DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, I receive a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Best Planer Board for Crappie
One of the problems anglers encounter while fishing for crappies in the shallow or deep waters is the fact that crappies can detect the noise made by the fishing boat engines before they get to the location where crappies are beneath the water.
The noise scares crappies away, and the angler can spend hours casting lines or trolling without catching any crappies. It is difficult to move around the rivers and lakes with stealth, but the crappie planer board is the solution to this problem.
Crappie planer boards are fishing tools made from materials that float on water such as light wood, Styrofoam encased in plastic, etc. these crappie fishing tools are really easy to use, and they help anglers land more crappies.
What are the Best Crappie Planer Board to Buy?
2) Yellow Bird Planer Board
- Left Side
- Styrofoam Bobber
- Easy To Use
1) Krazywolf Planer Board
- Left & Right Sides
- Highly Visible
- Stable
3) Offshore Tackle Side Planers
- Right Side
- Reputable Choice
- Great Value
The crappie planer board is simply a device that is fitted with a line and tackle. The line is controlled by a reel attached to a mast that can be mounted on any position on the fishing boat. After locating areas where crappies can be hiding, the angler sets up the planer board and lets it drift away from the boat while the lures on the line attracts crappies.
There are different types of crappie planer boards; they usually come with the manufacturers’ manual to help you set-up the tool, look out for the manual before purchasing your planer board. You can also buy planer boards that have flags mounted on them.
Since the boards drift far away from your boat, you can detect bites when the flag appears to be tugged as the crappie bites your lure. Another feature to look out for when purchasing crappie planer boards is if they glow in the dark.
These planer boards can be used to troll crappies at night which is a good time to catch crappies. For better stability, choose a planer board that has a moderate weight, if it is too light, the planer board may be too unstable due to the water current.
Some fascinating crappie planer boards have been reviewed below:
9 Best Planer Board for Crappie Reviews
1) Krazywolf Planer Board
The bright yellow color makes it easy to use this planer board in the dark. It comes with a six-inch flag to help anglers detect crappie bites on the bait. Anglers can reposition the keel weight on this planer board for ease of use. The packaging includes two line clips, and two springs, plus the red flag.
Easy to use, anglers can simply attach the planer board to fishing lines. The positions of flags are on the left or right side, which means the lures are swayed at an angle during slow trolling. It is a stable planer board; the weight supports its stability in the water.
2) Yellow Bird Planer Board
Good for heavy and light baits, anglers who plan to land slab crappies can get bigger tackles in the water with this planer board. It comes in different sizes, but this is the 3” planer board.
The Styrofoam bobber is encased in high-quality plastic which makes it a durable planer board that can last long. The weight is adjustable for stability, and it comes with a long red flag attached to a spring which will allow the flag to be tugged when crappies take a bite at the lure. Instructions can be found inside the packing for easy set-up.
3) Offshore Tackle Side Planers
It weighs just two pounds, which is good for stability in the waters even with a mild current. The red flag on this crappie planer board is fixed, it features OR19 and 16 clips, a 6/32 screw, nylon nut, and a split ring.
Setting up the planer board is easy; the instructions have been included in the packaging to help anglers who are not familiar with the planer board design. It also features a glitter pack which creates a cloud of glitter in the water to attract crappies. Good for slow trolling crappies, made from high-quality materials. The Offshore tackle planer board is easy to use and durable.
4) Offshore Left Side Planer with Flag
The user manual included in the packaging includes an instruction manual for easy set-up. It comes with a flag that helps detect crappie bites on the tackle. The planer board structure is designed to easily pass through grass and other obstacles when trolling for crappies.
Good for suspending the tackle over spots where large schools of crappies are without scaring the fish away. Easy to use, can reach father areas to bait crappies in shallow or deep waters.
5) Yellow Bird Planer Board
Good design and easy to set up. It comes with special instructions included in the packaging. The Styrofoam is encased in durable plastic; it has an adjustable weight to help anglers have more control over the lines even when two or more planer boards have been set-up for trolling crappies.
The adjustable weight makes it possible for different lures or varying sizes to be used. It is a good choice for anglers who are interested in trying different types of fishing lines. The adjustment is made according to the weight of the lure used. The red flag indicator makes it easy to detect bites. With a bigger pinch pad release, this planer board can help to land more crappies.
6) Church Tackle In-line Planer Board
Good design, built to pass through the grass while trolling crappies easily. Anglers can use this planer board for slow trolling without snags or tangling. Easy to set-up and use, the buoyancy allows the planer board to drift to areas too difficult to reach where crappies hide.
It features a bright red flag that is tugged when crappies take bites. The line is held secure while fishing for crappies; baited fish is secured with the vice clip which prevents errors. Anglers can choose to use the right or left planer board. About 300 ft. of copper can be run with this planer board. Durable and reliable.
7) Opti-2 Medium Planer Board
Good balance in the water, it weighs only two pounds. Appealing design, the bright green color makes it a good planer board for luring crappies in the dark. It comes with large sized clips for better control, and wide clips padded with rubber.
The red flag on this planer board is fixed on the left side of the board; the springs can be installed by following the instructions on the manual. It also comes with a corkscrew for adjustments if necessary.
The Opti Medium planer board has a light stick to aid anglers who plan to fish for crappies at night. The Opti Medium Planer board works perfectly with different types of lines. Good design.
8) Church Tackle Planer Board
The design of this planer board makes it compatible with both the left and right side planers. It is convenient for use by anglers who need to set-up their lines on a particular side of the board. It is easy to set-up; a user manual is included in the packaging. They can be used to run ten color leads.
The flags are foldable and are visibly tugged when crappies bite the lures. Anglers can land more crappies with this board because the plugs make it easier for trolling and reaching farther areas without scaring away the crappies.
It weighs just one pound, made from quality materials, quite stable in the water against currents too because of the adjustable keel weight. The flex clip makes it easier to control the lines, and this board can be used at night because of the bright red color.
9) Opti Tackle Mini Planer board
Setting up this crappie planer board is easy for anglers who are used to planer boards. The instruction manual is included in the packaging to aid new anglers’ set-up this side planer. It comes with a ball bearing system that has a more natural control when trolling for crappies.
The planer board can be used for light tackles in shallow or deep water. The clips are coated with rubber for durability. It features the characteristic lime green color common with the Opti Tackle Planer Board brand. The bright green color makes this planer board easy to use while fishing for crappies at night. It is easy to use and reliable.
Choosing the Best Crappie Planer Boards
Anglers who plan to search for crappies in deeper waters should look out for crappie planer boards that can support reels with a capacity of about 300 feet lines. Bright colored crappie planer boards are also a great choice for anglers who plan to fish for crappies at night.
2) Yellow Bird Planer Board
- Left Side
- Styrofoam Bobber
- Easy To Use
1) Krazywolf Planer Board
- Left & Right Sides
- Highly Visible
- Stable
3) Offshore Tackle Side Planers
- Right Side
- Reputable Choice
- Great Value
Some crappie planer boards have fixed flags, while others feature foldable flags which make it easier to store the planer boards after use. You can seek the advice of the shop owner to know the best size of planer board that will suit your fishing methods, but averagely, starting with the medium planer boards will deliver great results.
Regarding the weight of the crappie planer board, you should buy products that have adjustable keel weights to help you have more control of the lines while fishing for crappies.
Another important feature is the clips; the best crappie planer boards come with high-quality clips that prevent anglers from mistakenly releasing the line while trolling for crappies.
Look out for clips coated in rubber; they are also more durable. Crappie planer boards have a lot of advantages, and they are easy to use once you learn more about them.
