USEFUL INFORMATION ON FISHING TROPHY FISH WITH PLANER BOARDS AND DOWNRIGGERS

TYING FLIES SINCE 1967

LAKES TO THE STREAMS, FISH WITH SHOO FLY

Fishing For Trophy Fish

Planer Board Fishing

When water temperature reaches 50-55 degrees or below, planer board fishing is a very efficient way to catch trophy sized fish on the surface.  (See diagram on Planer boards & Downriggers fishing page.)  This method of fishing takes learning and lots of practice.

For Flies:  It takes chop on the water to make the planer boards and streamer flies to work properly.  Put your boards out 100-200 feet beside the boat.  Work with the length of your planer board line to make the proper action.  Proper action makes the flies work properly.  I like the planer board line to make perfect circles, or an up and down motion ( like a stair step action.) Also known as walking the dog.  Work with the length of the board line to achieve this action.  When chop on the water is rippled to 1 foot, put your boards out further.  When the chop is over 1 foot bring your boards in a little to get this action.

Speed:  2-2.6 knots  When water temperature is warm fish are more active.  Run a faster speed.  I rarely run my flies any faster then 2.6 knots.  However there have been many trophy sized fish caught at speeds of 3 knots and over.  When water temperatures cool down, run your flies at a slower speed.

Length of fishing line:  (Work with this.)  I have caught nice fish with line lengths as short as 50 feet, and as long as 300 feet behind the boat.  When water chop is rough shorten up you line a little.  When the water chop is flat lengthen out a little.  Put your flies out your desired length and hook it up to a planer board release clip.  Slide the clip out the planer board line.  Make sure to run the outside lines longer than the inside lines to avoid tangle ups when the fish hits.  (Again see diagram on Planer boards & Downriggers fishing page.)  Working with all of this information and practice, you will catch fish.

Plugs and spoons on the planer board:  This method is much easier.  Deaden the action on the board as much as possible.  (Usually a much shorter planer board line.)  Put your plugs or spoons out further, 150-300 feet.  Hook up to a planer board clip and slide them out the planer board line as you would flies.  Run plugs between 2-2.4 knots.  For spoons check the action on the spoons (because there are so many types, sizes, and shapes) before sliding them out the board line.  You do not need action on the board as you do flies because plugs and spoons have their own action. The plugs and spoons also work well trolled straight behind the back of the boat. 

Downrigger fishing:  When fishing deeper water 40-? feet run shorter lines.  There is no need to run lines longer than 30 feet off the downrigger ball.  I often run plugs, or a flasher or dodger with a fly as short as 10 feet off the downrigger ball.  With flies, always use a flasher or dodger in front of the fly for depth fishing. Flies do need action to work.  A flasher or dodger will give them this action, and they give attraction to the fly in dark deeper water.  Use 18" of monofilament line in between the flasher or dodger.  When running depths shallower than 40 feet, run your lures out farther 100-300 feet.  Fish can see and feel the boat, so run the lures out further.  Hook up the lures as you would with planer board fishing, only using downrigger release clips.  When stacking 2 rods on 1 downrigger, stack lures at least 12 or more feet apart.  (See diagram Planer boards & Downriggers fishing page.)

Lure colors:  Dark day, dark colors.  Light day, light colors.

Using these methods takes time and practice.  Using these methods and working with them you will catch fish.  If you have any questions please call me at (406) 295-8405 after 7:00 P.M. mountain time, or e-mail me at shoofly2@frontiernet.net

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