Eye-tracker: I need some more info, please!!!

[Bluefin]

Mr. Tracker,

I still have not made a final decision on my planer board dilemma; it is your comments that are holding me back, and I thank you for such awesome detail.

You mentioned last time that the Church Walleye board did not track properly with the tattle flag; I WILL run a tattle flag on whichever board I run, so should this definitely make me buy the Offshore?

Also, I will certainly buy the Snapper clips if I go to the Offshore boards, but what is the "safety pin" that you referred to? Do the Offshore have a tendency to come loose from the clips?

I am an absolute planer board virgin, and am wondering some probably very elementary questions also. For instance, do you ever run the boards to slide down to your swivel when seeking Walleye, or is that just something that is done for trout and salmon? For walleye, are both clips expected to remain on the line during the fight until being disengaged at the side of the boat, or does the rear clip release upon the strike?

I cannot seem to find this sort of info anywhere on the net, and no one up here (Georgian Bay) really seems to use them at ALL.

Thanks so VERY much for your info, detail, and patience,
Bluefin

[Tomcat]

Just until Sheldon responds himself, here's two references to using planar boards that might assist until Sheldon responds. The first article is one of Sheldon's own articles while the second reference is another article that might help as well.
http://www.baitcasters.ca/articles/sh_planerBoards.htm
http://www.bigjon.com/tips/tips.asp?ContentID=4

[Bluefin]

That answers a couple of my questions immediately. Thanks for the referencing!

Bluefin

[eye-tracker]

Hello,

Well the safety pin I am speaking about is built into the off-shore OR-18 snapper clip. When the clip is snapped down in the forward position a small pin intersects the bottom section of the clip to prevent the board from falling of the line in heavy waves. The boards do not come off the line very often...but some days when you are trolling in 4 foot waves a sudden surge over the crest of a wave can cause supper line to pop out of the clip...at this point you do not want the board to float away as clearing lines and turning the boat around is very dangerous, if not impossible. When rigging the boards on the line I lock them down so they do not come off, when a board pops loose on a strike you have a large amount of slack in the line that often results in lost fish. With the board stuck on the line the line stays taunt and keeps pressure on the fish.
I have never had a line pop loose from the snapper release, but the safety pin is a good option for that day when one decides to come loose.

The tattle flags on the off-shore works like a charm and the board is very balanced in the water and tracks the same with or without the tattle flag kit.

It is hard to see in this image of the OR-18 snapper...but the pin sticking out towards the top of the lever (facing left), when pushed forward locks into the bottom section of the base.


Fish on...

-Sheldon Hatch

[Bluefin]

Thanks again Tracker, you are a fountain of knowledge and a great help. I think I am most certainly going to go with the Offshore boards now, with the snapper, and your advice has made all of the difference.

Thanks VERY much, again!

Bluefin

[eye-tracker]

Thanks again Tracker, you are a fountain of knowledge and a great help. I think I am most certainly going to go with the Offshore boards now, with the snapper, and your advice has made all of the difference.

Thanks VERY much, again!

Bluefin

No problem...
Enjoy the in-line boards and all the fish you catch with them.

Fish On...

-Sheldon