Planer Boards - how to detect small fish?

[Hilljack]

I'm new to running boards this year. I'm using Offshore in-line boards.

The silver bass were thick yesterday on Erie and I found it was very hard to tell when one was on. The walleye move the board in towards the boat and cause the front of the board to tip up. Many times I checked the lines only to find I was dragging a small silver bass.

What's the secret?

We still managed to get 4 nice eyes on the boards anyhow in front of Bolles Harbor.

[whitetips]

Keep the boards lined up, That way any weight will drop one back alittle, Watch the flag on the inside board clears the outside board
line.

[ezmarc]

You'll get used to it and be able to read your boards but if you don't want to wait the best bet would be to run tattle flags. You can either make your own or buy the kit from Ofshore but they make the boards awful expensive, especially if you own a bunch of them.

I made my own for about 2-3 bucks each for the springs and wire. They are also helpful for detcting weeds. A stronger spring will be needed for hard pulling cranks and snapweights.

There's good info in the archives, check it out.

[Toolman]

Experience is the best teacher, as the saying goes. In addition to what has already been mentioned, watch your rod tip(s) when you set your line(s). You should see a rythmic vibration of the crank's wobble. This gets disrupted when the crank is in a fishes mouth! An added note though. White bass often hit the rear treble of cranks and many times the crank still transmits it's wobble. You should still see some small differences with a small fish on, such as the board dropped back slightly, the board bounces irratically etc. All of the above are easier to detect with braided or fireline, rather than mono, due to the strech proporties. Good luck.
Tim

[Sunshine]

I agree with using the tattle tale flags. It makes your learning curve shoot straight up. I also agree with purchasing stronger springs for deep diving cranks. However, I see way too many people using too heavy of a spring or spring setting. I have found that if you have a very very slight bend in the flag from the tension of the crank, the board is perfectly tuned and easiest to detect strikes. I have drilled holes every 1/8-inch on front edge of board to fine-tune the spring. I will also have to admit that there are only a couple of lakes that I frequent where I spend the time to really tweak the board. Most of the time I'm not being bothered by weeds or small fish.

I sure do love fishing on Bay de Noc in fall when every hog shoots that board back behind the boat. I'd rather watch that then a sunrise.

good fishin'

[Pitts]

I purchased 2 tattle flag kits just because it is a good idea and I respect someones invention. Buy at least 1 kit and then go to your hardware store and pick up the neccessary parts to convert all of them over.
I thought the screw provided was too short so I went to a stainless 3/4" scew of the same size holds the flag much better with a lot more threads engaged in the plastic.
I know the owner of Off Shore frequents this site and I respect all the hard work in developing this great planer board but Offshore needs to realize that $$$ is important to most people and all the materials can be bought at a local hardware store for about 3$ and the screw that is provided with the kit is too short and should be replaced with a 3/4".
I would really like to see the kit come with all their boards and just raise the price 5$ to 7$ and people would quit going to the hardware store because it would not be worth the time.
It would make a great product the best!!
My .02


Pitts

[Gone Again]

What number spring is available to match the Off Shore spring that comes with the kit? It's been said on this site that C73 is the heavier spring for hard pulling cranks and snap weights. Thanx for your help.

[Mike2]

I agree that experience is the best way to know. So with that in mind, you just need to go watch your boards for hours and hours. I was fishing with a friend that had never used boards before and he never could figure it out when I told him there was a fish on.

I have heard it said that God adds an hour to your life for every hour you are watching boards.

Mike

[Czar]

For using the tattle flags you can also use rubber bands instead of the springs. Different size rubber bands for different amount of tension. Good luck.

[ETT]

Remember when you were a kid watching a bobber on a wavy day, and finally figured out the out of sync bounce that meant you had a bite?

Well you'll learn that a small fish will cause that same out of sync jerk on the boards, as well as pulling it back a smidge, and putting just a littke deeper set in the rod. Several here have logged hundreds of hours watching boards and we all did our share of dragging fish. Experience is the best teacher.

Anyone looking for practice reading boards, just fish off of Copper Kittle Marina (Lorain)in about a month with stinger spoons. You'll get about a years worth of experience releasing white bass, sheep head and small walleyes.

You can't beat the old slam it in reverse, that a larger walleyes does, .... unless you get one that thinks the board is a bobber and takes it under!! Board sinker are great (so long as they have teeth)!!

Good luck to all.

[rebs]

can the tattle tale flags be added to the church boards?

or does church made a flag for theirs

Rebs

[Silentsixty]

Lots of good input. One other way to detect small fish is to speed up a lot for a few moments if wave conditions permit. Frequently the little fish will plane up on top.

[Silentsixty]

Church does not make a kit. A hardcore friend did retrofit one of his with a tattleflag setup, he never bothered with the other.

[Hilljack]

Thanks for the good information. I guess practice makes perfect.