Losing hookups on big board releases

[MadPerry]

Until this season, I rarely used my big boards.  I've been fairly successful with inline offshore boards, but they have their issues.  So when I have someone out with me this year, we've been running big boards to have a full spread.  Today we had a 5 color core on each side.  They were hot, but we lost several fish.  Of the ones we lost, most were gone before or shortly after grabbing the rod.  I'm using offshore planer releases, that are adjustable by moving the spring.  Seems those fish are gonzo between the actual release, and the time it takes for the line to gain tension from falling back.  I have also been using ugly stik downrigger rods on my leadcore rods for a couple years now.  Hasn't been an issue running them down the chute.  But maybe not stiff enough off boards?  Opinions or suggestions?  Or maybe just one of those days?

[Gill-T]

I use weldon's pad releases and don't get false releases.  Braid backing is buried about 3/4 deep into the pad.  Your problem may be false releases.

[BAZOOKAJOE]

I use the same rods and love them. Sharpen your hooks and bury your line in the release. If they seem to hold too loose, adjust them so they have a firmer hold. I use the little Scotty's. And I bury my line so that I often have to pop the line out when a (smaller) fish hits. Although I had a nice king hit my 5 color the other day. I thought for sure (as I popped the line from the release) it was a small fish or a laker. Then the drag started screaming! Steelhead can be hard to keep hooked on long lines. Usually the jumping is what throws the hook. I tighten down fast (by thumbing the spool) on anything on a long line. Then let them scream out if need be.

[MadPerry]

Problem is not with false releases. Lake was flat and we saw all but one release. Definitely had fish on them, and one of them I had on for a good 10 seconds or so. Problem seemed to be the slack given for that brief period after the release, and the line falling back. The or releases are similar to the weldons but Im going to give them a try.

Like Joe suggested, Im going to try sharpen some hooks and adjust where the line is placed in the pads.

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[Tunaman1]

If UR losing fish due to a release issue then what was mentioned can be of help .

However if fish like Steelhead r lost via jumping off then u can go to single hooks on UR spoons . Even better I've found the addition of a single hook of the assist type even better . This assist hook snelled on braid & looped on UR rear split ring will lead to better hookups on the Steelies ! I use to use a 3. / 0 gold hook

[Chas0218]

I have found with the big boards it is better to put the line further into the release causing the fish to hook itself before the line is pulled from the release.

[FleetTracker]

I have found with the big boards it is better to put the line further into the release causing the fish to hook itself before the line is pulled from the release.

Bingo! Always sink the line deep in the release on your cores. Cores also inherently lose more fish because you may think you have fish tension but what you're feeling is the weight of the core itself. When reeling in cores you need to be a bit more aggressive then you typically would.

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[BAZOOKAJOE]

High speed reels help a ton! My core and copper reels are mostly Saltist, Seagate and Sealine 57LC.

Edited May 14, 2015 by BAZOOKAJOE

[FleetTracker]

High speed reels help a ton! My core and copper reels are mostly Saltist, Seagate and Sealine 57LC.

Agreed. All my short cores are Saltists and long cores and coppers are Seagates. World of difference.