Fishing with planer boards is practiced in North America for decades and soon found first successful imitators in Switzerland. The new developed STUCKI Power Board adapts this proven and efficient trolling technique perfectly to the conditions on our subalpine lakes.
Five Benefits of the Stucki Side Planer
- Fishing and fighting the fish directly with the rod. This allows direct contact with the fish.
- The contact with the fish is much more direct and you lose fewer fish.
- You can fish a much larger water surface in comparison to the simple rod and fish with multiple rods per boat.
- Flotsam and aquatic plants are caught mostly by the side planer board.
- The fish usually hooks itself due to the strong resistance.
The Material
The correct choice of materials increases the fishing opportunities and the joy of this type of trolling.
Depending on the target fish you need following:
- Strong but not too stiff rods in the lengths of 210 cm to 300 cm with a casting weight between 150 g and 500 g, depending on the target fish and material quality.
- Solid spinning or multiplier reels with a line capacity of at least 150 m / 0.35 mm.
- Braided line of good quality (e.g. SG Finezze) with diameters of 0.26 mm and 0.35 mm (see installation sketch). The use of well distinguishable colors is advantageous, for example, yellow on the reel, green or red between the side-planer and the bait.
- High-quality monofilament lines (e.g. Fighter) 0.30 to 0.40 mm.
- For pike steel or titanium leader (capacity minimum 10 kg).
- Reliable, inconspicuous snap.
The assembly (see chart)
- The reel is filled with at least 100 yards of braided line with a diameter of 0.35mm.
- Two meters before the end of this line two double loop knots are knotted at a distance of about 45 cm, the loops should be about 4 inches long. At these loops the boards are mounted.
- Tie a braided line of 0.26mm to the end of this line with a blood-not or uni-knot.
- Depending on the preferred length and used bait, 5 to 30 meters of high quality monofilament with a diameter between 0.30 mm and 0.40 mm is tied to this end.
- For pike fishing this is followed by a 50 cm long steel or titanium leader with strength of 10 – 20 kg.
- For the connection to the bait use a high-quality snap.
Releasing the lines
Start with the line of the longest rod for the most distant bait. If a weight may be required, this is hung to a STUCKI Stainless Snap (S14.535) in the loop knot. Then, the total required length is alighted and the side-planer is fixed into the two loop knots; the first loop on the side arm, then the second loop at the rear hook. The line between the two hooks must be slack in any case, otherwise the board will not run! Now this entire assembly can be skipping to the intended distance. This process is continued with the other rods. The longest rod is placed in the front rod holders, the shortest in the rear.
What lures to use?
To be successful, it surely is important that the lure is running properly. This should be checked with each lure. Many lures run perfectly only at a certain speed. This speed must first be established and then always consistently kept. Normal trolling speeds are between 2.5 km/h to 5 km/h. It is important that all the used lures need the same speed range.
Bite!
This is a wonderful moment: your side-planer moves quickly backwards. No driftwood, no hanger, definitely a beautiful fish! Now you have to keep patience and wait! Wait to take the rod out of the rod holder; otherwise the fish does not hook itself. Whenever possible don’t stop the boat, otherwise the lines can become entangled. When the fish is hooked, the fish can be drilled behind the other lines and passed through the tail water of the boat. The other rods can remain in place. To drive the boat at this moment, a second man, or an auto pilot on board is an advantage.
Before landing
The planer-board should never be reeled in too near. Stop when there is about two meters of line between the rod tip and the planer-board. Take the line with your hand and loosen the strap from the side arm first, then the one from the back-loop. Now, the fight goes one with direct contact to the fish. Have fun!
Net the fish
The fish will probably make some attempts to escape when it sees the boat. Take your time and fight the fish carefully! Only when the fish is tired, you can reduce the speed of the boat and net the fish, be sure to use a strong, large net! Then pull out the net by the frame and not by the handle as this will bend or break with large, trophy fish.
And on it goes!
Immediately after you got the fish in the boat you must engage the gear again, otherwise there lines entangle themselves. After you have the fish suspended, let the lure back through the middle. After the STUCKI Power Board is linked again, make sure that it will not tangle in the other lines, but swims straight backwards. Play with the tension and until it passed the other lines and can be placed in its final position.
And now have fun and success on the water!
Marcel Rösch / Kurt Zbinden,
STUCKI-PRO-Team