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Volume 17 — 2010 www.offshoretackle.comChairman of the Boards - Bruce DeShano - Editor, Mark Romanack

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OR20 Pro Weight System New Name, New Look, Added Function and Environmentally GREEN!

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 1

BY MARK ROMANACK

Off Shore Tackle Company LLC, the Leader in Trolling Technology,has gone “GREEN” as of 2010! With a host of new productsdesigned from environmentally friendly materials, anglers cantake stock in the fact Off Shore Tackle cares about our naturalresources and is taking the necessary steps to protect our fishingheritage.

New for 2010 check out the redesigned OR20 Pro WeightSystem that can be used as in line weights or as Snap Weights.The OR20 will replace the traditional style Snap Weights withnew Guppy Weights that are not only environmentally friendly, butdesigned to provide anglers more versatility and function on thewater. Available in 1/2, 3/4, 1, 1 1/2, 2 and 3 ounce sizes, the newGuppy can be rigged with the OR16 Snap Weight Clip and placed any-where on the line the angler desires.

The 50/50 Snap Weight trolling system that has become so popular over theyears lives on with this new Guppy Weight design. Even better, the new

Guppy Weights run at the same depths as the traditional style SnapWeights.

What makes the new Guppy versatile is this style weight can alsobe easily rigged as an in line trolling weight. For walleye and othermoderate sized fish, we recommend adding a six foot leader of 15#test fluorocarbon leader material behind the in line Guppy. Walleyeanglers will note that the Guppy is ideal for fishing crawler har-

nesses, single hook worm rigs or slow death rigs. Trout and salmon anglers can use the Guppy to target early season

steelhead or brown trout that hang out near the surface. For trout fish-ing, we recommend using a six foot length of 15#-20# test fluorocarbon

leader material. At the terminal end, anglers can use crank baits, spoons, spin-n-glows and a wealth of other trout friendly trolling tackle in combination with the

new style Guppy.

Using the Guppy as an in line weight is certain to add another dimension to anyangler’s trolling tactics. Available in kit form or as individual weights, the Guppy ishelping Off Shore Tackle go green and also to take a giant leap forward in trolling ver-satility.

The OR20 Pro Weight System isn’t the only new “GREEN” product in the OffShore Tackle 2010 line up. The OR36 Resettable Diving Weight (AKA Tadpole) iswithout question the most unique diving/trolling weight available. The Tadpole getsits name from its unique shape. The round head and tapering tail of this new trollingaid closely resembles a tadpole. What makes the Tadpole unique however is the reset-table diving mechanism.

The tow arm of the Tadpole features a snap that slides into an elbow, causing theweight to dive like a crank bait. At the back of the Tadpole a second snap accepts aleader that allows this device to be fished with crawler harnesses, spoons, crank baitsand a host of other terminal tackle.

When a fish is hooked, the tow arm snap slides to a forward position that convertsthe Tadpole from a diving device into an in line weight. The angler benefits by nothaving to fight the resistance of the Tadpole when fighting fish! This super simple andamazingly slick trolling weight is easy to use and absolutely dynamite on all fishspecies. Ideally suited for fishing in combination with both in line and dual boardplaners, the Tadpole isn’t just another trolling sinker.

Because the Tadpole dives, it also holds its depth better than keel sinkers or other inline weight systems even at speeds up to 2.5 MPH! Check out the Precision TrollingTadpole chart and you’ll be amazed how well this new product performs at all com-mon trolling speeds. Because the Tadpole maintains it depth at faster trolling speeds,it can be used effectively with spoons, willow leaf blades and crank baits that requiremore speed to bring out their fish catching action.

The Tadpole is available in a No. 1 and No. 2 size designed to reach depths up to 30feet at 1.5 MPH and an impressive 25 feet at 2.5 MPH!

From walleye to king salmon, there is simply no limit to the fish an angler can tar-get using the new Tadpole. As always, it will be the innovative anglers who pioneernew and more productive ways to use the Tadpole.

The new Guppy and Tadpole are two all new and all “GREEN” ways to catch morefish. The green revolution doesn’t stop with these new products. Off Shore Tackle hasalso replaced the lead ballast weights in the OR12 Side Planer with environmentallyfriendly weights. Nothing has changed about the way these amazing in line boardsrun. Ideal for fishing crank baits, spoons, spinners, mini-divers, keel weights,Guppies, Tadpoles, lead core and even copper line, the OR12 Side Planer is the in lineThe “GONE GREEN” concept is just another reason Off Shore Tackle is your Leader

OFF SHORE HAS GONE GREEN!

The OR20 Pro Weight System has a New Name, New Look and anAdded Function for 2010. (Formerly known as the OR20 SnapWeight System)

The new design of the proweights allows the angler torun the guppy weights as asnap weight (as shown above)or an in line weight (as shownbelow).

The new OR36 Resettable Diving Weight, known as the Tadpole, currentlycomes in two different sizes; Size 1 (OR36 1) and Size 2 (OR36 2).

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 2

TADPOLES RULEBY MARK ROMANACK

The new OR36 1 and OR36 2 OffShore Tackle Resettable DivingWeights (Tadpoles for short) isabout to change the way anglerstroll with weight systems. SnapWeights, keel sinkers, bean chain,rubber core and other trollingweights all have one thing in com-mon. The depth these devicesachieve while trolling is primarilydetermined by the size or weight ofthe sinker. Anglers typically manipu-late running depth by changingweight sizes.

The introduction of the Tadpolewill force anglers to rethink thatlogic. The Tadpole is not only aweighted device, it also dives like acrank bait making it a substantialimprovement over traditional trollingweights. For the first time anglerswho use Tadpoles will be able to achieve greater depths at a wider range of speeds and withshorter lead lengths. All this adds up to a slam dunk for anglers who like to keep things sim-ple, but effective!

It’s the shape and design of the Tadpole that allow it to not only sink, but also dive. Thetow arm is designed so the roundsnap will lodge in the elbow andcause the Tadpole to dive. When theangler sets the Tadpole, he onlyneeds to insure the snap is in theelbow position and the Tadpole isdiving.

When a fish is hooked, resistancefrom the struggling fish forces thesnap to slide to the forward positionon the tow arm. Now the Tadpole isno longer a diving device, but an inline weight. Even better the anglerno longer has to fight the resistance

of the diving Tadpole, just the fish!The resettable design allows the

Tadpole to be reset even after deployed. Say you hook a fish and start fighting it. Suddenlythe fish comes off. No problem, by simply feeding slack into the line the Tadpole will resetitself.

The Tadpole has other advantages. Because it’s a sinking/diving device it runs deeperthan similar sized in line weights. For example, a one ounce keel sinker will run approxi-

mately 16 feet when fished on 10# test, set 100 feet back and trolled at1.5 MPH. The OR36 1, Size 1 Tadpole fished 100 feet back at 1.5 MPHis running a whopping 25 feet! There is simply no comparison. TheTadpole is the overwhelmingly better choice for most trolling applica-tions.

The Tadpole runs deeper than in line weights, but it gets better. Thediving nature of the Tadpole helps this device achieve more depth, butit also allows anglers to troll at a wider range of speeds. The typicalkeel sinker performs well at slow speeds. If the trolling speed isbumped up to 2 MPH or faster, a keel sinker rises in the water columnand sacrifices most of its running depth. Friction is increased whentrolling speed is increased and the net result is less depth.

Amazingly, friction plays less of a role in how the Tadpole functions.At increased trolling speeds the diving surface of the Tadpole is forcingit to run deeper. Meanwhile increased friction on the fishing line isnegating some of this diving force. The net depth loss at speeds up to2.5 MPH is only about 10% of the depth achieved at 1.5 MPH. Nowthat’s something to smile about!

Not only does the Tadpole run deeper on shorter lead lengths, it canbe trolled much faster. The ability to troll faster means that the Tadpoleis going to become invaluable for trolling a whole new dimension offishing lures that require faster speeds to bring out their actions. Case inpoint: the Tadpole

can be fished with small to mediumsized spoons making it an idealchoice for targeting open water wall-eye, steelhead, trout, striper and evensalmon!

RIGGING OPTIONSThe Tadpole is rigged like a keel

sinker. Attach your fishing line to thesnap on the tow arm. Next add a 4-6foot leader to the snap on the tail ofthe Tadpole. For walleye and othersmall to medium sized fish I recom-mend using a 15# test fluorocarbonleader. For larger trout, salmon andstriper a 20# test fluorocarbon leader is advised.

The applications for the new Tadpole are only limited by the imagination of the anglersusing it. Just about any fresh or saltwater species of fish can be targeted using Tadpoles.Currently the Tadpole is available in a No. 1 (Part Number OR36 1) and No. 2 (PartNumber OR36 2) size.

SUPPORT PRODUCTSThe Tadpole can be fished as a flat line or in cooperation with OR12 Side Planers and

also Riviera Dual Planer Boards. As with all trolling products, using a line counter reel willenable anglers to duplicate effective lead lengths and get the most from the new Tadpole.

The common nightcrawler harness catches countless walleyeevery season and now with the help of the Tadpole, anglers willhave another diving tool for targeting walleye and other species.

BY MARK ROMANACK

The stacker release allows two different rods to be fished with one downrigger. TheOff Shore Tackle OR2 and OR7 were designed to help anglers get the most from theirdownriggers. The OR2 is a medium tension release best suited for targeting salmon,trout and steelhead. The OR7 is a light tension release ideal for walleye, spring brownsand coho.

The two release design of the stacker allows one release to hold onto the downriggercable, while the secondis used to secure a sec-ond line at a differentdepth from the down-rigger weight. The tworeleases are attached toa heavy duty snap bycoated steel wire. Thisdurable design willfunction for years solong as the stacker isrigged onto the down-rigger cable properly.

Begin by clipping theheavy duty snap overthe downrigger cable.Next take the release on

the short arm and pinch it onto the downrigger cable above the heavy duty snap. Finally,set a lure behind the boat and put the line from this second rod into the release on the

longer arm. When the riggeris set and the line on the reeltightened up, the long armrelease will be liftedupwards slightly.

If the release on theshort arm is rigged belowthe heavy duty snap, thearms of the stacker will bepulled apart like a wishbone. After being bent inthe wrong direction a fewtimes the coated steelwire will break much thesame as if you bent apaper click back and forthat the same spot.

Rigged properly the OR2and OR7 will provideanglers years of faithful ser-vice and allow two rods tobe fished with each down-rigger.

STACKER RELEASE TECHNOLOGY

OR2 Medium Tension Stacker Downrigger Release

OR7 Light Tension Stacker Downrigger Release

Tadpole shown in the clipped/set position.

Tadpole shown in the tripped position.

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 3

OFF SHORE SIDE PLANERS FOR SMALLIESBY DAVE DYBOWSKI

Last season while walleye fishing I discovereda new strategy for targeting mid-summer small-mouth bass. The Upper Thumb area of Michiganoffers anglers a world class smallmouth fisherybut up until this recent discovery, the season wasonly productive while the fish were in shallowwater. Once the water warmed, fish would moveinto deeper water and were difficult to locate andeven more difficult to catch.

This technique although not new to walleyeanglers is quite new to bass anglers. As most, ifnot all of you already know, the most efficientway to cover a lot of water is by trolling. Nowtrolling is hardly a new technique for catchingfish but how many of you troll for bass? That’sright; smallmouth bass will readily strike trolledbaits.

My favorite and most productive trolling baitsfor smallmouth baits are small spoons made byWolverine Tackle and Michigan Stinger. Thebonus is that you will take an equal amount ofwalleye with these small spoons. I spool a Daiwa 17LC reel with fireline backing, 3colors of lead core line, and 100 feet of 17 lb. test monofilament for a leader. I like to

attach this to a 7’ light action trolling rod. (I thinkany rod reel combination will work but the aboveis what I prefer). The more important part of thetackle is the lead core line for getting those smallspoons where they belong. For the final bit oftackle, I like to use Off Shore Tackle Side Planersfor two reasons. Reason one is for getting baitsaway from the boat and reason two is for runningmultiple rods off each side of the boat.

You will need to pay attention to how yourboards are running to get used to smallmouthstrikes. Larger fish will pull them back much likea walleye strike but smaller fish will just turn theback end of the board on a slight angle. It will nottake long to learn when a smallmouth is on. I thinkan even better set-up would be to add Off Shore’sstrike indicator flags known as the OR12TF TattleFlag onto your Side Planers. That should elimi-nate any guess work on strikes.

This technique not only made my walleye fish-ing a multiple fish outing with the addition of thesmallmouth but it also extended my bass seasonfrom a 6 week fishery to a summer long fishery.

The smallmouth you catch with this technique are usually quite large, usually in the 3to 4 pound range.

BY MARK ROMANACK

If salmon are the king of the Great Lakes, silvery steel-head trout rank a close second. Anyone who hasn’t mar-veled at a chrome bullet rocketing out of the water, hasn’tcaught one. With the possible exception of the small-mouth bass, steelhead are the most acrobatic fish anangler is likely to catch in fresh water. Match those spec-tacular leaps up with stubborn line stripping runs and thesteelhead is a fish everyone can appreciate.

The Great Lakes, without question, offers the fineststeelhead fishing in the world. All five Great Lakes deliv-er steelhead action, including Lake Erie which is betterknown for warm water species like walleye and small-mouth. No matter where an angler lives in the region,exceptional fishing for silver bullets is close at hand.

UNDERSTANDING STEELHEADLike salmon, steelhead are anadromous fish that are

hatched in rivers, then live out the majority of their adultlife in the Great Lakes before returning to spawn in par-ent rivers. Most steelhead do not return to their nativestreams until they are sexually mature adults. Some steel-head survive to spawn two or even three times, but a sig-nificant percentage of steelhead spawn and then die notunlike salmon.

The average steelhead in the Great Lakes region weighssix to eight pounds, but fish in the 10-12 pound range arecommon and a few specimens grow to 15 pounds ormore. Most steelhead live five to seven years and a fewfish have been reported to have survived 11 years.

Spawning success for steelhead in the Great Lakesregion varies widely by location. In some northernstreams natural reproduction is very productive and inothers natural reproduction is scant at best. On average,steelhead in the Great Lakes region enjoy about a 20%natural recruitment rate. This might sound impressive, butcompared to king salmon that enjoy a 50%-60% naturalrecruitment rate, steelhead struggle to perpetuate them-selves.

In part, the reason steelhead natural reproduction ismodest is because after the eggs hatch, the young fishremain in the river for a year or more before smolting.Smolting is the process of migrating downstream and tak-ing up residence in the Great Lakes. Compared to kingsalmon that smolt at only a few months of age, youngsteelhead are much more prone to predation in the formof gulls, herons, otters and other fish.

Once in the Great Lakes steelhead typically live forthree or four years before returning to spawn. Becausesteelhead are in great demand by anglers and spawningsuccess varies, annual stocking efforts are an importantpart of a Great Lakes steelhead management plan.

FORAGE ISSUESThe open water of the Great Lakes represents a daunt-

ing amount of water in which anglers must hunt for fish.Fortunately, steelhead tend to favor the surface waters ofthe Great Lakes. Compared to salmon, steelhead are moreoften found closer to the surface. However, faced with thesame task of finding food as salmon, steelhead can and doventure into the depths when necessary.

In part, a host of bugs and other insects help keep steel-head near the surface. Like their river bound cousins therainbow trout, steelhead have a taste for insects. Whenthese fish can slurp bugs off the surface, they do so with-out hesitation.

The majority of the steelhead’s diet is made up of for-age fish including alewives, shiners, smelt and shad.These are the very same forage species that salmon target.Not surprisingly, steelhead and salmon are often found inthe same places and a mixed bag is common.

SURFACE TROLLING TACTICSSteelhead specific fishing techniques are only applied

by a minority of anglers. Mostly, steelhead are caught byanglers who are targeting salmon.

When the surface water is cooler than 60 degrees, steel-head are commonly found in the top 10 feet.

One of my favorite steelhead specific rigs is a trollingspoon with an egg sinker rigged six feet in front of thebait. I rig up by threading a 1 or 1 1/2 ounce egg sinkeronto my main line of 17 pound test monofilament. Next Iadd a plastic bead and then tie on a barrel style ball bear-ing swivel. To the swivel I attach six feet of 20# test flu-orocarbon line with a ball bearing snap swivel at the ter-minal end.

I fish with medium sized spoons when targeting steel-head. My all time favorites include the Wolverine TackleMini Streak and Original Streak. To gain better lure cov-erage and to make contact with spooky fish, I fish thisspoon 100 feet behind the boat and use the Off ShoreTackle OR12 Side Planer in line planer board.

An alternative to this spoon rig is to fish a stick bait ordiving crank bait in place of the spoon. The egg sinkercan either be used or removed if desired.

Both the spoon and crank bait options are largely tar-geting steelhead in the top 20 feet of the water column. Tofish a little deeper requires a different approach.

MID DEPTH TROLLINGFor trolling the mid depths down to around 40 feet, I

prefer to use lead core line sandwiched between amonofilament backing and leader. A full core or 300meters of lead core will run approximately 40 feet deep.Rig up the lead core with a 50 foot leader of 20# test flu-orocarbon line. The backing should be 17-20 pound testmonofilament and the reel should be capable of holding

at least 300 feet of backing. My favorite lead core reels are the Okuma Clarion 453L

models. These reels easily handle a full core of 27# testlead core, plus adequate backing and leader. Even betterthese reels have a super fast 6.2:1 retrieve ratio that makespicking up all that lead core, leader and backing a breeze.

At the terminal end of this lead core rig, I use a ballbearing swivel and again a small to medium sized spoon.All my lead core lines are also fished in combination withOR12 Side Planer in line planer boards to gain invaluableoutward lure coverage. To rig a lead core line simply letout the lure, leader and all the lead core line. Attach the inline board to the backing and then let the in line board out50-100 feet out to the side of the boat. The calmer thewater, the further out to the side of the boat the board canbe fished.

TROLLING MID DEPTHS AND BELOWWhen it’s necessary to target steelhead below 40 feet, I

prefer to use a diving planer like the Walker DeeperDiver, Dipsy Diver or Slide Diver. These divers come indifferent sizes designed to achieve different depths. Mystandard choice for trolling is the Walker 107 mm diverfished on 30# test braided line and set to fish on the No.2 or 3 outboard option. This combination allows me totarget steelhead down to around 50 feet and achieve a lit-tle outward lure cover as a bonus.

My main line is 30# test braid attached to a heavy dutysnap. The snap is attached to the trip arm on the diver. Atthe back of the diver I attach a six foot leader of 20# testfluorocarbon line and an in line snubber to prevent linefailures. At the terminal end I add a ball bearing swiveland again the same spoons used with previous presenta-tions.

I prefer to run one diver off each side of the boat to keeplines separated and avoid tangles with hooked fish.

Wrapping up my steelhead trolling pattern, I also runtwo additional downrigger lines to cover the deeperdepths. On these downrigger lines I rig a spoon on themain line and a fixed six foot long add-a-line 10 feetabove the downrigger ball.

The add-a-line is little more than a six foot length ofleader material with an Off Shore Tackle OR14 planerboard release slid onto the line. At each end a ball bearingsnap swivel is attached. One end of this leader accepts aspoon and the other end simply clips over the fishing line.The OR14 is also clipped to the line to hold the add-a-lineand trailing lure at a specific depth.

I prefer to set my add-a-line to hold this bonus lure inplace precisely 10 feet above the main lure. When a fishis hooked on the add-a-line the line release providesenough resistance to insure a good hook set. As the fish isfought, the line release slowly slides down to the ballbearing swivel at the end of the main line.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

This is just one of many great smallmouth bass caught by PaulWillinger while using the Off Shore Tackle Company LLC OR12 SidePlaner.

GEARING UP FOR GREAT LAKES STEELHEAD

BY MARK ROMANACK

Introduced in 2009 the OR34 Mini Board has quickly found a niche among those whotroll inland waters and rivers. Designed with suspended crappie fishing in mind, theMini Board can and does help anglers catch a wealth of other species. The cool thingabout the Mini Board is it one of the few examples where fishing with less really canspell out more success!

CRAPPIECrappie are a popular species across most of middle America. Abundant in natural

lakes and a host of impoundments, this popular species is often found suspended in thewater column. Suspended fishare best targeted with trollingtactics and the Mini Board issized perfectly to fish with thelight line and rods favored bycrappie anglers.

Simply grab your favoritecrappie lures, rods, reels and letthe Mini Board help with theprocess of covering water.Because the Mini Board comesfactory equipped for theRelease and Slide method ofplaner board fishing, severalboards can be stacked on eachside of the boat. The easiestmethod for insuring a quick andsmooth release is to wrap theline first around your index fin-ger a few times to form a loop.Next open the OR10 releasethat comes standard with theMini Board and place therelease jaws firmly on the

twists of line so the loop sticks out the top of the release. Follow up by placing the linethrough the snap swivel located at the back of the board.

A quick snap of the rod tip is all it takes to release the board and send it sliding downthe line. Be sure to add a barrel swivel and bead in line about three or four feet ahead ofthe lure so the board doesn’t slide down to the fish.

The Mini Board is easily reversible, allowing anglers to rig for fishing on the starboardor port side of the boat in seconds. Small crank baits and jigs dressed with twister tailsare the most common lures trolled for crappie.

RIVER WALLEYEIn the spring walleye invade rivers for spawning and often set up housekeeping for

weeks after the spawn is complete. The Mini Board is ideal for fishing rivers with crankbaits, in line weights, spoons, crawler harnesses and a host of other common walleyetackle.

The same rigging methods commonly employed with crappie trolling work well forwalleye. Using the Release and Slide rigging method, two, three or more boards can eas-ily be fished on either side of the boat.

STEELHEAD AND SALMON IN RIVERSThe Mini Board is also perfect for fishing rivers that attract steelhead and salmon.

High action crank baits are popular river steelhead lures and with the help of the MiniBoard anglers fishing from boats or shore can easily fish waters other overlook.

Simply cast out the crank bait of choice and attach the Mini Board on the line withboth the OR10 release and snap swivel at the back of the board. Now drop the board inthe water and play line off the reel so the current can sweep the board and bait out awayfrom the boat or shore.

The Mini Board is a slick way to position diving crank baits up under log jams, under-cut banks and other places it’s almost impossible to cast to. From a boat, wading or fish-ing from shore, the Mini Board helps anglers cover more productive steelhead water.

When salmon move into the streams to spawn, they are vulnerable to the Mini Boardalso. Salmon love to eat fresh and cured spawn when they move into the rivers. UsingJet Divers to pull chunks of skein or spawn sacs is a common way to catch salmon. Usethe Mini Board and it’s a snap to add additional lines on the port and starboard side ofthe boat while fishing a flat line or two straight out the back.

Deep holes are the best places to try this technique, but like steelhead the Mini Boardcan be used to present spawn and lures up under log jams, overhanging banks and otherareas impossible to reach with other methods.

INLAND LAKE TROLLINGThe opportunities to use the Mini Board to catch bass, walleye, pike and trout from

inland lakes is almost unlimited. The Mini Board is perfect for trolling along shorelines,weed edges, drop offs, islands and other places fish hang out. Even better, you can trollwith the Mini Board using the rods and reels you already own.

TAKING THE NEXT STEPThe Mini Board was designed to allow anglers an opportunity to explore trolling with

their existing rods, reels andlures. Once bitten by thetrolling bug, anglers will nodoubt want to take a moresophisticated approach totheir trolling.

Incorporating line counterreels is the biggest step atroller can make towardsfishing success. Themechanical lead lengthcounters on these reelsallows anglers to monitortrolling leads and predictthe running depth of theirlures. Even better, once afish is caught using a partic-ular lure and lead length,the line counter reel makesit possible to duplicate what’s working.

Quality rod holders are another accessory item every serious troller needs. Availablein several configurations, the most common rod holder design are known as saddlestyles that are generally made of plastic and designed to cradle the rod and reel. Tubetype holders are another design that are made from metal or plastic and designed to holdthe rod by the handle. Flush mount rod holders sit into the deck, making them the leastadjustable option, but also the least obtrusive option. Made from plastic or metal, flushmouth rod holders come in vertical and angled configurations.

SUMMING IT UPThe new OR34 Mini Board has proven to be a popular and productive addition to the

Off Shore Tackle product line. As the years pass, no doubt we’ll discover new and bet-ter ways to troll with boards. Once again the OR34 is a great addition to Off ShoreTackle Company LLC’s line up of great products!

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 4

GEARING UP FOR GREATLAKES STEELHEAD

CCOONNTTIINNUUEEDD FFRROOMM PPAAGGEE 33

WRAPPING IT UPWith this complement of trolling options, I can easily fish steelhead from the surface

down to 100 feet if necessary. On most days the board lines catch the majority of thefish, but there are exceptions.

When I fish Lake Erie for steelhead, warm surface water forces those fish to seekgreater depths. I catch lots of steelhead on Erie with diving planers and downriggers atdepths from 50-70 feet below the surface. This goes double on those hot days in Augustwhen the air temperature is in the upper 80’s and the surface water is in the high 70’s.

Nothing beats the rush of catching Great Lakes steelhead. Often these wonderful fishare considered to be a bonus catch. With a little advance planning and some steelheadspecific tactics, silver bullets can be on the menu every time out.

Camerman Paul Chilson of Fishing 411 TV caught this first open water steel-head after completing a segment of Fishing 411 TV. To see this exciting episode,check out the Sportsman Channel during the first and second quarters of 2010.

OR34 MINI BOARD COMES OF AGE

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 5

AUTOMATICPLANER MASTSBY LARRY HARTWICK

Riviera Trolling Systems Incorporated is the only company that produces anAutomatic Planer Mast. It’s not electric and that confus-es a lot of anglers. The principle that it operates upon isfairly simple, but reliable and effective. The reel containsa constant tension “spring motor”. This is not a rewindstyle clock spring that can break but a rugged, depend-able unit featuring an over-wind clutch and gear reduc-tion.

How do you use it? Simply attach your Rivera planerboards to the tow line and set the board into the water. Asthe boat moves forward, line is released from the reeluntil the desired distance from the boat is achieved. Apositive stop is set at the reel limiting the amount of linethat can be let out (this step can be done before you gofishing). This stop can be changed at any time or left inthe same place.

To retrieve your lines, simply drive the boat to oneplaner board, pick it up and then drive over to the otherboard. As the boat creates slack line while driving towardthe board, the reel will automatically retrieve it.

Simple to use and once the stops are set everything canbe operated from the cockpit of the boat using a retrieveline. It is possible to operate this system by yourself andeven if you don’t fish alone, it’ll make your trip moreenjoyable, especially if you fish with inexperiencedanglers.

The reels are matched with our 7’ collapsible alu-minum mast (DPMKA) and are available with our regu-lar, removable base or with your choice of 3 differentSpringfield Marine and Attwood Swivl-Eze seat mounts.Try it and join the other anglers have made their fishingeasier.

BY LARRY HARTWICK

Since the development of theRiviera Triple Planer Board(Model TPB), I am constantlyamazed at the new fishingopportunities that are availableto anglers using planer boards.I think that there have beenmany times over the years thatwe literally have missed theboat because we didn’t haveplaner boards that would per-form as well as the TPB. Oftenwe were limited in what theboard could handle and wewould usually only deploystick baits or crank baits from the tow lines.

All of that changed with the triple boards, now we fish lead core, wire and copperlines, Jet Divers, and small diver discs in essence increasing the width of the boat by100 feet off of each side. Now we could target fish not only by the surface but into themid depths as well and allowed us to use lures that we normally couldn’t fish fromplaner boards. Now we can fish spoons, dodgers with flies, rotators, and other baitsthat normally couldn’t get down on their own. This opened up a whole new world ofpossibilities.

I had the opportunity to crack into what I hope is a new fishery that could developin Lake Huron for years to come. While on a short trip to check out the walleye in thePort Austin area, we landed 16 whitefish weighing up to 10 pounds, 1 atlantic salmonabout 6 pounds, 1 rainbow trout of 9 1/2 pounds, and 4 walleye; all in a 3 hour trip!All of these fish came on small spoons like the Mini Streaks and Stinger Scorpionsbeing run behind discs and 3 color lead core rigs. They were also caught inside of 22feet of water with most in the 13-16 foot depths. This took place during the last weekof June and continued into July.

What makes this catch special in my mind is that in the previous years when we werelimited to pulling crank baits, we probably wouldn’t have caught a fraction of the fish.We used the triple boards being towed 100 feet to the side of the boat by a 7’ RivieraKachman Automatic Planer Mast (DPMKA) in very clear water. Because the tripleboards can handle the extra load created from towing lead core and small divers, wewere able to get these very small spoons down 10-13 feet to the area that fish werefeeding in while covering a large area of water.

The treat is being able to deliver lures that will effectively take fish such as white-fish at depths not obtainable before with these lures and also on the grill!

Collapsible AluminumDual Planer Board Mast

(DPMKA) withKachman Automatic

Retrieval Reels byRiviera.

TRIPLE BOARDTREATS

Riviera’s (TPB) Triple Planer Board even foldsfor easy storage!

BY MARK ROMANACK

One of the most unique things about fishing in lineboards is the many ways these trolling aids can be riggedand used to target so many different kinds of fish. Thepopular OR12 Side Planer is capable of being riggedabout a dozen different ways and commonly used to catchjust about everything that swims.

Some of the rigging options that have surfaced over theyears have come from tournament professionals, othersfrom charter captains and still others from anglers likeyou who have shared their favorite rigging methods withthe Off Shore Tackle staff.

No matter what species an angler targets or how a per-son chooses to rig the OR12, you can be confident you’refishing the finest in line board on the market.

THE PARSONSMETHOD

Professional walleyeangler Gary Parsons rigshis OR12 with twoOR16 Snap WeightClips mounted on thetow arm of the board.One release is mountedin the normal positionon the nose of the towarm. A second clip is then mounted in a provided holelocated near the point where the tow arm joins the board.

Mounting both clips to the tow arm of the board causesthe OR12 to run in the water with the nose slightly up.This subtle change in how the board runs means thatwhen a fish strikes, the board becomes more responsiveto the strike. Even a small fish like a sub-legal walleyewill cause the board to tip up even more, making it easyto determine when a small fish has been hooked.

Parsons also contends that rigging his boards with bothclips on the tow arm makes it faster and easier for him toremove the board when fighting fish.

THE FACTORY RIGGINGThe OR12 comes rigged from the factory with an OR19

(orange) release mounted on the nose of the tow arm anda second OR19 release attached to the back of the board.This rigging configu-ration allows theboard to run nearlyflat in the water, pro-viding the best possi-ble outward coverageand also allowing theboard to pull heavyloads like deep div-ing crank baits, leadcore line, bottombouncers and othertrolling aids. The factory rigging method is a good all pur-pose rigging option.

THE SPLIT RING OPTIONGreat Lakes charter captains rig the OR12 Side Planer

using either a OR16 Snap Weight Clip or an OR19 HeavyTension Release mounted on the tow arm. However, insteadof using the nut andbolt provided fromthe factory to mountthe clip, many cap-tains use a split ringto attach the clip.

“The split ringattachment optionhelps to keep the board in the water when trolling in roughseas,” says Captain Chris Hettinger of River Rat Charters.“Because I’m trolling both downwind and upwind, this rig-ging option helps insure the board will function well evenin rough water conditions.”

THE SNAPPER OPTIONTrollers who fish with super braid lines favor the OR18

Snapper Release. This uniquecam style release mechanismis designed with a set screwadjustment that allows therelease to be tightened enoughto hold even ultra thin andultra slippery super braid lines.The Snapper also has theadvantage of being easy toopen with just one hand.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

IN LINE BOARD RIGGING OPTIONS

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 6

BY MARK ROMANACK

The common planer board line release suffers fromthe Goldie Locks effect. If the line release is too heavyfish will be dragged needlessly. If the release tension istoo light, fish that bite won’t be hooked. To functionproperly, a planer board line release must have the “justright” amount of tension that insures a good hook setand yet is easy to trigger.

For the record, rubber bands, home made line releas-es and most commercially available line releases don’tmeasure up to this standard. The problem is no singleline release can do all the jobs necessary for trollingwith planer boards. That’s exactly why Off ShoreTackle offers the widest assortment of planer board linereleases on the market.

OR10The OR10 (yellow) line release features the lightest

tension setting in the Off Shore Tackle family of linereleases. The spring tension in the OR10 can be easilyadjusted by simply sliding the spring toward the padsto increase tension or away from the pads to lighten thetension. This very popular release is the overwhelmingchoice of walleye anglers everywhere.

OR14The OR14 (black) line release has a slightly heavier

tension than the OR10. Like it’s brother the OR10 theOR14 is adjustable by simply sliding the springtoward or away from the pads to increase or decreasetension. Anglers targeting trophy walleye favor theOR14 and this release is also widely used amongsalmon anglers rigging up Add-A-Lines for downrig-ger fishing.

OR19The OR19 is the heavy tension version of Off Shore

Tackle’s small line release family. Standard equipmenton the OR12 Side Planer Board, the OR19 also dou-bles as an excellent line release for trout, salmon,striper and other larger fish species.

OR3The OR3 (white) planer board release has a larger

pad diameter than the OR10, 14 or 19 releases.Tension is adjusted by how deeply the line is placed

into the rubber jaws. Very popular with walleyeanglers, the OR3 also functions very well for springbrowns, coho, kings and lake trout.

OR17The OR17 is the same release used on the very pop-

ular OR1 Downrigger Line Release. Rigged with aquick clip ring this release is also perfect for planerboard fishing targeting big fish like salmon, stripers,pike and some saltwater applications.

OR30The heaviest line release in the Off Shore Tackle

family is the OR30 which features double springs mak-ing it the ideal release for fast trolling speeds and bigfish. The overwhelm favorite of muskie anglers, theOR30 also sees a lot of service with saltwater anglersand those who target trophy class stripers.

BONUS LINE CLIPSIn addition to these popular line releases, Off Shore

Tackle produces two special purpose line clipsdesigned for extra special applications. The OR16 SnapWeight Clip is a heavy tension line clip with a pin thatindexes into the rubber jaws. When the line is placedbehind this pin and the jaws closed, the Snap WeightClip is fixed onto the line. Ideal for fishing weight sys-tems, the Snap Weight Clip is also commonly used onthe OR12 Side Planer board by professional walleyeanglers who like the added insurance of keeping theboard firmly attached to the line.

The OR18 Snapper is another special purpose prod-uct. Designed for fishing with super thin and slipperybraided and fused lines, the Snapper is most common-ly used on the OR12 Side Planer Board among anglerswho prefer to troll with super lines. A cam actiondesign combined with a set screw adjustment enablesthis line clip to hold super braids firmly without dam-aging them.

SUMMING IT UPOff Shore Tackle has the widest assortment of plan-

er board line releases of any manufacturer. Because nosingle line release can function in every trolling situa-tion, Off Shore Tackle provides lots of options guaran-teed to make the most of every trolling situation.

A CRASH COURSE IN PLANER BOARD RELEASES

OR10 Adjustable Light Tension Planer Board and InLine Planer Board Release. Available in 4 pks orOR10BWW 100 pks.

OR14 Adjustable Medium Tension Planer Board andIn Line Planer Board Release. Available in 4 pks orOR14BWW 100 pks.

OR19 Adjustable Heavy Tension Planer Board and InLine Planer Board Release. Available in 2 pks orOR19BWW 100 pks.

OR3 Light Tension Planer Board Release. Availablein 2 pks or OR3BWW 50 pks.

OR17BWW Medium Tension Planer Board Release.Available in 24 pks.

OR30BWW Heavy Tension Planer Board Release.Available in 6 pks.

OR18 Snapper In Line Planer Board Release.Available in a 1 pk.

OR16 Snap Weight Clip. Available in 2 pks orOR16BWW 100 pks.

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 7

ROTATOR MANIABY MARK ROMANACK

Rotators or attractors for salmon fishing are getting bigger and bigger. Fished incombination with flies, squid bodies and cut bait rigs, there seems to be no limit tohow big a rotator can be or how effective they can be for targeting trophy sizedsalmon.

As the popularity of these attractor systems has grown, Off Shore Tackle has keptpace by designing heavy tension line releases suitable for fishing rotators, dodgers,flashers, flodgers and other attractor systems.

The OR8 Heavy Tension Downrigger Release is the perfect solution for fishing rota-tors in combination with a downrigger. The double spring tension is heavy enough topull large rotators at high speeds and in deep water. This release is also in wide useamong saltwater anglers who also need the extra tension and hook setting power ofthe OR8

FISHING TIPSDepending on the brand, size and type of attractor being used, these devices are nor-

mally rigged from 10-50 feetbehind a downrigger ball. Thefurther back these attractors areset, the wider circle they coverwhen rotating in the water.

Reels to be used for attractorfishing should be equipped with25 to 30 pound test monofila-ment. Set the rotator the desireddistance behind the boat and thenfold the line over your finger.Twist the line a few turns to cre-ate a few turns of line and a loop.Open the line release on the OR8and bury the twists of line deepinto the rubber pads. The loop ofline should expend out beyondthe release.

This method of setting the line into the heavy tension release insures enough resis-tance to get a solid hook set, while making it easy for the angler to trip the release tochange lures, etc.

Compared to more traditional attractors like dodgers, flashers and rotators can befished faster. This enables trollers to mix different lure presentations like spoons andflies into the same trolling pattern.

SUMMING IT UPThe Off Shore Tackle OR8 is the ideal downrigger release for fishing rotators and

other attractors. There simply is no substitute for the best.

The Editor’s sister, Shelly Clouthier, experienced Great Lakes salmon fishing forthe first time recently aboard the Fishing 411 TV boat.

BY MARK ROMANACK

Lead core line has enjoyed an amazing rebirth in theGreat Lakes! Once considered antiquated, modern GreatLakes trollers are finding new and exciting ways to catchtrout, steelhead and salmon on lead core rigs.

The popularity of the OR12 Side Planer in line boardhas played a huge role in the resurgence of lead core line.By fishing segments of sinking lead core line sandwichedbetween a leader and backing, anglers can use the OR12to gain outward coverage and still fish deep below thesurface.

By manipulating the amount of lead core line used, it’spossible to stack two, three or even four lead core linesper side without fear of tangling and while targeting a dif-ferent depth with each line.

LEAD CORE BASICSLead core is a sinking line that consists of a soft lead

wire encased in a braided nylon coating. Available in dif-ferent break strengths, walleye anglers favor 15 or 18pound test, while trout and salmon anglers prefer 27pound test lead core line. The diameter and weight of thewire in 18 and 27 pound test lead core is exactly the same.Only the nylon coating is thicker and stronger.

Lead core comes on filler spools of 100 and 200 meters,plus bulk spools of 1000 meters. Every 10 meters the lineis color coded to make it easy to determine how much lineis being deployed.

The most common way to fish lead core is to start byspooling up 200 yards of backing material onto a largelevel-wind trolling reel. For walleye fishing 10-15 poundtest is ideal as a backing line and 17-25 pound test rec-ommended for trout and salmon fishing. Both superbraids and monofilament are commonly used for backingmaterial.

Once the desired amount of backing is spooled on, thelead core must be attached to the backing material. Theeasiest connection is to pull out about six inches of thesoft wire and discard it. Now thread the end of the back-ing material into the hollow nylon coating until the back-ing material bottoms out against the lead wire. At thispoint, tie a simple overhand knot in the nylon coating,

pinching the backing material firmly inside. This connec-tion creates a super small knot and it’s very strong.

With the lead core connected to the backing, spool onthe desired amount of lead core line. Once the desiredamount of lead core is spooled on, a leader must beadded.

Use the same process described for connecting the leadcore to the backing. Fluorocarbon is a good leader mate-rial and the most popular leader length is approximately50 feet. The finished lead core rig consists of a 50 footleader, the desired amount of lead core and 200 yards ofbacking material.

BACKING OPTIONSSome anglers favor super braid for backing material

because it is small in diameter and takes up less room onthe reel. This allows more backing to be spooled on. Ifsuper braid is used asbacking, special aftermarket line clips must beused on the OR12 SidePlaners. The OR18Snapper Release isdesigned to be used withsuper braids.

If monofilament is usedfor backing, no specialmodifications must bemade to the Side Planerboard. Larger reels will berequired to support the adequate amounts of backing nec-essary for fishing lead core in combination with monofil-ament.

A different option is torig a short length ofmonofilament betweenthe lead core and thebacking to serve as aplace for attaching theSide Planer board. This isa trick shared with us byChip Cartwright ofWolverine Tackle.

LEAD CORE REELSBecause lead core is large in diameter and lots of line is

commonly deployed, it takes a large reel to handle thesetrolling chores. The typical trolling reels are simply notlarge enough to handle 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 colors of leadcore line plus backing.

My favorite lead core reels are the Okuma Clarion. Thesize 45 is adequate for up to 5 or 6 colors of lead core.The larger size 55 is perfect for up to 10 colors of lead

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

CREATIVE LEAD CORE OPTIONS

Lead core is a valuable tool for targeting a wealthof species including this nice steelhead taken onLake Erie. OR18 Snapper Release

BY MARK ROMANACK AND LARRY HARTWICK

The common downrigger has been catching deep waterfish for more than four decades. Even with all theadvancements of modern day sport fishing, no one hasinvented a better way to target deep water fish than theoften misunderstood downrigger.

Most anglers recognize that downriggers are designedfor presenting lures in deep water, but beyond that thebasics that make downrigger fishing effective getssketchy.

For the record, downriggers aren’t just for fishing indeep water. A downrigger can be used to present a wealthof lure and bait options at just about any water depth.

DOWNRIGGER RELEASESYou can spend a lot of money on quality downriggers,

but it’s the $10.00 line release that makes or breaks thefunction of any downrigger. To function properly adownrigger line release must provide enough tension sofish that strike are hooked solidly. Next, that same linerelease must allow the angler to trip the line free withminimal effort. Thirdly, the line release must not damagethe fishing line and lastly, to function under a wide vari-ety of depths, trolling speeds, line diameters and terminaltackle the downrigger line release must be versatile.

No single line release can function properly for alldownrigger trolling applications. That’s why Off ShoreTackle Company LLC produces three different downrig-

ger line releases, designed to perfectly match anyfishing situation.

The OR1 is a medium tension release that func-tions exceptionally well for average trout, salmonand steelhead trolling. Designed to function with awide variety of line diameters and average trollingspeeds, the OR1 is Off Shore Tackle’s best sellingdownrigger line release.

The OR4 is a light tension downrigger releasethat’s ideal for targeting smaller species like wall-eye, coho, spring browns and in-land lake trout. TheOR4 functions perfectly with lighter lines and slow-er trolling speeds.

The OR8 is a heavy tension (double spring) down-rigger line release that’s gaining popularity rapidly.

Ideal for faster trolling speeds orfor fishing larger lures, muskieand saltwater anglers swear bythe OR8. The OR8 is also idealfor trolling with rotators andother attractors. Designed tofunction with heavier line diam-eters, the OR8 can also doubleas a functional release for GreatLakes trout and salmon.

STACKER RELEASESA stacker release allows two

different rods to be fished usingone downrigger. Off ShoreTackle produces two stackerreleases including the OR2(trout and salmon) and the OR7(walleye and coho). Not onlydoes the stacker release allow twolines to be fished from one downrig-ger, it enables the angler to pin hisbait at a specific depth and then

duplicate that depth should the lure catch a fish.

DOWNRIGGERS Riviera produces three models of downriggers rang-

ing from inexpensive basic units to the full bells andwhistle models.

The Model 300 is a flat arm basic manual unit thatretails for just $175.00. This rigger is intended to beused as a portable or as a flat back model on small tomedium sized boats.

The Model 500 is also a manual, but the swivel armdesign allows this unit to be used as a flat back or outdown configuration. Available in 18, 30, and 48 incharms, the Model 500 is a good all purpose downrigger

at a modest price point.The Model 700 is Riviera’s top of the line in manu-

al downriggers. This rigger comes standard with 48inch arms, swivel base, dual rod holders, 200 feet ofcable, deck plate, gear driven counter and safety clutch.The Model 700 is also available with 24 and 72 incharms.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 8

CREATIVE LEAD CORE OPTIONSCONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

core. Another advantage of these reels is the fasterretrieve ratio. Both the 45 and 55 sizes come in a fastretrieve 6.2:1 retrieve ratio that helps pick up line quick-ly. This is a huge advantage when fishing 10 colors oflead core.

SHORT LEAD CORE Not every lead core trolling opportunity calls for using

long lengths of lead core. In the spring and fall when fishare often found in shallow water, rigging up modest lengthsof lead core is a great way to target spooky fish.

Captain Chris Hettinger of River Rat Charters common-ly fishes three lead core lines per side. “I fish a 1 color, 3color and 5 color on one side of the boat and a 1/2 color, 2color and 4 color on the other side. The short lead coreleads are fished on the outside with progressively longerleads that fish deeper being set closer to the boat. This rig-ging option allows me to hook a fish on an outside boardand reel in the fish without having to clear any lines.”

Captain Hettinger uses the OR12 Side Planer rigged withtwo OR16 Snap Weight Clips. On the tip of the tow arm herigs one OR16 using a split ring. At the back of the boardhe using a second OR16 on the split ring provided with the

board.This rigging configuration allows Captain Hettinger to

troll with or against the waves with equal efficiency. At theterminal end, he typically fishes with spoons or plugs.

RIVERS AND LEAD CORELead core is effective at targeting deeper depths. Open

water trollers use lead core to reach deep fish, but riveranglers can also benefit from sinking lines.

Because lead core sinks, it’s ideal for presenting shallowdiving crank baits and spinner rigs in rivers. Trolling overflats or along channel edges, lead core can be an absolutelydeadly presentation.

The typical river angler rigs lead core a little differently.Instead of sandwiching the lead core between a leader andbacking, most opt to fill their reel to capacity with lead coreand use a short (10-20 foot) fluorocarbon leader. Using thisconfiguration an angler can simply let out lead core until hefeels the lure hitting bottom. At that point, reel up a coupleturns of line and start trolling. Rigging in this manner pre-sents the trailing lure just above the bottom.

Usually river lead core anglers fish their lines straight out

the back of the boat. It’s not practical to pinch a planer boardstraight onto lead core line because the nylon coating iseasily damaged.

LEAD CORE RODSNearly any trolling rod can be used with lead core line.

The rod should be a soft action to compensate for the lackof stretch in lead core. For fishing with in line planerboards, fiberglass or graphite/fiberglass composites areideal. For fishing in rivers lighter graphite rods are a littlemore sensitive and better able to detect strikes.

River anglers also commonly use two different rodlengths. A short (6 1/2 to 7 foot) model is fished straightout the back of the boat and a longer (8-10 foot) rod isfished perpendicular to the gunwale. This rod arrangementcovers the maximum amount of water and avoids tangles.

SUMMING IT UPLead core is nothing new, but some of the ways anglers

are using it definitely rates as newsworthy. Effective, easyto use and versatile, lead core may well be a trollers bestfriend.

DOWNRIGGER BASICS

Riggers have a long and fruitful history on the Great Lakes andbeyond. When it comes to depth control, nothing can beat a downriggerfished properly.

Ken Matousek of Flushing learned first hand how a set ofmanual downriggers can flesh out the trolling program onany fishing boat.

Riviera’s most popular downrigger is the Model 700.

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 9

DOWNRIGGER BASICSCONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

All Riviera downriggers have an aluminum wheel, alu-minum rod holders and have gear driven counters to insureaccurate depth counting. The bottom line is that they arebuilt to last!

HOW MANY RIGGERS DO I NEED?Depending on the size of your boat, two, three or perhaps

four downriggers will normally get the job done. On smallto medium sized boats a set of riggers mounted at each cor-ner is ideal. Large boats are most commonly mounted withtwo flat backs and two out down riggers. A growing num-ber of charter captains are rigging their boats with two outdowns and one rigger smack in the middle of the transom.

DOWNRIGGER WEIGHTSModern downriggers will handle weights ranging from

four to 14 pounds. Most anglers favor weights in the 10 to12 pound range. Ball shaped rubber or plastic coatedweights are the overwhelming most popular design. Theseweights sit nicely in cups designed to hold downriggerweights at the gunwale.

However, anglers should be aware that more weight is notnecessarily better. Look at designs in the weights that haveless drag through the water instead of adding more weight

to the traditional round, ball shaped cannonballs as they aremuch better on all of your trolling equipment.

THE “V” PATTERNA good way to use downriggers is to keep the lines set

closest to the center of the boat deeper than lines set outsidethe gunwale. If for example a boat is equipped with two flatback riggers on the corners and an out down on each gun-wale, the flat backs should be set to fish deeper and the outdowns set to run higher in the water column. This trollingpattern represents the basic “V” pattern popular withanglers who have discovered this configuration helps tocover the maximum amount of water and reduce thechances of tangles.

ADD-A-LINESWhen fishing downriggers it’s common to add a bonus

lure rigged to a free slider or Add-A-Line. The free slider islittle more than a six foot length of leader material with asnap on one end and a snap swivel on the other. The snap isplaced over the main line and the lure of choice is placed onthe snap swivel. The lure is tossed over the side and allowedto slide down the line.

Sliders are easy to fish, but when a fish strikes there is no

resistance and often these fish are not hooked solidly. A bet-ter solution is the Add-A-Line rigging method that’s similarto a slider, but more efficient at hooking fish and controllingdepth.

The advantages of the Add-A-Line are many. First theadded resistance of the OR14 increases hooking ratios dra-matically. Secondly, since the Add-A-Line is fixed onto theline, it’s easy to duplicate a productive depth over and overagain.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A FISH IS HOOKED?When a fish is hooked on the Add-A-Line, the OR14 will

gradually slide down the line to the snap swivel and prima-ry lure. As the fish nears the net the angler simply nets thefish, unsnaps the Add-A-Line and prepares to reset thedownrigger and Add-A-Line.

SUMMING IT UPDownriggers are without question the ultimate tool for

depth control fishing. They can be used to target just aboutany species that swims. When it comes to targeting deepwater fish or fish located higher in the water column, noother fishing method compares to the precision that can beachieved with downriggers.

BY MARK ROMANACK

When you’re trolling what angler couldn’t benefitfrom another line and lure in the water? The verysimple to use Add-A-Line option allows downriggertrollers to fish two lures on one line. Even better,Add-A-Lines are inexpensive and can be rigged in amatter of seconds.

WHAT’S AN ADD-A-LINE?An Add-A-Line is a rigging configuration that

allows a second lure to be positioned on a downrig-ger line a set distance above the downrigger weight.This rigging option doubles the number of lures pre-sented with each line and helps to cover more of thewater column.

In addition, because the Add-A-Line is fixed inposition on the main line, resistance is greater thanthe commonly used slider option. This resistance inturn insures that when a fish strikes, the hooks will bedriven home. On a common slider rig, there is noresistance and many fish that bite simply are nothooked.

TYING UPAN ADD-A-LINECreating your own Add-A-Line is easy. Start with

an OR14 (black) Planer Board Release, a heavy snap, a ballbearing swivel and about a seven foot length of 14-25 poundtest fluorocarbon leader material.

Thread the leader material through the hole in the end of theOR14 release. On one end tie a heavy duty snap and on theother end tie on the ball bearing swivel. A Polamar knot is thestrongest snap to leader connection possible.

USING THE ADD-A-LINEThis simple rig is used by simply setting the downrigger as

normal. When the main line has been set into the downriggerball, lower the weight 10-15 feet and then stop. At this point,take the heavy duty snap on the Add-A-Line and clip it overthe main line. Next, pinch on the OR14 to the main line nextto the snap. Now take the snap swivel and add your favoritespoon or plug.

Toss the lure attached to the Add-A-Line into the water andmake sure it is running clean. Next, lower the downriggerweight to the desired depth. When the downrigger is set, the

main line lure is fishing at the depth indicated on the digitalcounter. The Add-A-Line is fishing above the downriggerweight at the distance selected.

ADD-A-LINE TIPSWhen fishing Add-A-Lines, match up the line diameter to

the species being targeted. For walleye, inland trout and othersmaller fish 14 pound test fluorocarbon is an ideal choice. Forcoho, lake trout and spring kings 17-20 pound test fluorocar-bon works well. For summer and fall kings, 25 pound test flu-orocarbon is recommended.

It’s also a good idea to mix up the lure type and size used onthe main line and Add-A-Line. For example, if the main linefeatures a magnum salmon spoon, use a smaller spoon for theAdd-A-Line to offer two different lure options.

When salmon fishing it’s a good idea to mix up the lureoptions on various riggers. For example, on one rigger settinga mag spoon on the main line and a smaller spoon on the Add-A-Line is a good option. On a second rigger, consider rigginga rotator and fly combination as the main line and a plug as the

Add-A-Line. The options for using Add-A-Lines are literally unlimited.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A FISH IS HOOKED?

When a fish is hooked on the main line, theangler triggers the downrigger release with anupwards sweep of the rod. The angler fights thefish on the main lure. Meanwhile the Add-A-Line will stay attached to the line. When theAdd-A-Line reaches the rod tip the angler hastwo choices. One option is to simply pinch offthe OR14 and let the Add-A-Line slide down tothe main lure.

The second option is to take a second andremove the Add-A-Line completely from themain line before continuing to fight the fish.Both options work fine.If the fish is hooked onthe Add-A-Line resistance from the strugglingfish will cause the OR14 release to slide downthe main line and eventually stop at the snapswivel and lure on the terminal end. In this case,the angler simply fights and nets the fish as nor-

mal.

ARE ADD-A-LINES REALLY BETTER?The short answer is yes, Add-A-Lines are better than free

sliders. Most anglers think that a free slider is making its wayabout half way down to the downrigger weight. This isn’twhat’s happening. Friction and gravity force a free slider toslide all the way down to the downrigger weight, essentiallyfishing the same water depth as the main line. In short, slidersare nearly useless compared to a fixed Add-A-Line that can berigged to fish any depth the angler desires.

Another advantage of the Add-A-Line is it’s easy to dupli-cate. Should a particular Add-A-Line depth start producingfish, it’s very easy to duplicate the productive depth with thisline and others.

DISADVANTAGESFrankly, there are no disadvantages to fishing an Add-A-

Line. Most states allow up to two lures to be used per line,making the Add-A-Line option a “no brainer” for serious openwater trolling. No matter what species you’re targeting, theAdd-A-Line option is a good option.

WHY NOT ADD-A-LINE?

Eric Olson of BRP recently fished with Fishing 411 TV on Lake Erie. Thisamazing steelhead fishery is still largely undiscovered.

Tattle Flag Upgrade KitModel # OR12TF Tattle Flag Upgrade Kit

Each kit includes flag, 2OR16 clips, wire, spring,washer, screw eye, splitring, 6/32 screw andinstructions. One kit willupgrade one OR12 SidePlaner.

Replacement PartsAvailable For The OR12TF

Model # ORS2 Spring

Model # WIRE BE Wire

Model # NW BE Nylon Washer

Model # SCREYE BE Screw Eye

Model # SPLTRNG BE Split Ring

Planer Board ReleasesOur three full size planer board releases come witha quick clip for use on dual planer boards. Theirlarge diameter pinch pad design holds monofila-ment lines securely. Tension can be adjusted fur-ther by how deeply the line is placed into the pads.

Model # OR3 or OR3BWW Light Tension Planer Board Release —White

This releaseis ideal forWalleye fish-ing in choppywater orBrown Troutusing 10-25pound testmonofilamentline.

Model # OR17BWWMedium Tension Planer Board Release —Black

This release is ideal forSalmon, Steelhead,Trout and Muskie using10-25 pound testmonofilament line. It canalso be used to pulllead core, Snap Weights anddeep diving crankbaits.

Model # OR30BWW Heavy Tension Planer Board Release —Red

This release is ideal for Muskie, trophy Pike andsalt water fish using over 20 pound test monofila-ment line.

Model # OR18 SnapperAdjustable Tension In Line PlanerBoard Release—Black

The OR18 is a fullsize release designedwith an adjustablecam action lockingarm that can be setto release at a rangeof tension settings ortightened down tohold even super braidlines and lead coresecurely. This release is made to attach to thebracket of our OR12 Side Planer and OR31 SidePlaner SST. With the wide range of tension set-tings this release is ideal for Walleye, Striper,Salmon, Steelhead, Trout, and Muskie.

OFF SHORE TACKLEOFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 10

Side Planer Boards

Model # OR34 Mini Planer Board

Each OR34 Mini Planerincludes an OR10 release,black bracket, split ring, snapswivel, nylon nut, 6/32 x 1/2” screw, and instructions.One board…Dual Purpose….It’s Reversible andruns directly off of your rod line! Ideal for light tacklefishing.

Replacement Parts Are Available For The OR34.

Model # OR34B Bracket 2 PackModel # 34SCR BE 6/32 x 1/2” ScrewModel # SS BE Snap Swivel

Model # OR12LSide Planer Left

Model # OR12R Side Planer Right

Each OR12 SidePlaner includes a flag,two OR19 releases, instructions and is carefully bal-lasted to run flawlessly in rough water off of your rodline. Ideal for Walleye and most fresh water fish.

Model # OR31LSide Planer SSTLeft

Model # OR31R Side Planer SSTRight

Limited Inventory Available

Each OR31 Side Planer SST includes one OR19release, one pigtail, one split ring, instructions, and iscarefully ballasted to run flawlessly in rough water orhigher speeds off of your rod line. They are ideal forStriper, Salmon and Trout.

Replacement Parts Available For The OR12 and OR31

Model # OR12P2 Pigtail And Split Ring

Model # FLGSCR BE Flag & 6/32 Screw

Model # SCR BE 6/32 Screw

Model # NN BE Nylon Nut

Model # BRKT BE Bracket With Two Pop Rivets

Model # RVT BE Pop Rivet

Model # FOAM BE Foam Insert

Model # TAB BE Tab To Hold In Foam With Two6/32 Screws

Model # BLSTSCR BE Ballast Screw

Model # BLSTWGHT BE Ballast Weight And 8 x1/2 Screw

Night LightsModel # OR32 Night Light 2

Limited Inventory Available

Contains 2 Red Night Lights and 4 Batteries

Light up your planer boards at night by attaching anOR32.

Replacement batteries are available:Model # BTRY BE Battery

Our three half size adjustable tension planer boardreleases come with a quick clip for use on dualplaner boards and split ring for use on in line planerboards. Tension can be further adjusted by simplysliding the spring toward the pads to increase ten-sion or away from the pads to decrease tension.

Model # OR10 or OR10BWW Adjustable Light Tension Planer BoardRelease—Yellow

This release is idealfor light biting fishsuch as Walleye orsmaller fish using10-25 pound testmonofilament line.

Model # OR14 or OR14BWW Adjustable Medium Tension Planer BoardRelease—Black

This release is idealfor dual planerboard trolling forWalleye andSalmon using 10-25pound test monofila-ment line. This isthe release most commonly used for rigging add-a-lines or fixed slider lines among downriggeranglers.

Model # OR19 or OR19BWW Adjustable Heavy Tension Planer BoardRelease—Orange

This release comesas standard equip-ment on the OR12Side Planer as wellas the OR31 SidePlaner SST and isideal for Striper,Salmon, Trout, andMuskie using 10-25 pound test monofilament andlead core.

Pro WeightsModel # OR20 Pro Weight System

Each systemincludesinstructions,four OR16clips, four splitrings, two ofeach of the fol-lowing guppyweights: 1/2oz., 3/4 oz., 1oz., 1 1/2 oz., 2 oz., and 3 oz. all contained in aplastic tackle box. Use as Snap Weights or InLine Weights - you decide. This system is usedoff of flat lines, dual planer boards and side planerboards.

Model # OR16 or OR16BWW Snap WeightClip—Red

This half size cliphas an extra heavyspring tension andincludes a split ring.You simply positionyour fishing line behind the pin that protrudesthrough the center of the pads to hold your snapweight securely on the line. This item is ideal foruse with snap weight fishing and super braid lines.

Your Leader In...

360o

visibility

PRODUCT SHOWCASEOFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 11

Replacement Guppy Weights

Model # OR20 1/2 1/2 Ounce Guppy Weight

Model # OR20 3/4 3/4 Ounce Guppy Weight

Model # OR20 1 1 Ounce Guppy Weight

Model # OR20 1 1/2 1 1/2 Ounce Guppy Weight

Model # OR20 2 2 Ounce Guppy Weight

Model # OR20 3 3 Ounce Guppy Weight

Resettable Diving Weights

Model #OR36 1 Tadpole Size 1

Model #OR36 2 Tadpole Size 2

Model #CS BE Coast Lock Snap

Downrigger AccessoriesModel # OR6 Weight Retriever/Stacker Stripper

Limited Inventory Available

The OR6 is used to pull the downrigger weight infor re-rigging and will automatically remove stack-ers from the cable without cutting the pads.

Downrigger ReleasesOur downrigger releases are all full size and there-fore have the large diameter pinch pad design thatholds monofilament lines securely. Tension can beadjusted further by how deeply the line is placedinto the pads.

Model # OR4 Light Tension Single DownriggerRelease –White

This release is ideal for Walleye, spring Coho, orother small to medium size fish using 10-25 poundtest monofilament line.

Model # OR1 Medium Tension SingleDownrigger Release – Black

This release is ideal for Salmon, Steelhead, Striperand Trout using 10-25 pound test monofilamentline.

Model # OR8 Heavy Tension SingleDownrigger Release - Red

This release is ideal for Muskie, Salmon, trophyPike, and salt water fish using over 20 pound testmonofilament line.

Model # OR7 Light Tension StackerDownrigger Release – White

This release is ideal for Walleye, spring Coho, orother small to medium size fish using 10-25 poundtest monofilament line and allows you to run twolines off of the same downrigger.

Model # OR2 Medium Tension StackerDownrigger Release – Black

This release is ideal for Salmon, Steelhead, Striperand Trout using 10-25 pound test monofilament lineand allows you to run two lines off of the samedownrigger.

Replacement PadsModel # ORRP8

Replacement pads for OR1,OR2, OR3, OR4, OR7, OR8,OR17, and OR30 releases.

Model # ORRP8SN

Replacement pads for OR18releases.

Model # ORRP16

Replacement pads for OR10,OR14, OR19 releases along withOR16 clips WITHOUT the pinprotruding through the center of the pads.

Model # ORRP16HL

Replacement pads for OR16clips WITH pin that protrudesthrough the center of the pads.

Promotional Items

...Trolling Technology

Model # DCLSMor DCLLG

Model # PTCH Model # HT

Model # LYND

Model # PN

Model # OYTSHRT

Model # OASWSHRT

Model # OYPOLO

Model # PRO(backside)

Model # PRO(frontside)

Model # OATSHRT

Model # FRSB

Model # TWL

Model # CLR

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 12

Captain Jerry Snyder caught this 18 lb. Spring King Salmon on a DirtyWhite Boy Mag Stinger in front of Wilson Harborin early June 2009.

www.offshoretackle.com

Afew inventive anglers have taken to mounting the Snappernot on the end of the tow arm, but rather in the middle of thetow arm with the tip of the release positioned just in front ofthe end of the tow arm. This rigging option shortens up thereach of the Snapper slightly and balances the board better forrough water running.

To rig the Snapper in the middle of the tow arm requiresdrilling a small hole in the middle of the tow arm, half waybetween the tip of the tow arm and the board. This simple stepand unique rigging option can be accomplished in about aminute.

THE RELEASE AND SLIDE METHODAnglers who stack several boards per side and also target

big fish like striper or king salmon, find that the best riggingoption for the OR12 is the release and slide method. Severaldifferent planer board releases can be incorporated into therelease and slide method depending on what species is beingtargeted, trolling speed and of course wave conditions. TheOR10 (yellow) is the lightest release suitable for smallerspecies like walleye, spring coho and inland trout. The OR14(black) is a slightly firmer tension than the OR10 and is idealfor trophy sized walleye, browns and other smaller GreatLakes trout and salmon. The OR19 (orange) is a heavy tensionrelease ideal for targeting larger fish like pike, muskie, kingsalmon and striper.

The desired release is mounted to the tow arm of the board.At the back of the board a snap swivel or pigtail (OR12P2) ismounted using a small screw in stud. The best location foradding the snap swivel is on the edge of the board near the top.

Rigged in this manner, the line can be popped free from thetow arm release and the board allowed to slide down the linevia the snap swivel/pigtail. It’s important with this rigging

option to place a barrel swivel and bead a few feet ahead of thelure to prevent the board from sliding all the way down to thefish.

It’s also handy to know a trick or two for getting the line torelease from the tow arm clip cleanly. Instead of simply plac-ing the line between the rubber jaws of the release, take theline and wrap it around your finger four or five times to forma loop. Place the twisted line between the jaws of the releasewith the loop exposed on the top of the release.

Rigged in this manner it only takes a quick pop of the rodto pull the loop free and release the board. This little trickworks amazingly well because it allows anglers to fish aheavier tension release that insures a better hook set with-out sacrificing the ability to trip the board when necessary.

THE TATTLE FLAG OPTIONThe popular OR12TF Tattle Flag is perhaps the most

unique of all the OR12 rigging options. Designed so theflag folds down when a fish bites, the Tattle Flag helpsdetect bites from small fish, trash fish and will even detectif a lure is fouled on weeds or other debris!

The Tattle Flag kit comes with all the necessary partsand clips to mount on the OR12 Side Planer. It takes aboutfive minutes to complete the rigging which consists of anOR16 clip on the tow arm, a stainless steel linkage arm,stainless steel spring and OR16 clip attached to the rear ofthe linkage arm.

When using the Tattle Flag it’s important to make surethere is adequate line between the tow arm release and therelease mounted at the back of the linkage arm. About sixinches of slack line is enough to allow the linkage systemto move freely and the flag to fold down when a fish bites.

One of the little known benefits of the Tattle Flag is it

allows anglers to actually read the mood of fish. Often a fishwill bite, the Tattle Flag will fold down and before the anglercan reach the rod, the flag pops back up. What’s happening isthe fish has detected resistance and dropped the bait beforebeing hooked.

If this happens, quickly free spool the board so it stalls inthe water while the boat moves forward for a few yards. Nextkick the reel back in gear and watch as the board shoots for-ward. Often this little hesitation is all it takes to trigger a sav-age strike!

SUMMING IT UPNo matter how you choose to rig the OR12, you’re

equipped with the ultimate in line planer board. Because OffShore Tackle offers so many rigging options, the Side Planerhas quickly become the board all others are compared to. OffShore Tackle Company LLC really is the “Leader in TrollingTechnology”.

IN LINE BOARD RIGGING OPTIONSCONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 13

NUMBERMODEL UNIT OF PKGS. EXTENDEDNUMBER DESCRIPTION PACKAGE ORDERING PRICE AMOUNT

OFF SHORE TACKLE COMPANY LLC SIDE PLANER BOARD PRODUCTSOR34 Mini Planer Board; One Board...Dual Purpose...Iʼm Reversible Pkg. of 1 $17.95OR34B Replacement Bracket For OR34 Pkg. of 2 $2.8034SCR BE Replacement 6/32 x 1/2 Screw For OR34 Pkg. of 1 $0.20SS BE Replacement Snap Swivel For OR34 Pkg. of 1 $0.65OR12L Side Planer Left Pkg. of 1 $38.40OR12R Side Planer Right Pkg. of 1 $38.40OR12P2 Pigtail and Split Ring For OR12L, OR12R, OR31L, and OR31R Pkg. of 2 $3.10OR31L Side Planer SST Left (Limited Inventory Available) Pkg. of 1 $38.40OR31R Side Planer SST Right (Limited Inventory Available) Pkg. of 1 $38.40FLGSCR BE Flag and 6/32 Screw Pkg. of 1 $3.35SCR BE 6/32 Screw For OR12L, OR12R, OR12TF, OR31L, and OR31R Pkg. of 1 $0.20NN BE Nylon Nut Pkg. of 1 $0.40BRKT BE Bracket With Two Pop Rivets Pkg. of 1 $2.95RVT BE Pop Rivet Pkg. of 1 $0.40FOAM BE Foam Insert For OR12 and OR31 Side Planers Pkg. of 1 $0.85TAB BE Tab To Hold Foam Insert In and Two 6/32 Screws Pkg. of 1 $0.85BLSTSCR BE Ballast Weight Screw Pkg. of 1 $0.20BLSTWGHT BE Ballast Weight and 8 x 1/2 Screw (99.99% Lead Free) Pkg. of 1 $1.90OR32 Night Light 2 — Two Red Lights and Four Batteries (Limited Inventory Available) Pkg. of 2 $24.60BTRY BE Replacement Battery For OR32's Pkg. of 1 $0.85OR12TF Tattle Flag Upgrade Kit Pkg. of 1 $23.70ORS2 Tattle Flag Replacement Spring Pkg. of 2 $7.55WIRE BE Tattle Flag Replacement Wire Pkg. of 1 $2.10NW BE Tattle Flag Replacement Nylon Washer Pkg. of 1 $0.40SCREYE BE Tattle Flag Replacement Screw Eye Pkg. of 1 $0.20SPLTRNG BE Tattle Flag Replacement Split Ring Pkg. of 1 $0.15OFF SHORE TACKLE COMPANY LLC PLANER BOARD AND SIDE PLANER BOARD RELEASESQC BE Quick Clip Pkg. of 1 $0.20OR3 Light Tension, White With Quick Clip Pkg. of 2 $13.75OR3BWW Light Tension, White With Quick Clip Pkg. of 50 $329.30OR17BWW Medium Tension, Black With Quick Clip Pkg. of 24 $158.00OR30BWW Heavy Tension, Red With Quick Clip Pkg. of 6 $47.40OR18 Snapper Adjustable Tension, Black Pkg. of 1 $15.25OR10 Adjustable Light Tension, Yellow With Split Ring and Quick Clip Pkg. of 4 $19.30OR10BWW Adjustable Light Tension, Yellow With Split Ring and Quick Clip Pkg. of 100 $469.90OR14 Adjustable Medium Tension, Black With Split Ring and Quick Clip Pkg. of 4 $19.30OR14BWW Adjustable Medium Tension, Black With Split Ring and Quick Clip Pkg. of 100 $469.90OR19 Adjustable Heavy Tension, Orange With Split Ring and Quick Clip Pkg. of 2 $9.95OR19BWW Adjustable Heavy Tension, Orange With Split Ring and Quick Clip Pkg. of 100 $469.90OFF SHORE TACKLE COMPANY LLC PRO WEIGHT PRODUCTSOR20 Pro Weight System (99.99% Lead Free) Pkg. of 1 $40.90OR16 Extra Heavy Clip, Red With Split Ring Pkg. of 2 $11.50OR16BWW Extra Heavy Clip, Red With Split Ring Pkg. of 100 $521.15OR20 1/2 1/2 Ounce Replacement Guppy Weight (99.99% Lead Free) Pkg. of 3 $3.25OR20 3/4 3/4 Ounce Replacement Guppy Weight (99.99% Lead Free) Pkg. of 3 $3.55OR20 1 1 Ounce Replacement Guppy Weight (99.99% Lead Free) Pkg. of 3 $4.00OR20 1 1/2 1 1/2 Ounce Replacement Guppy Weight (99.99% Lead Free) Pkg. of 2 $3.85OR20 2 2 Ounce Replacement Guppy Weight (99.99% Lead Free) Pkg. of 2 $4.00OR20 3 3 Ounce Replacement Guppy Weight (99.99% Lead Free) Pkg. of 1 $2.95OFF SHORE TACKLE COMPANY LLC RESETTABLE DIVING WEIGHTSOR36 1 Tadpole Size 1 (99.99% Lead Free) Pkg. of 1 $7.15OR36 2 Tadpole Size 2 (99.99% Lead Free) Pkg. of 1 $7.15CS BE Coast Lock Snap Pkg. of 1 $0.40OFF SHORE TACKLE COMPANY LLC DOWNRIGGER WEIGHT RETRIEVEROR6 Weight Retriever/Stacker Stripper Combo Limited Inventory Available Pkg. of 1 $20.45LNLC Replacement Line Loc For OR6 Limited Inventory Available Pkg. of 1 $5.00OFF SHORE TACKLE COMPANY LLC SINGLE DOWNRIGGER RELEASESOR4 Light Tension, White Pkg. of 1 $9.70OR1 Medium Tension, Black Pkg. of 1 $9.70OR8 Heavy Tension, Red Pkg. of 1 $13.65OFF SHORE TACKLE COMPANY LLC STACKER DOWNRIGGER RELEASESOR7 Light Tension, White Pkg. of 1 $15.80OR2 Medium Tension, Black Pkg. of 1 $15.80OFF SHORE TACKLE COMPANY LLC REPLACEMENT PADSORRP8 Pads For OR1ʼs, OR2ʼs, OR3ʼs, OR4ʼs, OR7ʼs, OR8ʼs, OR17ʼs, and OR30ʼs Pkg. of 8 $3.20ORRP8SN Pads For OR18ʼs Pkg. of 8 $7.65ORRP16 Pads For OR10ʼs, OR14ʼs, and OR19ʼs, Pkg. of 16 $3.75

Along With OR16ʼs WITHOUT Pin Protruding Through The Center Of The PadORRP16HL Pads For OR16ʼs WITH Pin Protruding Through The Center Of The Pad Pkg. of 16 $4.95

Continued on reverse

Be prepared when you hit the water – purchase your Off Shore Tackle Company LLC productsat your local dealer or send in your order today!

Prices in effect January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 14

Riviera Product ShowcaseBase Options

Track MountFor RCPK And RCWIRE

Model # TM Track Mount

This 6” track permanentlymounts to your, gunwale,hard top, fly bridge orradar arch of your boat.The RCPK or RCWIRE ismounted to the track’sadapter and is easily putinto use or removed.

Planer Board Rail Clamp MountsModel #RCPK Kachman Automatic RetrievalReels With Rail Clamp Mount

Unit Includes:

•Kachman Automatic Retrieval Reels

• 150’ Fluorescent Orange 200# Planer Line

• Aluminum Clamp Bracket That Fits 3/4” to 1 1/4” Rails

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 15

Manual Retrieval Posi-Stop Reels, Base, DeckPlate and Four Hold Down Knobs (Shown right)

Unit Includes:

• Aluminum Pulley Brackets

• 6' Linear Composite Mast

• Nylon Mounting Block

• Aluminum Manual Retrieval Posi-Stop Reels

• 150' Fluorescent Orange 200# Planer Line

• Multidirectional Pulleys

• Stainless Steel Guide Bushings

• Two Off Shore OR10 Adjustable Light Tension Planer Board Releases

This Unit Is Available in Different Base Options

• Model # DPMPHas The Regular Base

• Model # DPMPS Has The Springfield Taper-Lock Seat Mount

• Model # DPMPSLHas The Springfield Spring-Lock Seat Mount

• Model # DPMPSU Has The Springfield Uni-Lock Seat Mount

• Model # DPMPSZ Has The Swivl-Eze 2 3/8” Seat Mount

Aluminum ManualRetrieval Posi-StopReels, Collapsible Mast,Base, Deck Plate andFour Hold Down Knobs (Shown right)

Unit Includes:

• Aluminum Pulley brackets

• 7’ Collapsible Aluminum Black Powder Coated Mast

• Nylon Mounting Bracket

• Aluminum Manual Posi-Stop Retrieval Reels

•150’ Fluorescent Orange 200# Planer Line On Each Reel

• Multidirectional Pulleys

• Stainless Steel Guide Bushings

• Two OR10 Adjustable Light Tension Planer

Board Releases

This Unit Is Available in Different Base Options

• Model # DPMPAHas The Regular Base

• Model # DPMPSAHas The Springfield Taper-Lock Seat Mount

• Model # DPMPSLAHas The Springfield Spring-Lock Seat Mount

•Model # DPMPSUAHas The Springfield Uni-Lock Seat Mount

• Model # DPMPSZAHas The Swivl-Eze 2 3/8” Seat Mount

Kachman Automatic Retrieval Reels WithAluminum Base, Deck Plate and Four HoldDown Knobs (Shown below)

Unit Includes:

• Aluminum Pulley Brackets

• 6' Linear Composite Mast

• Nylon Mounting Bracket

• Kachman AutomaticRetrievalReels

• 150' Fluorescent Orange 200# Planer Line On Each Reel

• Multidirectional Pulleys

• Stainless Steel Guide Bushings

• Two OR10 Adjustable Light Tension Planer Board Releases

This Unit Is Available inDifferent Base Options

•Model # DPMKHas The Regular Base

• Model # DPMKS Has The Springfield Taper-Lock Seat Mount

• Model # DPMKSLHas The Springfield Spring-Lock Seat Mount

• Model # DPMKSU Has The Springfield Uni-Lock Seat Mount

• Model # DPMKSZ Has The Swivl-Eze 2 3/8” Seat Mount

Kachman Automatic RetrievalReels With CollapsibleAluminum Mast, Base, DeckPlate and Four Hold DownKnobs (Shown right)

Unit Includes:

• Aluminum Pulley Brackets

• 7’ Collapsible Aluminum Black Powder Coated Mast

• Nylon Mounting Bracket

• Kachman Automatic Retrieval Reels

• 150’ Fluorescent Orange 200# Planer Line On Each Reel Multidirectional Pulleys

• Stainless Steel Guid Bushings

• Two OR10 Adjustable LightTension Planer

Board Releases

This Unit Is Available in Different Base Options

• Model # DPMKAHas The Regular Base

• Model # DPMKSAHas the Springfield Taper-Lock Seat Mount

• Model # DPMKSLAHas The Springfield Spring-Lock Seat Mount

• Model # DPMKSUAHas The Springfield Uni-Lock Seat Mount

• Model # DPMKSZAHas The Swivl-Eze 2 3/8” Seat Mount

Regular Base

Springfield Taper-LockSeat Mount

Springfield Spring-LockSeat Mount

Springfield Uni-Lock SeatMount

Swivl-Eze 2 3/8” SeatMount

Model #RCPP Aluminum Manual Retrieval Posi-Stop Reels

Unit Includes:

•Aluminum Manual

Retrieval Posi-Stop Reels

•150’ Fluorescent

Orange 200# Planer Line

•Aluminum Clamp Bracket That Fits 7/8” to 1” Rails

Dual and Triple Planer BoardsModel # DPB Dual Planer Board–Collapsible For Easy Storage

Model # TPB Triple Planer Board–Collapsible For Easy Storage

The DPB’s and TPB’s are used in conjunction with amast system. They are ballasted so the nose isslightly raised to cut through the waves easier andhave a 3 position tow point to allow you to adapt to dif-ferent water conditions instantly. To store, simply foldthe outside board forward. Each board can be usedon either port or starboard. A sample OR10Adjustable Light Tension Planer Board Releasecomes with each DPB; a sample OR30 HeavyTension Planer Board Release comes with each TPB.

Hand /Wire Line Reels

Model # RCWIRE Kachman Automatic Retrieval Hand Line Reel Kit

Unit Includes:

• Kachman Automatic Retrieval Reel

• 200’ Coated 60# Wire With Snap Swivel Termination

• 5’ Pro Shank

• Aluminum Clamp Bracket That Fits 3/4”-1 1/4” Rails

• Tempress Rod Holder Adapter Replacement Parts Available

Model # WGHT 1 1/4 Pound Weight

Model # SHNK 5’ Pro Shank

Manual Downriggers

Model # 300-15

Unit Includes:

• 15” Flat Arm• 200’ Of 150# Stainless Steel Wire• Retermination Snap Swivel Assembly• Deck Mounting Plate• Two Hold Down Knobs• Gear Driven Depth Meter• Safety Clutch• Rod Holder• Off Shore Downrigger Release

Model # 500

Unit Includes:

• 200’ Of 150# Stainless Steel Wire• Retermination Snap Swivel Assembly• Deck Mounting Plate• Two Hold Down Knobs• Gear Driven Depth Meter• Safety Clutch• Rod Holder• Off Shore Downrigger Release

This Unit Is Available in Three Different Arm Lengths

Model # 500-18 Comes With An 18” Arm (Shown above)

Model # 500-30 Comes With A 30” Arm

Model # 500-48 Comes With A 48” Arm

Model # 700

Unit Includes:

• 200’ Of 150# Stainless Steel Wire

• Retermination Snap Swivel Assembly

• Deck Mounting Plate

• Swivel Base

• Four Hold Down Knobs

• Gear Driven Depth Meter

• Safety Clutch

• Dual Rod Holders

• Off Shore Downrigger Release

This Unit Is Available in Three Different Arm Lengths

Model # 700-24 Comes With A 24” Arm (Shown above)

Model # 700-48 Comes With A 48” Arm

Model # 700-72 Comes With A 72” Arm

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 16

For more information call (989) 738-5700.

www.rivieratrolling.com

Riviera Product Showcase

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 17

Please check:__ Residence__ Work__ Other

Please check:___ American Express___ Discover___ MasterCard___ Visa

(ID Number is located on the backside of your Discover, MasterCard or Visa afteryour credit card number [3 Digit Code]; on American Express it is located on thefront of your card usually to the upper right of your card number [4 Digit Code]).

MERCHANDISE TOTAL SHIPPING CHARGE$0.00 - $15.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $8.00$15.01 - $30.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $9.00$30.01 - $50.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10.00$50.01 - $80.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $11.00$80.01 - $100.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12.00$100.01 - $200.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13.00$200.01 - $300.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14.00$300.01 - $400.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $15.00$400.01 - $500.00 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $16.00Over $500.00. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . FREE

*SHIPPINGCHARGESWITHIN THE48 MAINLANDUNITED STATES:

NUMBERMODEL UNIT OF PKGS. EXTENDEDNUMBER DESCRIPTION PACKAGE ORDERING PRICE AMOUNT

RIVIERA DUAL PLANER BOARD MASTSDPMK 6' Composite Mast With Kachman Automatic Retrieval Reels With Regular Base Pkg. of 1 $380.00DPMKS Fits With Springfield Taper-Lock Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $380.00DPMKSL Fits With Springfield Spring-Lock Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $380.00DPMKSU Fits With Springfield Uni-Lock Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $380.00DPMKSZ Fits With Swivl-Eze 2-3/8" Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $380.00DPMKA 7' Collapsible Aluminum Black Powder Coated Mast With Kachman Automatic Retrieval Reels Pkg. of 1 $380.00

With Regular BaseDPMKSA Fits With Springfield Taper-Lock Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $380.00DPMKSLA Fits With Springfield Spring-Lock Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $380.00DPMKSUA Fits With Springfield Uni-Lock Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $380.00DPMKSZA Fits With Swivl-Eze 2-3/8" Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $380.00DPMP 6' Composite Mast With Manual Posi-Stop Reels With Regular Base Pkg. of 1 $270.00DPMPS Fits With Springfield Taper-Lock Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $270.00DPMPSL Fits With Springfield Spring-Lock Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $270.00DPMPSU Fits With Springfield Uni-Lock Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $270.00DPMPSZ Fits With Swivl-Eze 2-3/8" Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $270.00DPMPA 7' Collapsible Aluminum Black Powder Coated Mast With Manual Posi-Stop Reels Pkg. of 1 $270.00

With Regular BaseDPMPSA Fits With Springfield Taper-Lock Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $270.00DPMPSLA Fits With Springfield Spring-Lock Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $270.00DPMPSUA Fits With Springfield Uni-Lock Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $270.00DPMPSZA Fits With Swivl-Eze 2-3/8" Seat Mount Pkg. of 1 $270.00RIVIERA TRACK MOUNTTM Track Mount For RCPK or RCWIRE Pkg. of 1 $49.00RIVIERA PLANER BOARD RAIL CLAMP MOUNTSRCPK Kachman Automatic Retrieval Rail Clamp Pkg. of 1 $159.00RCPP Manual Retrieval Rail Clamp With Aluminum Black Powder Coated Posi-Stop Reels Pkg. of 1 $89.00RIVIERA DUAL AND TRIPLE PLANER BOARDSDPB Dual Planer Board - Collapsible For Easy Storage Pkg. of 1 $70.00TPB Triple Planer Board - Collapsible For Easy Storage Pkg. of 1 $93.00RIVIERA HAND LINE REELSRCWIRE Kachman Automatic Hand Line Reel With Rail Clamp Mount, Wire, Weight, Shank, Pkg. of 1 $189.00

and Rod Holder AdapterWGHT 1 1/4 Pound Weight Pkg. of 1 $5.00SHNK 5' Pro Shank Pkg. of 1 $4.00RIVIERA MANUAL RETRIEVAL DOWNRIGGERS300-15 Model 300 With 15" Arm Pkg. of 1 $175.00500-18 Model 500 With 18" Arm Pkg. of 1 $190.00500-30 Model 500 With 30" Arm Pkg. of 1 $200.00500-48 Model 500 With 48" Arm Pkg. of 1 $210.00700-24 Model 700 With 24" Arm ANGLERS PAC Pkg. of 1 $285.00700-48 Model 700 With 48" Arm ANGLERS PAC Pkg. of 1 $290.00700-72 Model 700 With 72" Arm ANGLERS PAC Pkg. of 1 $295.00

Product Total ________________*Shipping Charges ________________

Subtotal (Product Total Plus Shipping Charges) ________________Michigan Residents, add 6% Sales Tax

Based On Subtotal ________________

Total (Subtotal Plus Sales Tax) U. S. Funds Enclosed

*For orders being shipped outside of the 48 mainland United States, please call for shipping charges. Duties and taxes will be your responsibility.Send THIS completed order form, along with your money order, check, or COMPLETE credit card information to:Riviera Trolling Systems Incorporated, P.O. Box 507, Port Austin, MI 48467-0507.

Orders will be released upon clearance of checks, please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. Credit card orders are normally shipped within 5 business days of receipt of order.MAILING ADDRESS (Check here _______ if this is an address change): SHIP ORDER TO (Must have street address for UPS/FedEx delivery):Name: ___________________________________________________________ Name:____________________________________________________c/o: _____________________________________________________________ c/o: ______________________________________________________Address: _________________________________________________________ Address:____________________________________________________________City: ________________________________State:____________ZIP: ________ City: __________________________________State: _________ZIP:___________Telephone: ( ________ ) _________________ - __________________________ Telephone: ( ________ ) _________________ - ____________________________

Your mailing address MUST match the address that your credit card bill is mailed to – no exceptions.To charge your order on your American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa, enter your credit card number,

expiration date, card ID number and sign below, or call 989-738-5700.Number___________________________________________________ Exp. Date:____________ ID Number:_____________

Signature_________________________________________

Be prepared when you hit the water – purchase your Riviera Trolling Systems productsat your local dealer or send in your order today!

Prices in effect January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010

ABOUT THEEDITOR

MARK ROMANACK, OUTDOOR WRITER/TV HOST

Mark Romanack is a life long resident of Michigan and one of the region’s mostactive outdoorsmen. A graduate of Northern Michigan University with a B.S. Degreein Conservation, Romanack has spent his entire career working in the outdoors helpingothers to better understand and appreciate our natural resources and outdoor recreationopportunities.

His career started in 1981 as an Environmental Educator. While working as a natu-ralist, Romanack began to write outdoor articles part time to supplement his income.His first article was published by Michigan Out-of-Doors Magazine in 1983. After afew years this part time writing hobby grew into a full fledged writing career.

Romanack made the move to outdoor writing full time in 1986. Since that time hehas published 11 different book titles on fishing including the wildly popular PrecisionTrolling depth guide series which he continues to research, write and publish. His free-lance writing efforts and photography have been published in dozens of local, region-al and national outdoor periodicals. Romanack has been an active member of theOutdoor Writers Association of America since 1988.

In addition to writing and photography, Romanack has become a sought after publicspeaker. Considered one of the nation’s foremost authorities on the topic of walleye

fishing and open water trolling methods, many of Romanack’s books have been dedi-cated to sharing his intimate knowledge of these topics.

In 2007 Romanack took on the hosting/field production responsibilities for a newtelevision series called Off Shore Tackle’s, Fishing 411 that broadcasts nationwide onthe Sportsman Channel to an estimated 20 million homes. Currently filming a fourthseason, Fishing 411 has grown rapidly in both distribution and popularity.

Romanack resides in Northern Michigan with his wife Mari and sons Zackery andJacob. Mark can be reached via e-mail at mark@fishing411.net.

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 18

Greetings and I hope you enjoy this year’s editionof the Off Shore Release. We have tried to bring newinformation and keep the basic product applicationsin this issue. There are many new items for 2010 andwe are proud to bring them to the angler. First off, all

our products are now 99.99% lead free. Theballast in the Side Planers, the new Pro WeightSystem (formerly known as the Snap WeightSystem) with the newly designed GuppyWeights, and the all new Resettable DivingWeights (known as Tadpoles) have all beenchanged to be more eco friendly. These prod-ucts are all explained in this paper and I amsure you, the angler, will show us even moreuses.

We have been working for over two years toget these new products right, and we are thefirst company of our type to go GREEN withtheir products. It was expensive but we felt itnecessary to do our part in keeping our envi-ronment cleaner. It is a small move and with allcompanies doing something to save the earth,together it will make a big difference.

I fished as a co-angler in a couple of the newAIM walleye tournaments this year. The CatchRecord Release format is great. I had a lot offun and fished with some great anglers. I feelthis is the way tournaments will be held in thefuture. Check it out at www.aimfishing.com.The live internet coverage and the support wehad from other websites was great! Thanks toJuls Davis LaCourse for all the time she put incovering this and many other tournaments forWalleye Central. I am looking forward to fish-ing more of them next year. All the tournamentshave made changes in their format and entryfees to help anglers during these tough eco-nomic times.

I went to Sweden again this year and Coryand I had a great time. No big zander (walleye) but wecaught a lot of them using the new Guppy designedweights and running the OR34 Mini Planer. We spentsome time with Bait Rigs bottom bouncers and spin-ners and found the fish like them too. Not many peo-

ple in Sweden fish with bottom bouncers. There aresome really big fish there and one day I will catch theweather just right and have some nice photos of reallybig zander.

The boating industry is in disarray and it will proba-bly be a few years away from being back on track.This has happened before and it will be worked out intime. I wish them luck because as their business growsso will Off Shore Tackle’s.

We had many Pro Staff victories in the tournamenttrail this year and we had Todd Riley win a tournamentin Minnesota (a one rod state) using Off Shore SidePlaners. That shows you can win trolling boards instates like Minnesota. Thanks Todd! Tommy Skarliswon the first AIM tournament here in Saginaw Bayand Bret King won at Green Bay. Our products playeda big part in these wins. All the Great Lakes tourna-ments have also been kind to us with most victoriesfrom anglers using Off Shore products.

We are going to have more information during theyear on the new Tadpoles and how deep they go. MarkRomanack of Fishing 411 and Precision Angling willbe keeping us up to date on the dive curves. Be sure tocheck his television program on the SportsmansChannel or on the web at www.myoutdoorstv.com.

As always, thank you for using Off Shore productsand helping us make them better as well as more userfriendly. We are always looking for new ideas soplease send them to us and we will look at them all. Iknow there are a lot of anglers fishing our productsdifferent than we write about them and it is alwaysgreat to hear these methods as we add them to the fol-lowing years Off Shore Release in the form of tips.Also, we are updating our new website more often in2010 to keep everyone informed as to what is happen-ing at Off Shore Tackle.

Thank You, the angler, for your part in helping tokeep Off Shore Tackle Company LLC “Your Leader InTrolling Technology”. Have a Great 2010!

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN OFTHE BOARDS, BRUCE DESHANO

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 19

COMPANY MISSIONSTATEMENT

Our company's foundation is based on presenting products to theconsumer that result in a more productive fishing experience by usingthe best materials available that are as eco friendly as possible. Wehave always set our standard's high for our consumers to have thebest results. Our products are "Often Imitated but NeverDuplicated." This is why Off Shore Tackle Company LLC remains,"Your Leader in Trolling Technology."

BY LARRY HARTWICK

I would guess thatmost anglers have neverheard of a 720 ExciseTax form. What is it andwhy should you care?

The 720 Excise Tax ispaid on the sales of allfishing tackle, rods,reels, terminal tackle,planer masts etc. Fromthe initial sale price,10% of the money from that sale goes directly tothe Federal government. This money is earmarkedfor fishing and is directly responsible for funding aton of projects that benefit, you the angler. Inshort, as you purchase products from legitimateretailers, you are indirectly helping your sport offishing.

You should also be aware that there are compa-nies operating that DO NOT pay Excise Tax eventhough everyone that produces and sells fishingtackle is REQUIRED TO PAY BY LAW. This lawincludes ANYONE making tackle out of their base-ment or garage for sale, is liable. So be aware thatthe good deal you might be getting, might actuallybe hurting your sport. We all could lower prices ifwe didn’t have to make quarterly payments but youwouldn’t have most of the harbor facilities that weenjoy today!

WHAT ISFEDERAL

EXCISE TAXAND WHYSHOULD I

CARE?

OFF SHORE RELEASE Volume 17 — 2010Page 20

SEEING IS BELIEVING!

“The Off Shore Side Planer is the only board the Best Chance Too boat has found thatworks with multiple copper lines in heavy seas. Thank you Off Shore as many of the trophiesbelong to you as they do us.” Captain Dave Engel and Captain Bill Bale, Team of the BestChance Too. Photo provided by Dave Mull.

Make Off Shore Tackle Company LLC products a part of your equipment and

watch them produce! Seeing is believing!