Thinking about buying some new boards this year. I really like water bugs curly q swivels but they are not quite big enough to pull themselves out at trolling speeds.
Any sugestions for commercial boards?
I know there are brands i have not heard of…post em up!
Grady 223 Tournament / G3 1860 CC
Rednecks are popular. Trophy Ridge are another option. The difference between them besides color is the Rednecks have an aluminum board and the Trophy Ridge have a clear lexan or plexiglass board. Both will handle heavier weights. I have used and owned both as well as the smaller Water Bugz.
-The size of a fish is directly proportional to the time between when it’s lost and the story is told. - Me
-What’s the best eating fish, you ask? I’ve found that for a lot people, its the ones that they happen to be able to catch, clean, and cook. - My Dad
-Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. Anatole France (paraphrased)
-RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. I’ll never forget him. What a special friend he was.
-Team Gonna Fish
I purchased a set of boards from a company in Kentucky and they look the same as rednecks. I used them last week on Murray and the seem to bounce around a lot and I used a med action rod. Now that I’m back home I’ll do a little tuning and then they should do the job. I do like the aluminum blade.
I would like to find a set of foam yellow birds as they worked great but after 20 years they started to crack.
I have WaterBugz, Rednecks, Capt. Macks, Striper Addiction, and Chris Hovis boards …
I no longer use Water Bugz as they are too small and do not pull as wide as the other boards … So I will take them out of the equation …
I find the Striper Addiction boards to be too heavy … So I will also take them out of the equation …
That leaves Rednecks, Macks, and Hovis boards …
They all pull pretty much the same … I have had the most experience with Rednecks BUT they are the most difficult to obtain as they are made by a single semi-retired guy out of NC … $50/pair plus shipping
The Capt. Mack boards are more widely available and they come in two sizes … 10" and 12" … They are also weighted which is interesting - I originally thought that would present issues, but I actually like the added weight since it seems to prevent the boards from diving while retrieving to change bait out … I have pulled them both and they work equally good … I have not had them as long as the Rednecks so we’ll see if they hold up … $50/pair plus tax
The last set of boards are made by Chris Hovis out of NC … Again, single guy making them, but he is very responsive via FaceBook … His boards also pull equally well and they are cheaper coming in at $30/pair … Again, I haven’t had them more than a season so time will tell if they hold up …
I changed out the hardware on ALL of the boards to include the clips and one fasteners … I have settled on large (#6) American Made nickel snap swivels and Offshore Releases (blk) for clips … I also change out all of the rings used to attach the swivels and clips with stainless rings and that solves all my previous rust issues …
Hope this helps some … I can post pics if you want … Just let me know …
… it’s my Wife’s fault we HAVE to fish !!!
2005 Sea Pro 2100cc /
I have used the Rednecks for years and they perform well.
Joby
Almost forgot … Redi-rig planer floats … Not the stealth planers or whatever they are called … The planer floats are a great compliment to any planer spread
I started off using Offshore planers with the flags… because I didn’t know any better. They are very heavy and expensive. 
Last year I searched and searched and decided on the Striper Addiction boards. I like them a lot. Purchased 3 sets and fixing to get 1 more.
I have fished with many friends who use Water Bugz. They are too light weight for me.
I also changed out all of the hardware on my Striper Addiction boards. I have Offshore (orange) releases and Offshore spiral pigtails. I am 50/50 on the spiral pigtails tho. They work good in the winter with cold hands, but suck when your board comes off.
+1 on the Redi Rig floats!!
Well Hung
Nautic Star 2000 Offshore
200 Suzuki
What’s the down side to water bugs? I think I’ve used or held just about all the boards available. I like the water bugz. I like how light they are and seem to pull as good as anything else. FYI. I make my own. That’s another option. Really easy to do.
quote:
Originally posted by ReeldawgWhat’s the down side to water bugs? I think I’ve used or held just about all the boards available. I like the water bugz. I like how light they are and seem to pull as good as anything else. FYI. I make my own. That’s another option. Really easy to do.
The biggest downside … Big Baits … Hooking a 10-12 inch Gizzard Shad and trying to keep the Shad from pulling the planer rather than the other way around …
Second biggest downside … Water coverage … I can pull a Redneck board parallel to the boat with 120’ of line from rod tip to the planer board at .6mph … This allows me to be able to pull up to 6 sets of planers at a time if I need to …
Third biggest downside … can’t add weight … If you pull weighted planers with 2 - 3 oz of weight you risk tipping and/or sinking the Waterbugz …
Those are just my top three reasons for switching over to bigger boards …
I second everything that Rick said about the Water Bugz.
And a personal experience that I have had with the Trophy Ridge is I’ve broken 2 of them by dropping them. Just bad luck I guess, but the arm broke out of the plexiglass. I think he has switched to Lexan since I had my issues and he replaced my boards, but it sucks to break boards while fishing.
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-The size of a fish is directly proportional to the time between when it’s lost and the story is told. - Me
-What’s the best eating fish, you ask? I’ve found that for a lot people, its the ones that they happen to be able to catch, clean, and cook. - My Dad
-Until you have loved a dog, part of your soul remains unawakened. Anatole France (paraphrased)
-RIP my “Puppy Dog” 10/15/2004 - 1/14/2013. I’ll never forget him. What a special friend he was.
-Team Gonna Fish
I use rednecks, striper addiction, homemade boards and recently added extreme fishing concepts boards.
Striper addiction and EFC boards are the easiest to get ahold of.
The SA boards need the clips changed out but for 28$ A SET you can’t complain about the clips
The EFC boards (40$ a set)are ready to fish out of the package (you do have to put the arm on though. Same as all boards)
My experience with trophy ridge is that they are too light (some people like this) but they don’t fit my style of fishing.
I won’t use a board unless it is 4"×10" or bigger and it has to have an aluminum plate. I do like that the striper addiction boards come in 4x10s or 4x12s
No matter what board I run though I change out the clips to the orange (heavy) offshore release.
“All fisherman lie. And if they say otherwise, then they’re lying”
“Sea~N~Stripes”
21’ Hewes Craft Custom
140 Suzuki
I’ve seen too many of the Trophy Ridge boards break… They are good running boards but they break very easily.
Carolina Skiff 218 DLV
140 Suzuki
Thanks for all of the input!
Grady 223 Tournament / G3 1860 CC
Trophy ridge boards are great bj stands behind his product. When he first started the material that the boards were made of would break. He then came out with a lexan made board if you step on them they would break, he has now came out with a new product i promise you cant break them. You can run over them with a truck and they wont break. I am proud to be one of his prostaff and will continue to only pull tropgy ridge boards
Ready for another striper trip: Striper Addiction boards releases switched with orange off shore, 27H reels had drag pads replaced and 2 new rods.
I’m thinking about getting new rods for planer board season, but not sure what to get. Any suggestions that won’t empty my wallet? Length, action, etc.? Right now I’m using 6 1/2’ Ugly Sticks.
Bob Van Gundy
Marine Designs,Inc.
Custom Aluminum Fabrication
803-727-4069
I always used the ugly stick striper spinning rods. Cheap, and take a beating.
Wellcraft V-20 sportfish with a 200 Evinrude
Anything med action is good. I use shimano TDR rods. I use 8’6" mediums. 30$ each. They are 2pc rods but your usually not gonna find a rod over 7’6" that’s 1 pcells with out paying for them.
I will say I am messing around with the idea of switching over to okuma dead eye rods. They are 8’6" 1pc rods but the are telescopic (go down into the handle about 12") they are about 35$ and are a little lighter (in weight) compared to the TDR rods.
When all else fails though u can’t beat the med-med/hvy striper ugly sticks. I don’t like the med/lights for pulling boards. Although I do use the med/lights for pulling freelines.
“All fisherman lie. And if they say otherwise, then they’re lying”
“Sea~N~Stripes”
21’ Hewes Craft Custom
140 Suzuki