Planer boards have become a vital part of most catfish angler’s arsenal. They were used for years in walleye fishing and have been adopted my many catfish anglers. There is no better way to increase your spread when dragging. Just put one or two boards out each side of the boat and watch your catfishing success grow.
Seth McCallister uses planer boards in lakes, small rivers and even in the Mississippi. “We use them on both flats and in large structure situations,” report McCallister. “If anglers have a situation where they would drag in the conventional way, planer boards will work really well for catfish. I use snag resistant dragging weights that help avoid snags and hang-ups.”
McCallister offers a few things to keep in mind when river fishing with boards. “When fishing rivers we prefer to drag downriver,” offered McCallister. “We simply find more action then going against current. If you drag downriver just be sure your boat speed is greater than the current.”
McCallister likes the Offshore Tackle SST Pro Mag Board. “This size board is perfect for pulling large baits and weights up to 6 ounces, in both lake and river applications. We have used the larger planer boards for small channel catfish and blue cats all the way up to 45 pounds. We also catch an occasional flathead using this method.”
“Planer boards are not a hard technique to get good at,” reassured McCallister. “I think many people see planer boards and think it looks difficult. That could not be further from the truth. Planer boards are very simple to use and can really increase your chances of putting quality fish in the boat.”
Visit the Offshore Tackle website at www.offshoretackle.com to view their full line of catfish gear.
