Fabbed another gadget

[JasonJ]

I decided I wanted to rig for planer board fishing, and after taking inspiration from someone who built a front mounted mast in their boat a few years ago, I decided to build mine to mount in my casting chair socket. Basically I took an old downrigger, used some thick walled aluminum tubing, and a casting chair shaft and the end result is a removeable planerboard mast that is strong enough to hold my weight when I grab it at the top and pull with all my arse. Should be strong enough for a planerboard.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I put my boat up for the winter today so I have to wait until spring to try it. <br /><br />

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[Wimperdink]

Re: Fabbed another gadget

excuse my ignorance but i'm still a newbie to the boating world.. what might I ask is planerboard fishing?

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Fabbed another gadget

A planerboard is a hydrodynamic device that basically takes your line out away from the boat to the side about 30 to 50 feet while trolling. You have it attached to the line that is on the planerboard mast and you let this line out to whatever amount of feet to the side of the boat. You then use a release on your fishing line that runs out along the planerboard line. When a fish hits the lure, the fishing line is released from the planerboard line, and you can fight your fish. <br /><br />The added benefit of planerboard fishing is that the planerboard imparts erratic action to the lure because the planerboard is reacting to the water (chop, waves, etc) as well as how you steer while trolling. I will be using one planerboard to starboard, and one downrigger to port. I would have to add a second reel and pulley to the planerboard mast if I wanted to run a planer board on each side of the boat. Also if I run my rig with a 'board and a downrigger, I am covering more depth as well as width. Its all experimentation as I am not that great at this, I am still learning...<br /><br />If you google planerboard fishing, you can find pics of what I am talking about...

 

[OhioLowell]

Re: Fabbed another gadget

Neat thought Jason, too bad it'll be spring before you get to use it. Wha species are you targeting?<br /><br />I have thought about building a down rigger for Milkmoney. I've got 2 line counter reals that I don't use much and would work for this very well. <br /><br /><br />Lowell

 

[Wimperdink]

Re: Fabbed another gadget

very cool... you dont fish like I do... you have methods and ideas.... I just want them to bite what I have thrown out for them I've neverssen a rig like that but I understand what your saying. Very cool.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Fabbed another gadget

Ohio, I am after our giant lake trout mostly. Yeah Wimper, my rig is definately different than what I see on my lake. Most guys are running 20+ foot cabin cruisers with five hundred downriggers and planer masts off the sides. They sit in their nice heated boats trolling along and waiting for the action. They also spend a lot of money to do the same thing i am doing at a fraction of the cost. The downside of my rig is I miss out because I am unwilling to sit in the rain. The obvious solution is to upgrade to a rig with overhead cover. but that calls for money, something I have little of.

 

[swimmin' for shore]

Re: Fabbed another gadget

You're smart enough, Jason. Why not build yourself a cover for your center console. I don't want to buy the tools, so I'm trying to have one fabbed. It's just a headache rack with a top, though. Having seen your past work, I'm guessing that you could fab up a pretty good one.<br />I like your planerboard idea, by the way. One of those things that keeps us all in the game of trying to find new and creative ways to boat and fish.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Fabbed another gadget

I've gone back and forth on the cover thing ever since I built the boat. I have considered a removeable T-top with curtains, I have considered converting it back to a dual console and fab some canvas, I even considered converting it to a pilot house. In the end I decided to just leave it and wait until the next project. That Thunderbird was going to have a permanent T-top with snap on curtains to enclose it, but as you well remember, that didn't quite go as plan..

 

[swimmin' for shore]

Re: Fabbed another gadget

LOL. I was probably even less happy about it than you, but a lot of things go that way, throughout the course of our lives. Truly, though, I was sorry.<br />I think you could fab a pretty simple, inexpensive top. I don't have the pipe bender or welder, but it sounded like you had the welder if I remember correctly. I just did some searching online, and now I'm taking it in some different directions. I don't know, though. I think that the ideal situation would be a full cab, but you usually only see that on bigger boats. I see them up here occasionally, and they're really popular for winter steelhead. Anyway, I haven't heard much from you. What's your plan for the next project now?

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Fabbed another gadget

Well Swimmin' my boating plan is kind of on the back burner for the time being, unless a kickin' oportunity falls in my lap. I have a few other major things going on right now, such as a career change, just got married, and looking to buy a house. <br /><br />I'll just continue with my current boat for the time being...