planer boards

[ryan the poor college kid]

i am thinkin about getting a couple planer boards. what have you guys been using? and i guess i am looking for ease of use, along with low price...like always. also, is there any risk of loosing a fish when taking the snap of the board???
thanks for any help.

[blake]

OFF-SHORE boards are the best all around. Done carefully and slowly, releasing the board from the line doesn't seems to cause many fish lost.

blake

[RickyP]

I prefer Mr. Walleye boards myself. I think the Off Shore boards are overpriced. You spend $21-$22 for the board and then have to add the flags, different releases...ugh!! The Roach boards have worked great for me.

[JWilson]

My vote is for Off Shore. The OR-18 snapper release is both effective and easy to use with the super lines. The tattle flags are a blast to use. They are also a great tool when fishing in an area with debris or small fish. They save a lot of wasted time by showing when the hooks are fouled or a small fish is being towed along.

[BRS1]

JWilson summed it up perfectly.

I second the Off Shore.

Brian

[Atomic Eye]

Ryan,

Another vote for Off Shore with the Tattle Tale flags.

Atomic Eye (New Mexico) -- "Gone Fission!" ~~~<}}}:>

[Wallygetter]

I have used both and I like different features on both. The Roach board has a spring loaded release pin on the back for your line, which is really handy, and a very good clip on front for any type of line that works extremly well. On the other hand I feel the Off Shore tracks better in rougher water, and offers the Tattle Tale Flag which I'm still trying to deceide if I like that feature or not. I have made some tattle flags also for the Roach boards, that work as well as Off Shore. I know the board of choice for most Pro's are Off Shore, personally I have eight Off Shore and 2 Roach's, but I still like them both about equally, they both will get the job done.

[Boatnut]

Ricky,
I agree whole heartedly. In my opinion, the roach boards work better on superlines without having to upgrade and they are a LOT easier to remove and put on if fishing by yourself , which I do a lot of. I'm not knocking the off shore boards, but after having tried both, my vote goes to the Mr. walleye boards.

[Toolman]

I agree with walleygetter on the ease of operation of the Roach boards. If you ever fish by yourself, the "Roachclip" front release and pull pin rear release are hands down easer to operate than either of Offshore's releases (OR 16 /OR 18). You will lose fewer fish when releasing the board with the Roach boards. On the other side of the argument is the fact that the Offshore boards pull large cranks and jets better, and run better in rough water. The material on Roaches line clip is some amazing stuff. I use Fireline and Power pro (and mono) and it holds up well.That being said both have a place (if you can afford) in your boat. I use both. Don't get me wrong Offshores are operable when fishing by yourself, just more difficult.
Fish On
Tim

[steve dover]

The roach bds, and offshore are both good, but overall I prefer the roach bds because of the release and the action they impart on the lure, which I think is a factor with different bds. But if I was to only buy one type it would be the offshore as they are more versitile eg. the roach don't work well in dead slow trolling and really rough water. After using both types I personally wouldn't be without both due to ads and disads depending on conditions. Hope this helps...

[Walleye Boy]

Church Roach board by far much easier to operate you never have to go back and chase them there cheaper have a weight adjust how they track in rough water and now come in smaller and larger sizes, you dont have to double wrap them with fireline, and in cold weather or by yourself you cant beat them

[REELMAN]

I have used all of the major boards out there. I like them all for one thing or another. What I did was to combine the best of them all.
I put Roach clips on the front and back of my off shore boards with the tattle tail kits. Upgrade the spring in the tattle tail kit with a C-73 spring and you will be set.

[ryan the poor college kid]

ok, now do any of you guys wanna sell me a couple? all i can afford is around twenty dollars.

[Walizz 1]

I've used both and prefer the off-shore. Easier to handle and they show up better in the water.

[Rod Holder]

I bit the bullet and purchased first one pair of Off Shore boards and tattle flag kit, then later got a second pair. A friend made his own tattle flag set up using seven strand, a spring from a spring kit, and a crimper. It can be done a little cheaper. I like the tattle flag set up. I can't say that the clips on the Off shores cause much of a problem. I do double wrap with Fireline but when unclipping this isn't bad. Can't remember ever losing a fish unclipping the board. I had a chuckle about fellows catching sheephead instead of walleyes. Imagine watching your flag go down, you know it's a fish because you can feel the movement, get it up to the boat...walleye Nope Sheephead Nope Channel cat...Yep Happened more than once where a cat took a spinner/harness rigged crawler. Hmm...
I like my Off Shores.

[JCarp]

Offshores w/Church (Roach) clips gets my vote. I've only used the church/offshore combo on the old style metal arm boards, but a couple of friends are using the new plastic arm ones w/church clips & they haven't complained. I haven't used the offshore clips with pins. I have used the Willie's Snapper release (I think Offshore bought it) but consider them cumbersome on boards when solo.

Offshores handle big baits/divers and rough water better. For sensitivity, Roach boards beat Offshores without tattle flags because of the single clip. If you didn't used two clips on Offshores (big snap swivel on back), I suspect they would be as sensitive. Tattle flags with Offshore springs are awesome for low resistance baits. I kinda think the positive side to tattle flags decreases when you have to go with the heavier springs.

One perch spreader, 2 springs and 4-6 washers = 2 tattle flags. I'm planning to try to make a wooden "larger size" in-line board for muskie baits at higher speeds than Offshores like. Just fooling around. Has anyone tried this?

[Reels]

Why not buy one of each and decide for yourself. Run an offshore on the right and a roach on the left. After you decide what you like better, it wont be hard to get someone willing to trade with you for the one you dont want.

Kinda like Chevy verses Ford...

<{{}}><

[Reels]

Hey Ryan,

Did you ever decide wich rod to buy after your poll?

<{{}}><

[G3]

I use Off Shore Boards Exclusively the OR-18 release is a great combo with my in line boards. I get absolutly no slip and don't have to wrap my fireline three times around roaches "oops I slipped clips".
This is just my opinion but I would spend twice as much for OFF SHORE boards than any other on the market.

[ryan the poor college kid]

REELS:
hey, about the rod, well i think since i can get the fenwick, factory reconditioned, for $50 that will be the rod i will get. after i get out of school, i am going to try a St. Croix. i have never used a "nice" St. Croix but from what i hear, they are pretty good. i like the G Loomis, but i like the Techna AV's better.

OK, now i think i will try one of each of the planer boards. i think the split is 50/50 so, trying one of each is the best bet.

thanks guys for the info, way more than i expected!!!
i sure do appreciate it.
thanks again.

[Ness]

Hi, Ryan. When I decided I wanted to get into boards, I went with Off
Shore. I talked to my buddy, Denny Braun from the Sportsman's Outpost, and he said Offshore without any hesitation and that was good enough for me. Also, I've been out on Lake Erie with several of the boys from this board. Some Pro's, some not and they've all been running OffShore boards. I can work the releases on mine just fine and I'm fairly sure that I don't have the strength in my fingers that you guys do? I haven't even changed my releases.
Another thing that no one mentioned is be sure to buy the book, "Precision Trolling." I'd be totally lost without it. It really simplifies the trolling experience. Maybe before you buy the boards,
you should pop into a store where the book is sold and take a look see? I don't remember seeing Church boards in those pictures?????????