Big Jon planer reels

[Team Bling Sportfishing]

I am trying to figure out a way to mount my reels on my boat. I have a 2004 Trophy 1802. I was thinking of mounting them on the rail but I am not sure if they will be high enough.

[Legacy]

how high off the water would you say that is?

6' seems to work well on my boat.

[Team Bling Sportfishing]

3 or 4 feet from the waterline to the top of the rail.

[MANIAC]

Team Bling, If you can get them higher it will be better. Your releases will slde out alot better if it is higher.

[Legacy]

i would suggest getting them up a little higher if you can.

the higher you go the wider you can make your spread and still keep the planer board line out of the water

[Yankee Troller]

I think we all need to see a picture of this boat so we can properly help you

[Team Bling Sportfishing]

how do you post pics

[Billy V]

Put 'em up on Photobcket, then copy/paste the URL in between

[stinger]

No need to up load pictures to another site.

Follow these instructions......easy to do.

http://www.lakeontariounited.com/fishin ... .php?t=912

....Also if your using Big Jon `riggers this my help you out.

[Team Bling Sportfishing]

[Billy V]

No need to up load pictures to another site.

Follow these instructions......easy to do.

http://www.lakeontariounited.com/fishin ... .php?t=912

I learned something new today...gonna give that a try sometime. Wonder if uploading them here will allow me to post them on other boards and on my blog, which I regularly do?

[Just Fishin']

I have a Wellcraft 210 Coastal and the rails appear to be about the same height. I run otter boats and I have had times when the line just drags in the water depending upon wind and wave conditions. I am putting on an arch this year partly so I can run the planer line up higher. Short answer, you can do it (I did for 6 years and caught my share of fish) but you will be happier if you mount them higher than the rail.

[Billy V]

On my old 24' Penn Yan we had a set of home made planer reels that we mounted to the bow rail. We ran 'em that way for years. Only problem with it was when we ran our boards waaaaayyyy out to the side the tow line would drag and the releases didn't like to slide down it. We solved the line problem by running 250# Power pro (it's a lot more slippery than standard tow line), and we never really had a need to run the boards out so far that the lines would rag. My Dad welded up a short little boom to mount the pulleys on to raise them up in the air a little bit more. Worked great. You can sort of see them in these pictures.

If you can get 'em higher up in the air you'll be happier, but it'll work if you have to mount them to the rail.

You know, I really do miss that boat!

[Yankee Troller]

I'll be honest with you. Thats a great boat and it would be very easy for you to walk to the front of it to deploy and retrieve your boards if you placed a mast up there. Another good thing about a mast that far forward would be that your tow lines wont get into your rods on turns. I'm sure you can make it so the mast isn't up there all year, although I run boards every time I'm on the water.

The mast will also get the line up in the air so it wont slap the water and your releases will slide down better. You don't have to walk up to the front all the time to set your releases either. Cut a small section to pull the line in from the back of the boat and tie it into the railing where you rig.