casting side planers

[The Flying Tench]

Santa bought me a Luhr Jensen 'Hot Shot' side planer. Reasonably priced, and it was an incredible sensation seeing the pink contraption chugging along the canal with parts of its frame sticking out of the water like a sinister pink submarine. For a moment I think I experienced the thrill of being the evil villain in a James Bond movie with a new invention to destroy the world!

 

But I didn't catch, and the biggest problem was casting:

 

1. Accuracy. The thing is quite big (7" diagonal measurement) but relatively light with a big surface area. With a smallish lure (Mepps No 3) towed 5' behind I found it hard to cast as close as I'd like to the far rushes.

 

2. Distance, for similar reasons, though I've been checking old posts, and I think Ken L, for example, maybe uses this technique when the bank is clear and you can walk the lure along. I'd be interested to hear if this is how people use a side planer on canals in practice. (Ken, if you read this, do you ever cast the planer a distance?)

 

A related issue is that the stretch of canal I went to has high rushes on both sides for much of the way, so you are restricted to particular swims (gaps in the rushes) for casting, so in the end I took off the side planer and cast fan-wise in the usual way. But I've just seen a post by Peter Waller suggesting using a 12' rod and walking along with it over the top of the near-side rushes. I'm not sure how long I'd want to do that for, but I'll give it a try - and I can see the advantage of a long rod anyway for flipping a lure along the near-side rushes.

 

I'd appreciate any coments on all this.

[Tim Kelly]

You drop them in the water beside you and as you walk along pay out line as it swims across the water. Once you've got the right amount of line out the planer will follow you along the opposite bank. I should imagine that trying to cast them is virtually impossible, you need to be moving (walking) to work them, or I suppose you could use the current in a river to feed it out, but I can't see how that would be particularly useful?

[ALLANM]

I would also be interested to hear any info on the use of planers, have ordered one from BassPro in the hope of giving it a go on the local canals. Here is an article I've found on the subject (hope it's ok to post this link from 'another' fishing website!)

[admin note - links are fine if the pertain to the topic as yours certainly does. Newt]

http://www.fishing.co.uk/article.php3?id=702

[The Flying Tench]

I would also be interested to hear any info on the use of planers, have ordered one from BassPro in the hope of giving it a go on the local canals. Here is an article I've found on the subject (hope it's ok to post this link from 'another' fishing website!)

[admin note - links are fine if the pertain to the topic as yours certainly does. Newt]

http://www.fishing.co.uk/article.php3?id=702

Thanks, both of you for comments. I'm interested the article recommends a long rod.

 

Allanm, I expect you've done a search on 'side planer'? If not, if you do you'll see one or two people use them for towing lures. I'm sorry the article writer finds livebaits best because I've always had a hesitation about using these, though I'm coming to the view that I might use lip-hooked ones where I can let them go comparatively unhurt if there are no takes. After a dead session yesterday I think I might leave it till the water warms up (certainly for lures) but I do hope you'll keep in touch and let us know how you get on.

[ALLANM]

I'm also a little hesitant to use a livebait so will have a go with lures first and see what happens. Like you, I had a blank weekend's lure fishing but might be tempted out again once the planer arrives, will let you know how I get on.

[The Flying Tench]

A small point, Allan. When the planer arrives you have to put it together. It's simple, but a bit tight, and I had to use a stanley knife to cut off some surplus plastic.

 

There are two vanes to choose from. A big 'normal' one and a smaller one for fast water. I used the big one, but I suspect for the small lures I was using the small one would have been fine, and slightly less distracting for the fish - though I haven't tried it.

[GlennB]

Thanks, both of you for comments. I'm interested the article recommends a long rod.

 

Hi John

 

Only guessing here, but the 'long rod' could well be necessary to pick up a decent length of line, largish thingy, and the lure that is trailing *at a serious angle* behind it ??

Gotta get me one of those planer babies for the canal ! Constantly casting to the far bank for 2 seconds of local action can't be right

[Chico]

as per usual Lumby does a great write up

 

http://www.dlst.co.uk/Writings/walktroll.html

[Dave Lumb]

Thanks for that Chico, I tried to post the link yesterday but couldn't.

 

I haven't found a long rod essential when using a planer with lures. Seven foot has worked fine for me. The pike seem to hook themselves against the resistance of teh board.

[The Flying Tench]

Hi John

 

Only guessing here, but the 'long rod' could well be necessary to pick up a decent length of line, largish thingy, and the lure that is trailing *at a serious angle* behind it ??

Gotta get me one of those planer babies for the canal ! Constantly casting to the far bank for 2 seconds of local action can't be right

 

Mine from Basspro arrived in a few days. I've thrown away the bill, but from memory it was about 10 dollars plus about 3 dollars postage.