How much line between your planer board and lure

[Gotta Bite]

I picked up an off shore planer board a few weeks ago when I was at the lake. It was my first planer experience. I was not sure if I was using it correctly, but I had 20# mono at Tied on with a 6' leader of 10# flouro on a barrel swivel. I would let about 60' of line run through before clipping the tension release to it. Long story short. I caught nothing on it after using small spoons, rapalas and rogues. This fishing was not great that weekend for most people I talked to, but I want to know if I was doing something wrong with that much line behing the board. It did not really call it out in the directions. I appreciate any feed back on this. Thanks.

[jeb1340]

What were you fishing for?

[Gotta Bite]

Brown Trout primarily but a nice walleye would not have been refused.

[jeb1340]

Usually, I start 100 back and 100 out but I will go as far as 200. Using rapalas, 7s and 9s, I usually put a large split shot about 3-4 feet above the lure and this will put me about 8-9 feet down. This is just a starting point. Could have been temp, clarity, lure color, depth or speed. Tons of variables. Good luck and keep trying!

[Gotta Bite]

Will do! It sounds like I did not have enough line out. I was improvising by using my old pike set up which is a 6" MH ugly stik with a bait cast reel, so I was not able to accurately count how much line was out there.

[jeb1340]

If you don't have a line counter one trick is to measure the amount of line that comes off of the reel with one pass of the levelwind. Each reel is different but I believe it is usually around 10 feet. Once you know how much line is released with each pass it is easier to determine how much is out and to be able to repeated it. If you want 100 feet it is about ten passes. 150 about 15 passes. Hope it helps.

[Gotta Bite]

I know that they make a line counter that you attach to your pole and the line runs through it and it will count the line as it feed through the hole. I am not sure how accurate they arebut I saw one the other day and though that it may be a good investment for my non LC combos. Thanks for the advise.

[FLXTroutman]

I have used the mentioned add on line counters in my salad days, and I thought they were kind of a hassle. Two better solutions are: One, use a black marker and mark line just off the spool, pull one pass of the levelwind and when the black spot comes out of the last guide on your rod measure it, as stated depending on reel size and rod length it should be around 10'. Then just count passes of the levelwind to set your rigs.

Two, use clear or pink mono on the reel, then using an albright, nail, or blood knot ( a knot to join 2 lines together) tie on a green mono. Spool up 10 passes or 15 passes, whichever you have determined is the length of line per pass, now when you go to deploy your bait, you just let out the green line until you reach the clear or pink and stop, connect your board and you have your preset amount of line out. This method allows for using a leader so to speak of varying lb test if you wish, 10 lb flouro has been discussed on the board before and many think it is weak. I use 30 lb Ande / Trilene on reels and will use 15 lb for sliders or planer board rods. By summer with fleas you will want all 30 lb lines.

http://www.animatedknots.com/indexfishi ... dknots.com

[Gotta Bite]

I am headed up tomorrow for an extended weekend. From what I have heard and read it's been real slow. I will have to throw the whole arsenal at them an hope something works. Thanks for the tips. I'll post a report if I have any luck.