# Board Trolling?



## MuskieWolverine (May 16, 2012)

This might sound like an incredibly stupid question, but since this is my first year of musky fishing, I can ask stupid questions! 

I see guys out trolling with all of their rods attached to a board that runs across the back of their boats. It seems to me that this would put your lures VERY close together....anyone do this? How do you do it without getting your lures tangled? What are the advantages to this sort of trolling over just running rods off the side?

For my set up, I have two down rods at the rear (on opposite corners), and two long rods off the side. I usually don't run inline planers unless I'm running lures with a wide wobble.


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## crittergitter (Jun 9, 2005)

MuskieWolverine said:


> This might sound like an incredibly stupid question, but since this is my first year of musky fishing, I can ask stupid questions!
> 
> I see guys out trolling with all of their rods attached to a board that runs across the back of their boats. It seems to me that this would put your lures VERY close together....anyone do this? How do you do it without getting your lures tangled? What are the advantages to this sort of trolling over just running rods off the side?
> 
> For my set up, I have two down rods at the rear (on opposite corners), and two long rods off the side. I usually don't run inline planers unless I'm running lures with a wide wobble.


I don't use boards. Musky are not boat shy. I also wouldn't want to fool with a board while a musky is feircely trying to shake free of the lure.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Are you talking about a board(pc of wood)with rod holders mounted on it? If so just a way of mouning rod holders without putting holes in your boat. We have a buddy that has a pc of aluminum doint the same thing mounted on a seat pedistol that mounts right into the existing seat post holder on the back deck of his tracker. It actually works out good,and with the quick release holder like the roberts and bass proshops brands they adjust to whatever angle you want so you can spread the rods.

If your talking about a big trolling board with a mast, Its a way of getting more lines in the water if you have the people on the boat with you, and are usually used up at erie for open water walleye trolling. They may work for muskie and even think the charters on st.clair that troll with 10-20 rods use them. not sure though. Dont know if one would handle a muskie plug but if you have a smaller boat offshore inline boards are just as effective imo.


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## MuskieWolverine (May 16, 2012)

Thanks for the info. I was talking about the rod mounts on a board running left to right on the stern. I just never understood how guys keep their lures from getting tangled with the rods so close....

I've used inline boards, and they work well with big plugs if you wrap around the release. Problem is, when you get a muskie, they are a real pain in the butt to deal with. I just quit using them all together. The most I ever run is 4 rods, so it's not a huge deal.


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## Ol'Bassman (Sep 9, 2008)

MuskieWolverine said:


> TI just never understood how guys keep their lures from getting tangled with the rods so close...



They don't. Even the most experienced trollers get their lines tangled regularly. Making sure your bait is running straight and not running off to one side or the other is about all you can do.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

MuskieWolverine said:


> Thanks for the info. I was talking about the rod mounts on a board running left to right on the stern. I just never understood how guys keep their lures from getting tangled with the rods so close....
> 
> I've used inline boards, and they work well with big plugs if you wrap around the release. Problem is, when you get a muskie, they are a real pain in the butt to deal with. I just quit using them all together. The most I ever run is 4 rods, so it's not a huge deal.


Try the new quick releases,there awesome, Can release the line with one hand and no need for wraping your line regardless of pull on your board. Its the OR18 I think is the part #,well worth the money!


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Ol'Bassman said:


> They don't. Even the most experienced trollers get their lines tangled regularly. Making sure your bait is running straight and not running off to one side or the other is about all you can do.


You can troll multiple rods without tangling. We do it in our boat. Baits gotta be running true, dont let line out when makeing a turn. And when you let your line out dont just put it in the holder in freespool. I thum the line out so it dives as its going out,this will keep it in sinc with the other lines you have out, watch out for sharp turns. It def. can be done


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## MuskieWolverine (May 16, 2012)

The set up I'm using is working great, I was just wondering if there was an advantage to running the board across the back of the boat. I see alot of guys doing it...always looking to improve my fishing!


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## Legend killer (Apr 20, 2011)

Saugeyefisher said:


> Try the new quick releases,there awesome, Can release the line with one hand and no need for wraping your line regardless of pull on your board. Its the OR18 I think is the part #,well worth the money!


Also put the line through a snap. When you fight the fish unhook the or18 and let the board slide down to the fish and you don't have to drive out to retrieve the board.


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

This is what legend killer is talking about. This is how I run my boards. They really are an advantage. An extension of your boat as Gregg says 

http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/vid...Planer.Boards-see.fish.caught.with.technique/


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## Ol'Bassman (Sep 9, 2008)

Saugeyefisher said:


> You can troll multiple rods without tangling. We do it in our boat. Baits gotta be running true, dont let line out when makeing a turn. And when you let your line out dont just put it in the holder in freespool. I thum the line out so it dives as its going out,this will keep it in sinc with the other lines you have out, watch out for sharp turns. It def. can be done


You can troll without tangling somedays but even the pros like Greg Thomas gets his line tangled regularly. It is one of the downsides to trolling. Lures pick up sticks, leaves, weeds, and fish and it causes the lure to spin or track into the other lures and lines. 

Musky Jim's post with Greg Thomas is spot on. I highly recommend Greg's guide services at Cave Run for anyone wanting to learn and get confident in their trolling tactics. It is some of the best money you will ever spend.


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## Saugeyefisher (Jul 19, 2010)

Ol'Bassman said:


> You can troll without tangling somedays but even the pros like Greg Thomas gets his line tangled regularly. It is one of the downsides to trolling. Lures pick up sticks, leaves, weeds, and fish and it causes the lure to spin or track into the other lures and lines.
> 
> Musky Jim's post with Greg Thomas is spot on. I highly recommend Greg's guide services at Cave Run for anyone wanting to learn and get confident in their trolling tactics. It is some of the best money you will ever spend.


Yea you will tangle, But If your carefull Most of the time you wont, LOL pro or not. I would have to say if its the three of us that are normally in my boat we have more days were we dont tangle with 6 rods out(sometimes not useing boards)then days were we do. Just sayin, it can be done. But like you said no one can control that stick suspended in water from throwing your set up out of wack.
legeng killer,muskiejim, Thanks for the info, havent had time to read the artical yet but will for sure.


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## MuskieWolverine (May 16, 2012)

Thanks for the info. I will definitely try that modification to the boards....I've been wrapping the line around the original clip, but it's such a pain to undo when a fish hits, that we just quit using them. Honestly, running 8.5 foot out rods, and 6 foot down rods, we haven't tangled all that much. But when it happens, it's usually a mess. 

Again, thanks for the tips. Hoping to get on some fish next week if it stays cool....I've been in a huge slump this past week. Looking to break the 49 inch mark before the year is over (haha..right...)


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