How Planer Boards Work
In trolling, positioning is everything. Planer boards are not about adding more gear to your spread. They are about controlling where and how your lures run, making them the difference between failure and success.
Planer boards use the forward motion of your boat, whether powered by an outboard or an electric motor, and convert that motion into resistance to create lateral distance. As the boat moves forward, the board pulls away from the boat. That distance is created through resistance and geometry.
Geometry is the most important factor in how a planer board functions. How the board reacts in the water is dictated by its shape.
Traditional planer boards are shaped with a sharp wedge at the forward facing end. That wedge slices into the water at its leading edge. The angled surface then directs water toward the flat side of the board, creating resistance. In simple terms, if you place a flat surface in the water and pull it, resistance is created. Add the proper wedge at the front and you can control how that resistance pulls the board outward.
Traditional boards create horizontal distance. What they do not address well is vertical stability, especially in rough water.
Modern Geometry: The Blade Planer Board
Modern planer boards, such as the Blade Planer Board from Livingston Lures, take this concept further by addressing both distance and stability.
The Blade operates on principles similar to a hydrofoil or catamaran. Its geometric shaping uses precise angles to create resistance while also generating lift, all with a significant reduction in surface area.
This advanced geometry does two critical things. It drives the board outward from the boat. It creates upward force at the same time.
As the Blade moves forward, it is not only pulled away from the boat but also pushed upward. This combination of lateral pull and vertical lift allows it to ride over waves instead of being pulled under them.
Traditional planer boards convert forward motion primarily into distance from the boat. The Blade’s geometry converts forward motion into both distance and lift, improving tracking, consistency, and performance in extremely choppy water.
Performance still depends on proper setup. Speed control, line placement, and balance all influence how efficiently any planer board runs. Geometry creates the potential. Execution determines the outcome.
Why and When to Use Planer Boards
Creating a Trolling Spread
Planer boards are traditionally used to create horizontal separation between lures in a trolling spread. When running multiple lines, each with its own lure, boards allow those lines to be spaced apart.
This separation reduces tangles and allows anglers to cover a much larger area. More lures spread farther apart create a measurable advantage when covering large expanses of water and open basins.
If someone asks what a planer board does, the simplest answer is this. It spreads your presentation away from the boat so you can control water coverage more precisely.
Fishing Unfamiliar or Hazardous Water
Planer boards are also valuable when trolling areas that are unfamiliar or unsafe to run directly over.
When fishing new water for muskies or pike, I often use planer boards on early passes near rocks and reefs. While electronics and mapping are helpful, creating extra lateral distance allows me to troll structure without putting my outboard at risk.
If a lure makes bottom contact, I can mentally note and mark hazards or high spots not shown on my chartplotter. This approach is also effective in areas with timber. Using boards allows you to explore water safely while learning it.
Distance from the Boat as a Tactical Advantage
Some fish species are naturally spooky. Others become wary under certain conditions, especially in clear water or during specific seasonal periods.
Planer boards create distance between your boat and your presentation. That separation reduces the negative influence of boat noise and motor disturbance.
In some situations, I have used planer boards to troll areas most anglers would typically cast, simply to avoid spooking fish in shallow water. By using the Blade Planer Boards, you can keep your boat well away from shoreline cover and structure while still presenting baits effectively.
Planer Boards and Bait Fishing
While muskie, walleye, and salmon anglers often associate planer boards with trolling artificial lures, catfish and striper anglers frequently use them differently.
By using current or a very slow trolling motor speed, anglers can spread live or dead baits apart using planer boards. This creates separation and allows a larger area to be covered, even at slow speeds.
In river systems, some anglers anchor and deploy planer boards into the current. The steady flow of water holds the boards in position, allowing live or dead baits to be presented across a wide area while the boat remains stationary. This technique is common among catfish anglers who want to maximize coverage while anchored.
Planer boards are not about gimmicks. They are about positioning, geometry, and control.
Whether you are learning how to use planer boards for trolling, mapping new structure, avoiding spooking fish, or spreading live bait in current, the right design gives you measurable control over your presentation.
In pressured or competitive environments, control is the edge.
Planer Boards Explained: Quick Answers for Anglers
What is a planer board?
A planer board is a trolling tool that spreads lures or bait horizontally away from the boat, allowing anglers to control coverage and presentation.
How do planer boards work?
Planer boards use forward boat motion to generate resistance. Their geometry converts that motion into lateral pull away from the boat. Advanced designs, such as the Livingston Blade, also create lift, improving stability in rough water.
Why use planer boards when trolling?
Planer boards increase lure separation in multi line spreads.
They allow anglers to cover more water efficiently.
They reduce spooking fish in clear or pressured conditions.
They provide safer passes near structure or hazards.
They improve presentation control in open water basins.
When should you use planer boards?
Planer boards are most effective when covering large open water areas.
They are useful when fishing clear water where boat presence matters.
They help when exploring unfamiliar structure.
They are effective when trolling near rocks, reefs, or timber.
They are valuable when spreading live or dead bait in current.
What makes modern planer boards different?
Traditional planer boards rely primarily on flat surface resistance. Modern boards like the Livingston Blade use refined geometry to create both outward pull and upward lift, improving tracking and stability in rough water.
For anglers serious about trolling efficiency and presentation control, planer boards are not optional equipment. They are a positioning tool that directly impacts coverage, safety, and effectiveness.
Author
Steven Paul
Professional Musky Guide
International Award Winning Lure Designer
Creator of the Titan, Kraken, Banshee, Critter, Menace, and Mustang Series
Co Host of Musky Shop TV and the Musky 360 Podcast
Publisher of the Musky 360 App
Contributing Writer for Field and Stream