Planer rod Info.

[offshore]

I had posted this on a local site but thought I would also post it here for anyone that might be interested in setting up a planer rod.

Offshore I used to be a diehard downrigger user but after I fished with a friends planer rod I was sold. Over the past few seasons we have been using a bridal system on our planer rod with a removable planer. If you are using large planers #12 old saltys or bigger you will need some heavy tackle to run the planers.We run all sizes of planers on my rod so I will show you the setup we use.

We use a rod that was made for running planers. The standard is a bent butt rod but the one I had made is a straight butt rod. I wanted a straight butt rod because I like to fight the fish with standup gear and not from the gunnel. My rod was made From a Calstar E-glass 80-100# blank cut to 5'. It has a large Aftco roller stripper on the tip and oversize 6 point guides on the rest of the rod. It has a Aftco straight but which I like to use but I also have the bent butt but have never used it. The reel I am using is a Alutecnos 50w2s mainly because of the drag rating for this reel but any lever drag reel with 30lbs or more of drag will work. It is spooled with 130 Jerry Brown hollowcore spectra. Here is a pic.




Once you get the rod you will need the leader system to make it work. There are many types of bridal system you can make. ( the bridal is what you clip your planer to) After trying a few over the past few years I decided to come up with my own version. All the ones I tried were heavy mono made with crimps or knots both of which are not guide friendly with big fish. Since I make windons a came up with a windon bridal which gives you a super smooth transition through the guides and onto the reel. The only knot you have is the Catspaw connection to the main line. The Windon bridals we use are 100lb mono 100 ft in length.
Now you will need the planer. I would recomend only using Old Salty planers. Here is why. Old Salty planers are the only planers you can trip while at trolling speed without being tripped by a fish. This is important because it is a pain in the butt to stop the boat to reel in the planer rod when you need to. The Old Saltys can be tripped by putting the reel in freespool for a slow three count. These planers come in all sizes depending how much depth you want to acheive. Personaly I like the size 12 or larger planers for the depths I like to fish. Below are the pics of the bridal system and a drawing of the windon bridal I make for my planer rod. Hope this helps. Just a note of warning. Your planer rod is under tremendous presure so make sure you have a good rod holder I prefer a Swival Rod Holder with a backing plate.



Here is a drawing of the Windon leader I use.


...................Tight lines Mark

[Aftergolf]

Mark,
I saw this set up for the first time on Shane's boat and it worked great, but they had the bent but rod and you had to fight the fish from the gunwale. Where did you get the rod, looks great? The other thing they had was a wire section where the planer attached like your picture. Have you had any issues with the wind-on breaking?
BTW, Rick (the mate) said that this works way easier than the traditional way we have done it in the past by having the planer on a cleat and sending paper clips down to hold the fishing line.
Thanks for the info, great data.

[offshore]

I have only had the planer hit once and the bridal was cut but not all the way through. It took about 2 minutes to change it out. I keep 4 or 5 windon bridal leaders on the boat at all times. This is way better than cleating the planer off. I have a bent but but like to take the rod out to fight the fish and with the long bent butt it is tuff to do. It is nice to be able to fight the fish all the way to the boat and not have to hand line them in.
Kevin Bogan in NJ made the rod it only took about two weeks to get it. If you tell him what you want he will make it. I think the rod was around $250.00. He wrapped it to match my other rods. He makes alot of the rods for the charter fleets up that way. Great guy...........Tight LinesMark

[Undaunted]

ah ha, the infamous bridle system.

I would only comment on on thing. Be careful we removing the bridle if you have a fish on. Last Spring I had a 50lb tuna make a run as I was trying to remove the bridle. Luckily the planer only his my finger tip and left a bruise. Now I am very careful making sure if the fish runs the planer will leave my hands freely.

[offshore]

Mike you are correct about the planer rod. I dont let anyone set it or remove the planer but myself. I had the planer ripped out of my hand by a Wahoo while setting it on the last trip!! Still a deadly trip and some days that is all they will hit. Remember the trip on the cat when we were running two planer rods?? Those were the only two rods that were hit from Hatteras to OI!! Mark

[Undaunted]

yep, I remember those couple of days. But you are wrong only about one thing. That week the planer rod was called the catfish pole.

[gary240]

What is the advantage to using this set up and not just a modified version of a poor mans down rigger? I thought about getting a heavy rod and reel and just sending the bait down via paper clip like a poor mans down rigger.

[Aftergolf]

Gary,
I have been using a commercial planer with paper clips and it works ok. If you want to change locations on the water you have to get it up by hand or with a down rigger. This system is much easier, less stuff to contend with in the cockpit and easier to manage. When you send it out it is part of the fishing rig and when you crank it up with a fish on, your get the planer close, unhook it and keep winding the fish all the way to the boat. Much easier to handle and it works great. I saw it first hand on a bunch of Wahoo on Shanes boat with Rick in the pit working the rod.

[offshore]

There are a few advantages to this planer setup I like.
1. Only one rod to deal with and no downrigger.
2. You dont have to slowdown or stop to trip the planer to check the bait or retreive
the planer. It can be tripped while under way.
3. You can fight the fish stand up if you wish.
4. No hand lining and then having to deal with 100ft + of leader and line.
5. No storage you can wind everything including the leader on to the reel. Just
unclip the planer.

[jonafare]

Hi Mark... how do you knowhow deep you are with the planer rod?... do you meter out?

Frank