In-Lines versus Big Boards Q & A.

[Walleye Express]

I’ve got limited experience using big boards – mainly throwing a couple lines way-out for “steelies†while Salmon fishing. I use Offshore in-lines for night trolling in April, I also own a couple “walleye boards†but found they don’t handle good in rough water – but I do love the spring-loaded slot in the front of the boards for removing the boards while hooked up. I was going to buy a couple more inlines and also want “big boardsâ€. My prob with inlines is you don’t get to fight the fish until the last 20’ (or until boards’ released).

Question – how (or) does anyone run bigs @ night?

Question – Do you ever have problems losing your in-lines and how to protect this from happening?

My solution – I replaced the front clip with a swivel that would catch on a larger barrel swivel preceding my leader.

Question – If you could only invest in one for both day and night fishing – what would you choose? :?

Gatorbait.

Firstly Gatorbait..

Running big boards at night could work, but would involve a lot more work and attention to be worth wild. I have never lost an In-Line board at night, because I lock the line to the board by wrapping it around the front release twice or more. And I guess if I was confined to buying just one type it would be In-Lines.

In my many years of fishing I've used many kinds of boards both big and In-Lines, starting with my own wooden ones I made myself back in the mid-70's. Virtually everything from the old Styrofoam Yellow Birds, to light plastic configurations made by Lur Jenson. Even an experimental model I helped develop, made by the Storm Lure Company that looked like the Star Trek Enterprise, that was actually called "The Shuttle".

The one thing people do not think about when using one type or the other is not so much their design or how they fit into your type of fishing, but how they pull and impart the action to your lures. Each type both acts and pulls your offerings different when being used on the water during the varying water conditions. In-Lines (even in rough seas) ride right on top the water, pull and track in a smoother continuous motion then big boards, wheras your line release is tide to the tether line, riding off the water and is often pulled or whipped back and forth even in small waves. Often, one of these two very different actions can induce strikes when the other is running dead. Here's a little secret I've kept to myself for years. I've had dead calm days when instead of zig-zagging, I will continually pull in and release the long cord I use at the back of the boat, that brings in my Big planer boards tether line, just to give my lures a stop-and-go darting action, and it's paid off. Capt. Dan.