 a.m. The class will be at North Point Watersports, 112 Doolie Road, Mooresville, NC. To register, or for more information, call Capt. Scott Spivey – 704 587 0325 or visit http://www.lmservice.org.
A free seminar on “How to Catch Trophy Flathead Catfish while Fishing for White Perch” will be at Gander Mountain, Exit 36, at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 26, 2009. The two-hour session will be conducted by fishing guide Mac Byrum and myself. For additional information, call 704 658 0822.
Hot Spots of the Week:
Bass are hitting lures in water less then ten feet deep. Best results are on banks with a southern exposure to the sun and around docks and boat ramps. Crappie have moved to shallow brush piles and are biting Malibu jigs and small minnows. Stripers are on points early and late, and prefer live baits.
The lake level is 97.4 or 2.6’ below full pond. Surface water temperature is in the fifties.
Captain Gus Gustafson of Lake Norman Ventures, Inc. is licensed by the US Coast Guard, a member of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association, and 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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