When the air temperatures of summer start to rise heating up the water near the oceans surface, what do fish do? They move down in the water column. How do you reach them? For saltwater fishing applications, one of the best ways to get baits down to where the fish are is with a fishing planer. In coastal waters where the reefs exist, if you are trolling baits on or near the surface and not getting bites, it's time to try other fishing techniques. Planers open up another realm. What we do in this In The Spread fishing video is give you fishing planer setups for bit boats and small boats. We will cove the tackle, rods, reels, fishing rigs, tactics and related fishing techniques to run planers. You will learn why planer fishing can make your day. Our instructors, RJ Boyle and Mark Danley, will share their knowledge and experience on how to catch fish with planers. You will learn about the various sizes of planers, how to make the rig, the hooks you need, squid skirts and sea witches used to cover your bait. One of the best baits you can use for this type of fishing is a strip bait. We will cover bonito, mullet, squid and plastic strips. You will learn how to hook strip baits with both single and double hook rigs. The mechanics of how planers perform underwater and the proper way to set up your spread will be shown to you. We will cover the planer fishing rig in detail and then demonstrate how to deploy them for optimal performance. You will learn how to stagger you planers, so they do not tangle when you make a turn in your boat. These fishing tips will give you a huge head start. When it comes to a fishing planer, you can use them to target kingfish, grouper, wahoo and even sailfish. Commercial kingfish operations have been using them with great success for years. Learn why you should use them, how to use them and all the tackle you need to make it happen. You will always fish smarter when you have the right knowledge.
Planer Fishing Fundamentals
(02:16:04)If you are fishing in nearshore waters of 300 feet or less, trolling planers is the most productive tool you can use. In the summer months when the air temperature is much higher and the upper water column is going to be on the hotter side, fish are going to be deeper. How do you get your baits down to where the fish are hanging out? You use a fishing planer. If you are not using them, you might as well go play golf. Keep in mind, even though we filmed this in South Florida, you can apply what you learn here about trolling planer fishing to any fishery. This In The Spread fishing video, featuring RJ Boyle, will cover how to use a planer for fishing. A few of the topics we cover include big boat and small boat setups, tackle, rods and reels, rigs, tactics and techniques for this style of angling. See why it will benefit you to fish a planer with this super in-depth presentation. Learn about the mechanics of the rig. We break down the hooks used, the mylar, squid skirts and sea witches that cover your bait. What color skirts should you use in clear water and dirty? Learn about the fluorocarbon and monofilament used and how much you really need. Get a clear understanding of why multiple swivels are necessary on both ends of the planer. What are the best strip baits to use with your planer fishing rig? RJ will discuss bonito, mullet, squid and artificial or rubber strip baits. Remember, fresh is best, so go with whatever is most predominant in your home waters. Learn how to hook baits with single and double hook rigs. We will show you how to set up your trolling spread, for both sport fishers and center consoles, using different size planers and why this is important. Learn how to stagger your spread to prevent tangling when turing the boat. See techniques on how to deploy, trip and release them. Pick up great pointers on how to fight fish. Again, if you are fishing for grouper, sailfish, kingfish, wahoo or other reef species in nearshore waters, trolling a planer is going to get you more fish. Why do you think the commercial kingfish guys use them so much? They work! Whether you want to work a current edge, temperature break or structure at depth, this is the way to go. Don't just do the act of fishing. Actually fish by knowing where fish will hold and how to get you bait in front of them. This is a tactics used by excellent crews the world over. Adopt it and put more fish in your boat today. Watch other planer fishing videos in our [Saltwater Fishing Techniques](https://inthespread.com/saltwater-fishing-techniques) library.
