Using Planer Boards for Walleye Fishing

Are you looking for a way to increase your chances of catching walleye? One effective method is using planer boards. Planer boards are fishing accessories that are used to spread out the lines of a fishing boat. By fanning out the lines, it makes it easier to target multiple areas of the water at once. By attaching a planer board to your fishing line, you can cast or troll your line out at different depths and at different distances from the boat, increasing your chances of hooking a walleye. I’ve been fishing and trolling for years, and in the recent times I’ve been doing research and testing on fishing styles and gear. In this guide, I go through my basic findings and discuss the basics of using planer boards for walleye fishing, including how they work, how to set them up, and tips for using them effectively.

How Planer Boards Work

Planer boards are designed to attach to the fishing line and then pull the line out away from the boat as the boat moves forward. They work by using the water resistance and buoyancy to pull the line out and away from the boat. Think of it like a kite, with the water being the wind. It pulls it away. A dipsy diver works on the same principle, but pulls the line and lure down instead of over to the side.

The basic design of a planer board consists of a float, which is typically made of plastic or foam, and a clip or release mechanism that attaches the planer board to the fishing line. The float helps to keep the planer board on the surface of the water and the release mechanism allows the planer board to be easily detached from the line.

When using planer boards, you attach the planer board to the fishing line and then troll the line behind the boat. As the boat moves forward, the planer board will pull the line out and away from the boat, spreading the lines out and allowing the angler to cover more area of the water.

Also, the boat should be moving at a moderate speed, and the angler should keep an eye on the planer board to make sure that it’s running correctly and not getting tangled or snagged. It’s like a kite, if it loses the wind current, its going down. Slowing down or stopping can really tangle things up.

Specialized Planer Boards for Walleye

Planer Boards are extremely popular for walleye fishing. There are even some specialized planer board brands that have been designed specifically for walleye fishing. The best ones, and the most popular ones, going through the facebook groups and forums are 1. Church Tackle, 2. OffShore Tackle. Church Tackle was the one built specifically for walleye. In terms of quality, people like Church and OffShore planer boards the best.

With that research, I put both to them to the test. I was fortunate to already own both of these, and a few others because of some testing I had done trolling for some other species. I was able to confirm what the masses were saying. The Church and OffShore boards are the best. They’re the highest quality options, with the nicest components. They just feel more solid, and they’re the right size for walleye fishing. I’ve run both and prefer the Church Tackle boards a little bit over the OffShore brand. I wouldn’t be upset to have either though. I thought the Church Tackle boards were just a little bit nicer, with better hardware and it just felt better in my hand. Both have held up over the years, but I tend to grab the Church Tackle boards.

Best Planer Boards for Walleye

About Walleye

Walleye is a species of freshwater fish that belongs to the perch family (Percidae). It is native to North America and can be found in most of the continental United States and Canada, as well as parts of northern Mexico. The fish is known for its silver-green color and the distinctive dark spots on its sides. Walleye are typically found in clear, cool lakes and rivers and are considered a popular game fish due to their delicious taste and fighting ability when caught. They are predatory fish and feed on smaller fish, crustaceans, and aquatic insects. They are known to be a popular sport fish and are highly sought after by anglers.