Rigging In-Line Boards To Release

When rigged to release the author pins his board to the line using an OR16 Snap Weight clip mounted to the back of the board. This option prevents the board from planing when a fish is hooked and makes it much easier to reel in the board and fish. Also, once the board releases it slides to the back of the boat making it possible to fight a hooked fish without having to clear other planer board lines.

By Mark Romanack

              Avid trollers who use in-line boards have historically fixed their boards to the line and when a fish is hooked they reel in the board and fish together. This rigging method works, but requires clearing inside lines before a fish hooked on an outside line can be landed.

RIGGING BOARDS TO RELEASE

            Clearing and resetting lines is a lot of work and wasted fishing time. Also, when fighting a fish while the board is still on plane gives the fish resistance to leverage against enabling many fish to tear free.

            A few years ago I started rigging my boards with an OR16 Snap Weight clip (red) on the back of the board and the OR19 (orange) line release on the tow arm of the board. Rigged in this manner I can set my baits behind the boat the desired distance and then attach the board to both the OR19 and the OR16 being careful to make sure the line is behind the pin that’s featured in the OR16 Snap Weight clip.

Rigging In-Line boards to release makes it possible to stack multiple
 board lines per side of the boat and never clear a line
 to fight a fish, change out a lure or adjust a trolling lead length.

            When a fish is hooked, I give the rod tip a little snap and trip the line from the OR19 on the tow arm. The board swings around and is no longer on plane, but is still attached to the line via the OR16 Snap Weight clip. Once the line is released from the release on the tow arm the board quickly falls back. Even better the board and fish and can be reeled in without having to clear any inside board lines!

            The trick to this super slick board rigging method is to give the tripped board a few seconds to swing towards the back of the boat before reeling in the board and fish. If the board is tripped and reeled in immediately lines can still get crossed up.

            This rigging method has other advantages besides being able to trip boards and reel in fish without clearing other lines. When the board trips there is a lot less resistance and it’s easier to reel in the fish. Meanwhile the fish can’t gain leverage and tear free because the rod and fishing line are acting as shock absorbers as they were designed to do.

            This board releasing method works great when fighting fish and also works equally well when clearing a line to switch out a lure or change lead lengths.

            One last tip helps this system work flawlessly. When putting the line into the OR19 on the tow arm of the board, I first spin the line between my fingers about five or six times to form a small loop of line. These loops of line are placed between the rubber pads on the OR19. Set up this way, it’s far easier to trip the board when a fish is hooked and also when just clearing lines to switch out lures or change lead lengths.

RIGGING FOR MONOFILAMENT AND ALSO BRAIDS

            This rigging method is designed to function with monofilament and also fluorocarbon line types. For anglers who prefer to troll with braided lines I recommend using the same methodology, but substituting the OR16 clip for a OR18 Snapper Clip at the back of the board. On the tow arm substitute the OR19 release for a Sam’s Release produced by Silver Horde. The Sam’s Release is a jettison style release that is designed to function with super lines.

Rigged properly anglers can troll with multiple boards
 per side and never have to clear a line to fight
 a fish hooked on an outside line.

RELEASE AND SLIDE METHOD

            Off Shore Tackle OR12 Side-Planers come factory supplied with the necessary releases and clips that allow anglers to trip their boards and keep the board pinned to the line. Other manufacturers rig their boards so when the line releases from the tow arm clip, the board slides down the line via a molded in groove and a plastic retaining pin mounted at the back of the board.

            This rigging method is flawed in several ways. For one, allowing the board to slide down to the fish forces the angler to rig a bead or other device on the line to stop the board from sliding down and hitting the fish. More knots and rigging means that the chances of line failures increase dramatically.

            Secondly, this rigging method causes the board to be pulled under water by the struggling fish making it difficult to control a struggling fish at the boat.Thirdly, when the board gets pulled under water the fish gains leverage and can easily tear free and escape at the last minute.

            It’s also worth noting that the plastic pin quickly gets gouged up, fails and must be replaced often. On top of all this, if the line breaks the board simply slides off the line and is lost to the waves.

SUMMARY

            Rigging in-line boards to release, but remain pinned to the fishing line is the best way to fish multiple boards and avoid the hassles of constantly clearing and resetting lines. This rigging method works great for walleye, trout, salmon and other trolling chores.