BY MARK ROMANACK
Most of the trolling tactics modern anglers depend upon to put fish in the boat require the use of line releases and line clips. Off Shore Tackle is the industry’s leading supplier of trolling line releases and clips designed to help anglers catch more fish in both freshwater and saltwater trolling environments.
OVERVIEW
It’s important to note that no single line release can do justice to all the trolling tactics an angler might engage in. At Off Shore Tackle the goal is to build the best products possible, which means building lots of various products to use in niche trolling presentations. One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to line releases.
IN-LINE BOARD RELEASES
Anglers who commonly use in-line planer boards will find that Off Shore Tackle has a wide selection of line releases designed to fit the bracket on the OR12 Side Planer, OR37 SST Pro Mag and the OR38 Reversible Mini Planer.
designed for every trolling application. From in-line boards, dual and triple
big mast system boards to the popular OR20 Pro Weight System, OST has the
right products to put fish in the boat day in and day out. Gabe VanWormer of
Perry, Michigan is an avid angler and big fan of Off Shore Tackle products.
The OR10 (yellow) light tension release is perfect for most applications of the OR38 Reversible Mini Board. Designed to handle the lighter lines used for panfish trolling, the OR10 has two tension settings including the heavy setting (spring forward toward the pads) and a lighter setting (spring is positioned backwards away from the pads) that can be accomplished by simply using a flat screw driver blade to position the spring located between the jaws.
The OR14 (small black) medium tension release comes in handy when using the OR38 at faster trolling speeds such as often encountered while steelhead or trout fishing. Like the OR10, the OR14 features two tension settings that can be easily changed using a flat screw driver blade.
The OR19 (orange) release features a heaviest tension setting ideal for big water trolling applications. This release comes factory standard on the OR12 Side Planer but can also be used on the OR38 Reversible Mini Board and the OR37 SST Pro Mag Board. The OR19 was designed to provide the tension necessary for trolling in big water situations when anglers are commonly trolling with the waves and directly into the waves.
The OR39 Sam’s Pro Release is a Silver Horde product that Off Shore Tackle markets and endorses for trolling applications that require in-line boards and the use of super braid fishing lines. Designed to allow anglers who fish a braided main line to rig their boards so they can be released, the Sam’s Pro Release uses a rubber plunger and jettison clip to hold slippery super braids when trolling in all conditions.
LINE CLIPS vs RELEASES
A line release is designed to hold the fishing line firmly until a fish is hooked, at which time the angler will trip the release by giving the rod tip a sharp snap. Line clips are designed to hold onto the line securely and are not designed to release the line.
The OR16 Pro Clip is a ground breaking product that has changed the face of trolling forever. Designed originally to be used with the OR20 Pro Weight System, this unique line clip features a plastic peg that protrudes through the center of the rubber pads. When the clip is opened and the line placed behind the peg, the line can’t come free making it ideal for keeping in-line weights on the fishing line.
The OR16 has also been put to work at the tail of Off Shore Tackle in-line boards including the OR38, OR12 and OR37 models. This line clip is ideal for anglers who want to rig their in-line boards to release from the bracket when a fish is hooked yet remain pegged in place on the line while fighting the fish. This setup allows a hooked fish to quickly drop back out of the planer board pattern, making it easy to fight and land fish without having to clear any other planer board lines.
The OR18 Snapper is unique in that this product can be rigged as a line release or as a line clip depending on how the cam lever is closed. When the lever is closed forward, the OR18 becomes a fixed line clip. When the OR18 lever is closed backwards, this product now functions as a line release.
The OR18 also has the distinction of being the only product in the Off Shore Tackle line up that is designed to be used with all line types including monofilament, co-polymer lines, fluorocarbon, fused lines, and super braids. The OR18 is commonly used on the bracket of both the OR12 and OR37 in-line boards and does double duty at the tail of boards as a line clip that can be used to securely hold all main line types.
PLANER BOARD MAST RELEASES
The line releases used when fishing a planer board mast system are rigged differently than releases used for in-line boards. Typically, these releases are sold with a quick clip, AKA shower curtain hook, that can be slipped over the tether line that attaches the planer board mast to the planer board.
Anglers can purchase the OR10, OR14 and OR19 line releases rigged for fishing planer board mast systems. Anglers also have the option of using the larger OR3 (white) line release. This release features larger rubber pads than the OR10, OR14 or OR19 releases, which in turn gives it more flexibility in terms of setting the tension. To get the most tension resistance, place the line near the back of the rubber pads. For a lighter tension setting, place the line closer to the front edge of the rubber pads.
The OR3 is a work horse and one of the most popular products Off Shore Tackle makes with charter captains who fish big dual planer boards day in and day out for walleye, brown trout, coho and other small to medium sized game fish.
The OR17BWW (large black) is the famous OR1 downrigger release repurposed for heavy duty big dual planer trolling applications. The added tension and large rubber pads make this line release ideal for trolling at faster speeds, for trolling in heavy seas and for trolling larger lures and hardware. A favorite among trout, salmon and striper anglers, a lot of muskie guides also depend on the OR17BWW for their day in and day out planer board trolling chores.
The OR30BWW (large red) is the heaviest tension line release in the Off Shore Tackle line up. The extra tension this line release provides is popular with muskie and saltwater anglers who often troll large baits and at maximum speeds. Striper anglers also sing the praises of the OR30BWW line releases.
FINAL THOUGHTS
No other manufacturer of line releases and line clips even comes close to the variety offered by Off Shore Tackle. This is just another reason why at Off Shore Tackle, we are “Your Leader in Trolling Technology.
