Big boards for trolling

[GAMBLER]

I know how many boats are runing the otters and I don't understand it. The Amish Boards are less expensive, track better and pull harder than the otters right out of the box, even after you spend a bunch of additional money to make the otters run right.

I will say this, they ARE a mother to crank in, due to how hard they pull, that's why I installed the Cisco electric planer reels on my boat. But as to your comment about nothing outperforming the otters, the Amish boards kick their ass performancewise.

The charter fleet runs otters because the will not flip over. They have to fish in crappy conditions. All ski style boards can flip over in really rough stuff and cause chaos in rough seas.

[Tim Bromund]

Amish boards don't, they run too deep. i've had mine out in 4+ footers many times without issue.

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Sk8man]

Not exactly like Ford vs,. Chevy or Daiwa vs. Okuma.....but kinda

[Silver Fox]

Can we now start with the fish hawk vs. Depth raider war? Lol

[bigblue]

otters

Edited June 18, 2014 by bigblue

[Legacy]

I personally run homemade boards that i built. They track great and pull hard.Tough to let go of them. But... I have used them enough to say, if i was to buy new boards they would be Otters for sure.

[justtracytrolling]

I suppose with electric reels they'd work...no way im cranking them in 6-8 times a day though

Sent from my N9500 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[BAZOOKAJOE]

I know how many boats are runing the otters and I don't understand it.  The Amish Boards are less expensive, track better and pull harder than the otters right out of the box, even after you spend a bunch of additional money to make the otters run right.

 

I will say this, they ARE a mother to crank in, due to how hard they pull, that's why I installed the Cisco electric planer reels on my boat. But as to your comment about nothing outperforming the otters, the Amish boards kick their ass performancewise.

All the cool kids run Otter Boards!!     Seriously tho, i think the big boards pull too hard for some applications.  I have a big jon mast that has a seat post mount on my small boat.  I have to attach ratchet straps to the front of the mast or the otters will pull it out when it gets rough.  I can't imagine what kind of ruckus those big redwood boards would cause on my boat.  And i definetly wouldn't want to crank them in by hand.  I'd definetly want power cisco's.  Didn't you break a big jon reel before you got the cisco's?

[Tim Bromund]

No, I had old Wille reels. Those didn't work at all pulling the AO redwood boards in. I don't have a mast, I run the boards off the grabrails on my hard top. The cisco's are mounted to my rocket launcher.

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[Diversion]

Is "performancewise" a word??  

[momay4000]

I know how many boats are runing the otters and I don't understand it.  The Amish Boards are less expensive, track better and pull harder than the otters right out of the box, even after you spend a bunch of additional money to make the otters run right.

 

I will say this, they ARE a mother to crank in, due to how hard they pull, that's why I installed the Cisco electric planer reels on my boat. But as to your comment about nothing outperforming the otters, the Amish boards kick their ass performancewise.

 

If you can't pull these boards in while trolling (website says you need to be in neutral to retrieve them) and we're discussing cost of Otter's vs. Amish, isn't a bit cost prohibitive if you have to install electric reels to retrieve them while trolling?

 

Also, for me it would be an extreme PITA to have to reset my spread if I had to retrieve these boards while in neutral. I don't own enough releases, and last week we retrieved our boards 2-3 times to collect releases when the fishing was good.

 

- Chris

[Silver Fox]

Is "performancewise" a word??

Not sure. But I'd use it!

[Xxx]

Sorry Brian, No, they don't.

I bought a pair of otters when they first came out, well past $150.00 a piece and couldn't get them to track worth a dam, being the first kid on the block with these flaming orange boats there wasn't much info out there, I got so frustrated with these pieces, and now broke a buddy of mine gave me a set of double Rivieras and at least they pulled strait but a mile behind the boat, recently another buddy gave me his plans for a homemade set. Like $30.00 later I have the best pulling boards I've ever used, they are made out of cedar 1x6 and are doubles and he told me not to treat the wood, so they soak up water and will pull even better, now these boards only lag about 2 feet behind the boat and my masts are mounted right behind the windshield bracket which is only 7ft from the transom. I like them on our local lake I pulled 5 lines 2 with 50 jets with no problems. I will say I never gave the otters a fair chance before I sold them. But it was kind of one of those thing I just had to have them, kind of like the guys you see with the all decked out rocket launchers and only have 3 fishing poles.

[ifishy]

I will say this there is someting about homemade equipment that is satisfying to run when it works i've done a lot of manual modifications to my boat and even have a homemade mast with homemade mounts and as much as i would like to have name brand I would be perfectly happy to use the homemade stuff the rest of my life

[FleetTracker]

Decked out rocket launchers with 3 poles? Where do you fish, PAP? Some wild stories and experiences in your posts...

The Amish boards are awesome. Do they pull hard? Yes! That's exactly what you want in a good set of big boards. Cranking them in is easily achieved while maintaining speed and favoring either a port or starboard heading, and reeling in the same side you're favoring. No big deal. Sounds like many of you need to invest in some more releases. Pulling boards in 2-3 times a day is insane and a waste of time. Keep your lines in the water!

[momay4000]

Decked out rocket launchers with 3 poles? Where do you fish, PAP? Some wild stories and experiences in your posts...

The Amish boards are awesome. Do they pull hard? Yes! That's exactly what you want in a good set of big boards. Cranking them in is easily achieved while maintaining speed and favoring either a port or starboard heading, and reeling in the same side you're favoring. No big deal. Sounds like many of you need to invest in some more releases. Pulling boards in 2-3 times a day is insane and a waste of time. Keep your lines in the water!

 

I own almost 40 releases - 10 of which are $10 a pop Scotty's. Between hits and changing lines, I have no choice but to reel the boards in from time to time.

 

- Chris

[Chas0218]

My boards pull hard, they have been known to break some of the higher quality planer board line.

[FleetTracker]

I own almost 40 releases - 10 of which are $10 a pop Scotty's. Between hits and changing lines, I have no choice but to reel the boards in from time to time.

- Chris

When you're changing/checking lines, Why don't you try pulling in your furthest line out and reel the release all the way up the tow line to the boat, capturing all popped inside releases on the way back to the boat. Doing this throughout your day should help you keep a good supply of releases handy in the boat. If you run out of 40 releases in a day I'd say it's a good day and someone aboard likely won't mind cranking them in I guess! But when fishing is hot the last thing you want to be doing is screwing around with bringing big boards in multiple times. But hey if that's what you like to do have at it. Just trying to offer some suggestions... Edited June 19, 2014 by FleetTracker

[FleetTracker]

My boards pull hard, they have been known to break some of the higher quality planer board line.

My Amish boards snapped the standard hi vis Dacron that came with my GLP planer reels. Upgraded to the 500lb braid. Who has experiences with otters snapping Dacron? Haha just saying...

[Chas0218]

My Amish boards snapped the standard hi vis Dacron that came with my GLP planer reels. Upgraded to the 500lb braid. Who has experiences with otters snapping Dacron? Haha just saying...

 

haha that is crazy! 

[FleetTracker]

haha that is crazy!

It was crazy! What a fire drill on the boat when it happened. I should have upgraded up front per their warnings. I didn't believe it. Now I know.

Also - releases slide much easier down the 500lb spectra braid tow line vs the Dacron. That was a noticeable improvement.

Edited June 19, 2014 by FleetTracker

[momay4000]

When you're changing/checking lines, Why don't you try pulling in your furthest line out and reel the release all the way up the tow line to the boat, capturing all popped inside releases on the way back to the boat. Doing this throughout your day should help you keep a good supply of releases handy in the boat. If you run out of 40 releases in a day I'd say it's a good day and someone aboard likely won't mind cranking them in I guess! But when fishing is hot the last thing you want to be doing is screwing around with bringing big boards in multiple times. But hey if that's what you like to do have at it. Just trying to offer some suggestions...

 

You have a good idea on retrieving the releases! I will have to give that a try.....and yes we have some good days on the water so we're blasting through releases at times.

 

Thanks for the advice, it's awesome how we can always learn something new every day!

 

Goodluck on the water,

 

 

Chris

[justtracytrolling]

I do pull mine up that way devin...you fish where there isnt a minefield of floating weeds that CANT be avoided mornings and evenings in low light. Plus i routinely reel mine up to avoid getting them run over or to weave in and out of mooring bouys, boats etc. I leave mine out all day if i can...the amish boards arent for ALL applications. How do your boards pull at 4 or 5 mph too? Mine glide along....i can run them in at 3 mph while trolling! If you troll slow on Ontario prob the way to go...

Sent from my N9500 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[FleetTracker]

I do pull mine up that way devin...you fish where there isnt a minefield of floating weeds that CANT be avoided mornings and evenings in low light. Plus i routinely reel mine up to avoid getting them run over or to weave in and out of mooring bouys, boats etc. I leave mine out all day if i can...the amish boards arent for ALL applications. How do your boards pull at 4 or 5 mph too? Mine glide along....i can run them in at 3 mph while trolling! If you troll slow on Ontario prob the way to go...

Sent from my N9500 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

It's a clever way to keep releases stocked in the boat - no reason to pop that last line in if you're checking or changing it.  Might as well capture all the inside releases on the way up the tow line!

 

I don't think in my fishing lifetime I will ever be trolling at 4-5mph... unless i'm after Marlin offshore

 

The Amish boards pull hard no matter what speed and I've had them in some rough water.  As low as 1.2GPS, my average walleye speed on Ontario of 1.5-1.8GPS, and have used them successfully for Browns and Steelies this year at 2.0-2.9GPS, in 4' chop.  I have no reason to exceed these speeds.

[Chas0218]

I do pull mine up that way devin...you fish where there isnt a minefield of floating weeds that CANT be avoided mornings and evenings in low light. Plus i routinely reel mine up to avoid getting them run over or to weave in and out of mooring bouys, boats etc. I leave mine out all day if i can...the amish boards arent for ALL applications. How do your boards pull at 4 or 5 mph too? Mine glide along....i can run them in at 3 mph while trolling! If you troll slow on Ontario prob the way to go...

Sent from my N9500 using Lake Ontario United mobile app

 

If I try to pull mine that fast they will rip my mast clean off the boat.  I can effectively pull my boards up to 3.5mph with my kicker then my big motor has to be started.  My little trolling motor going into a 4' chop with 4 downriggers, 4 dipsys, and the big boards can barely push the boat 3.5 mph let alone 4mph or 5mph.  I also don't have a need to troll that fast.

 

 

You wouldn't believe the amount of resistance all that gear makes in the water.

Edited June 19, 2014 by Chas0218