walleye boards and copper

[Freshwater drum]

for those of you that run walleye boards with your copper do you set them up to release when you get a fish on? ive always ran the yeck boards with my 1/2 cores but have added a couple 300 coppers this year. last year i ran a 200 copper with a walleye board but i swapped the release for an otter release, that worked pretty good.

[Gnarf]

I do not have them release. just turn up the drag point the rod tip at the water and reel it in. run up to 300' 45lb on them just fine. set the keel weight all the way forward

[fishsniffer]

i run them to not release also..anything larger than a 250 i run the tx-44

[NBK]

I set mine to release and use an OR-16 clip on the back to prevent the board from sliding down the line when it releases. Before this I had issues with it diving and hated fighting the board along with the fish. Now when I have a fish on, the board releases and floats on the surface with no resistance and you don't have to worry about pointing your rod tip at the water.

[fishy1]

I like to have them release so they stay on top I've had to many fish get off when a board would dive

[KJ pluggin]

I wrap my clips so they don't release. I'd say try it both ways and see what you like best.

[SeaCatMich]

I set mine to not release. I didn't think having the board sliding down the copper was a good idea. The boards are set the same for my leadcore for the same reason.

[The Salmon Slayer]

I set my Walleye boards to not release. I too wrap the line around the standard walleye board release 1/2 a wrap. I saw this done on Infisherman when they were using the Walleye boards for 30# Strippers,

[King Salmon 1]

Running all TX-44 boards now pull great even with 75 up to 600 copper.

[Blackhawk]

I have tried both ways and have found it better to not let the board release. If you try the release method and are just running a spoon make sure you put a swivel about 3' up from the lure to stop the board from reaching the fish. Taking the board off is really very easy once you do it a few times. Pointing the rod at the board is the key.

[buster107]

I set mine not to release!! I pull 450 of 45lb copper with my walleye board. Set the keel weight forward and rap the front release!!

[Twill23]

i run them to not release also..anything larger than a 250 i run the tx-44

That is the best way to do it! Definately dont want them to release.

The tx-44 is a fantastic board for large spreads and deep coppers! They'll pull up to 1000' and still run farther forawd than an offshore!!

[Freshwater drum]

I've always set them to release. Just tie a rubber band on the line where you attach the board and put the rear pin thru it and the line so the board doesn't slide down the line. It works great on lead core that way.

[Nailer]

Make sure you move the weight forward to offset the weight of the copper on the board. We use the stock release, and tighten it down to not release.

[Paulywood]

I run all my boards not to release. I put an eye screw with a split ring on it in the back of the board and attach an OR-16 to attach the line in the rear. I was using the Offshore Snapper release but started changing out to the Lackjaw release from Church this year. I really like this release as it's a lot easier to get off. I tried the standard releases and the Otters but like the Lockjaw the best.

[sjk984]

I have the vise clamps so they never release. my first year I released them and lost almost every fish. could be coincidence but have not had that problem since

[Corey K]

I've had boards dive early in the fight and blamed the problem on drag being too tight or sticky. I've settled with leaving my copper/lead rods creeping slightly and with my Convectors I like to hand strip line get the drag going smoothly. I've seen people loosen drags when the drag was set right but was sticky and then they panic trying to tighten the drag. To tight of drag will encourage board diving but sometimes there is nothing you can do about it, pacifically in big waves. (that was a Uncle Si quote").... I've never liked boards releasing, I remember using the old yellow birds when I was little for walleyes and salmon. It has made a big difference with good releases out there now and how much better you hook fish with that resistance of a board.

[ChampionShip]

Why dont you want them to release? I have all my boards set to release and fish them daily that way. Never would want it any other way.

[Line Dancin]

Why dont you want them to release? I have all my boards set to release and fish them daily that way. Never would want it any other way.

Same here. it is such a PITA fighting the board with a fish on it. board release pegged in place by an or16 and you fight the fish just like the board isn't there. reel it to the tip fight the fish the rest of the way in. No pointing the rod at the board and fighting a diving board with a fish pulling.

[John E Powell]

Do any of you have a picture or video of how the OR16 is rigged on a TX44? I'd like to give it a try, I have only run my 44 not to release. Maybe I'm a bit dense on this, but I feel like I'm missing something from your explanations?

[Far Beyond Driven]

Releasing the board also makes it easier to change lines or reel in small fish that can't pull the board back. On another boat I watched a newb reel a 2# coho on the outer board of 4 through the inner boards. Hard to catch fish with 4 boards and a quarter mile of mono wrapped in a ball at your stern. Never on my boat....

[Line Dancin]

mt tx-44 are set up the same way as this: