BY MARK ROMANACK
One of the reasons that the Off Shore Tackle line up of in-line planer boards are so popular is they are versatile and can be rigged a number of different ways for different fishing styles, line types or for targeting a wealth of different species. In recent years there has been a growing debate as to whether it is better to rig in-line boards to release or to keep them fixed on the line. To be honest, this typically boils down to personal choice as both rigging methods work day in and day out.
RIGGING IN-LINE BOARDS TO RELEASE
For those who want their in-line boards to release when a fish is hooked, the good news is that the OR12, OR37 and OR38 can all be easily rigged to accommodate this fishing style. The OR12 and OR38 boards come factory rigged with the right line releases and clips for using monofilament, fluorocarbon or copolymer lines and releasing the board when a fish is hooked. If super braids or fused lines are used, it’s best that an OR39 Sam’s Pro Release be substituted on the bracket.
and OR16 on the tail (how it comes packaged), illustrates how to utilize the
“Loop Trick” when you wish to trip the board. This works especially well
when using monofilament lines.
The OR37 SST Pro Mag will require replacing the factory standard OR18 Snapper Release that comes on the bracket with either an OR19 Heavy Tension Planer Board Release (orange) if monofilament, fluorocarbon or copolymer lines are used. If super braids or fused lines are used the OR39 Sam’s Pro Release will need to be substituted.
Rigged in this manner the board can be tripped when a fish is hooked by simply giving the rod tip a sharp snap to pop the line free from the line release on the bracket. Once the line has been popped from that release, the board will spin around in the water and stop planing but remain pegged in place on the line thanks to the second line clip at the tail of the board.
The moment the board is released, it starts to drop back out of the planer board pattern. The angler’s job is to keep tension on fish by slowing reeling as the board drops back for a few seconds until the released board clears other board lines. Once the board is clear of other lines, the fish is reeled in as normal, the board removed from the line and the fish fought to net.
Done properly, this rigging method is very effective and avoids the need to fight both the resistance of the board and the fish at the same time. Rigging to release makes for a more enjoyable fish fighting experience and it also eliminates the need to clear other lines to fight a hooked fish.
When rigging boards to release, it’s best to run your highest running lure on the outside board line and progressively deeper diving lures on the middle and inside board lines. This set up helps in allowing released boards and hooked fish to be reeled in without having to clear any other board lines.
Many anglers feel that releasing the board provides slack line that can potentially allow fish to escape. Actually this isn’t true at all. When the board is released, the line is pulled tight against the fish in the same instant. So long as the angler keeps tension on the fish by reeling slowly, no slack line is created and very few fish escape using this board releasing method.
KEEPING IN-LINE BOARDS FIXED ON THE LINE
Anglers who prefer to keep their in-line boards fixed on the line, will often state that they feel this rigging method helps to keep tension on a hooked fish better than the release method. Tournament anglers often prefer the fixed board method because they feel every fish has the potential to make or break their tournament results.
Rigging in-line boards to remain fixed on the line means that when a fish is hooked, the board will still be planing and the angler must fight both the resistance of the fish and the resistance of the board. The biggest issue when fishing with fixed boards is that when a fish is hooked on an outside board line, other closer to the boat lines must be cleared to land the fish without tanging other lines. Back in the day this was just how people fished in-line boards and anglers simple accepted the need to clear lines when fighting fish.
These days a different approach has taken root. Instead of the traditional method of positioning the highest running lures on the outside board lines, a growing number of trollers set their deepest diving lures as the outside board line and their shallower running lures as the inside board lines.
When the board is fixed to the line, this rigging option allows fish to be reeled in without the need to clear other lines. Again, in order to ensure a hooked fish can be landed without tangling other lines, it’s important that the angler reel in the fish slowly at first so as not to drag the hooked fish into another nearby line. Once the board has pulled back a safe distance behind the boat, the fish can be fought as normal, the board removed, and the fish fought to net.
SO WHICH RIGGING METHOD IS BETTER?
This discussion probably has a lot of anglers wondering, so which rigging method is better? For every angler who prefers to rig boards to release, you’re going to find another one who swears keeping the board fixed to the line is better. In short, Off Shore Tackle doesn’t take sides on the issue and simply is happy that all the boards in the Off Shore Tackle line up can be fished either way without issue. They say that variety is the spice of life and if that is true, Off Shore Tackle offers more spice than any other planer board manufacturer.
