My mini planer board hobby

[BulBob]

Designing planer boards is a hobby I am hooked on and wanted to share my ideas and developments.

Anyhow, I'm testing wings and tails on small custom molded foam planer boards. I had the foam bodies molded in China in 4 sizes. I am drilling the hole and cutting the slot and inserting different shape wings and tails in the slot. I cut the shapes out of a milk jug. The foam bodies I'm testing are 3" long.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/BulBob/pskishapelabels_zps58e6d2d3.jpg (http://s84.photobucket.com/user/BulBob/media/pskishapelabels_zps58e6d2d3.jpg.html)

This is a close up of P3 pulling a lure larger then itself. The wing kept the attack angle stable at speeds from 0.2 to 2.0 mph. The furl off the keel hits the wing harder the faster you go keeping it stable. Forgive me for struggling to explain how it works, I'm still trying to mechanically rationalize my observations and put them into words!

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/BulBob/pski2_zps821a6deb.jpg (http://s84.photobucket.com/user/BulBob/media/pski2_zps821a6deb.jpg.html)

Here are P3 and P5 planing way out to the side with large lures.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/BulBob/P2waterjet_zps31f70884.jpg (http://s84.photobucket.com/user/BulBob/media/P2waterjet_zps31f70884.jpg.html)

Paul - For more info visit http://www.bulletbobber.com/inworks.html

[Snapshot]

BB, I was about to say welcome to the site but I see that you have been around longer than most. Suppose with planers like this you are to busy building and fisning to keep us up to date with your great work. I have trolled for lots of trout and salmon and your idea appears to be as good an any store bought planers I have used. Great idea that should produce well for you. Supponse you use them on some striped bass and maybe even an occasional largemouth. Most fish will hit a moving bait. Tell us what us use them for and a story or two of how they worked. I, if no one else am interested in trying something like this for white bass.

PS: that's a nice diamond wrap on your rod.

[BulBob]

I had a table at a Steelhead show last Saturday at the Rocky River Nature Center. There is a deck that hangs out over the river and my table was next to the door to the deck. I had some diehards that didn't believe in my BulletBobber, so I took them out on the deck, made a short cast and showed them I could make it go anywhere I wanted from bank to bank downstream. Then I took them back inside and made a sale. I just wish there were fish to catch but it is too early for the run.

The BulletBobber and Dualfin have been used to catch about every species. I have trolled for white bass where the seagulls were diving and caught them with spinners, spoons, hot-n-tots but mostly jigs tipped with minnows.

I made and tested this one on Sunday and caught a Bass. I just taped it on with electrical tape.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/BulBob/BBfin2_zps58453fa3.jpg (http://s84.photobucket.com/user/BulBob/media/BBfin2_zps58453fa3.jpg.html)
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k38/BulBob/BBfin1_zps204a4720.jpg (http://s84.photobucket.com/user/BulBob/media/BBfin1_zps204a4720.jpg.html)

There are many things you can do to make them suit your dreams. See Tips and Tricks http://www.bulletbobber.com/buusup.html

[vett0111]

Those look good. How did it go at show? Folks liking them?

[Snapshot]

BB, perhaps others have not noticed but we don't have any Steelhead in Texas. However I spent my college and working years in Oregon and have fished for Steelhead using all sorts of planers and divers and can say I really don't know why I came back to Texas when I retired. Well that's not quite true as I have family here and I was gone for a long time. OH how I miss my salmon and steelhead fishing. Another favorite was to fish for them was with a bobber and jig. Like you said, most fish will hit about anything once it's in front of them and your planers are fantastic. Where do I get a couple? One for the right side and one for the left side of the boat? You can pm me with the info. I can handle the divers being streight back but have not used any to spread to the right and left for white bass. Great product and idea.

[Lou The Fisherman]

Very interesting trollers. Paul your area code is 330. Are you located in Akron Oh.?

[BulBob]

I have not fished for Stripers but have caught white bass. There are several Tennessee Striper Guides that use the X-Large BulletBobber on all rods all the time. I was trolling for Walleye with BBs and saw Sea Gulls diving so we trolled through the bait ball and hooked up on all 4 rods. Followed the school for about an hour and caught a bunch more by just casting jigs tipped with minnows. I don't use BBs unless they provide an advantage but I and many customers keep finding more ways that they can improve the catch rate or help find the fish.

I like fishing rivers and keeping a bait or lure in the water and where I want it more of the time is the basic idea that led me to inventing them. It took me a while to realize how many other ways they could help. They have been used to catch about every freshwater species and many saltwater too. All said, I had some frustrated fishermen that didn't understand the BB and just wanted a better side planer, so that pushed me to work on adding stabilizer fins and tails. I also wanted to troll faster for some species, with more rods and not worry about them flipping and tangling. I also like that they can handle much faster currents but getting the lure to the right depth is tricky in fast currents. I will use diving lures or add more weight but often need to change to a larger BB size. Figuring out how to use them in more situations is the best way to learn. I can look at the water and make a good guess what to use, if an attachment is needed or if flipping is best. But I didn't like breaking the line if I was wrong. The slot and hole system makes it easy to rig and encourages me to try more lures. With a swivel to change lures and the slot to add or change planer size means I can go through my whole tackle box in no time...lol.


Paul Lieb
BulletBobber Enterprises
3586 Wadsworth Rd.
Norton, OH 44203

[jackiekennedyfishingguide.com]

I have had some experience with planer boards. My first time was in Arkansas fishing for stripers, and believe me they work and will work for any type of fish you are trolling for. They allow more rods to be fished and cover more water. I can see many applications for these, summer time sandy being the top of the list.
If you will send me some information on these I can possibly help with some local sales.

[Gentleben]

good information........