Ziggy Boards

02/24/2026

Ever wondered what attracts the salmon to a salmon fly lure attached to a planer board? Well, here’s a quick overview.
• Mimicking Prey: The lure, or "fly," as it’s often known as is designed to imitate the appearance and movement of prey the salmon naturally feeds on. This can include but is not limited to particular colors, shapes, and or sizes which match the fish’s prey.
• Action and Movement: When trolled behind a planer board, the lure/fly has a specific action as it travels through the water. Planer boards are used to get lures away from the boat, and this allows the lure to move more naturally, darting and weaving as if it were a real baitfish swimming erratically or trying to escape. This action can and hopefully should trigger a salmon's predatory instincts.
• Vibration and Sound: Some lures are designed to create subtle vibrations or even sounds in the water as they move. These can be detected by the salmon's lateral line system, which helps them locate prey even in murky water or low light conditions. This is purely achieved by trial and error and often changes daily or even hourly depending on how the salmon are feeding at that moment. Constant experiment is always the best way to determine and gain that local knowledge required to catch big fish
• Depth and Location: Using Planer boards allows the fisherman to spread out multiple lines and present lures at various depths and distances away from the noise and vibration created by the boat. The use of Planer Boards allows for the greater coverage/spread of bait increasing the chances of encountering salmon at their preferred feeding depths.
• Color and Light: The color of the lure can be crucial, especially in different water clarities and light conditions. Certain colors are more visible or appear more natural to salmon in specific environments. UV-enhanced lures or those with reflective properties can also grab a salmon's attention.
• Temperature: As you gain more experience you will soon discover temperature and finding the right place in the water column weill only add to your chances of landing that big fish. Temperature will be covered in a later blog. Stay tuned.
The comments above are based on the author’s experience and may be subject to change based on other users’ personal experiences.

02/05/2026

Here is a simple guide on how to rig a planer board release.
1. Attach the Release to the Board
The metal split ring on your orange clip attaches to the bracket or "arm" of your planer board. This keeps the clip tethered to the board while you troll.
2. Set Your Lure Depth
Before using the clip, let out the amount of fishing line you want behind the board (e.g., 50 feet of line if you want your lure 50 feet back).
3. Pin the Line in the Clip
* Take the fishing line coming from your rod tip.
* Squeeze the orange "jaws" of the release to open them.
* Place the fishing line between the pads inside the jaws.
* Pro Tip: If you are using slippery braided line, many anglers wrap the line around their finger once to create a small loop before putting it in the clip to prevent it from sliding out prematurely.
4. Adjust Tension
* Deep Placement: For heavy lures or fast trolling, push the line deep into the back of the pads for a stronger grip.
* Shallow Placement: For light-striking fish (like Walleye), keep the line near the front edge of the pads so it pops out easily when a fish hits.
5. Deploy the Board
Once the line is clipped in, place the planer board in the water. As you let out more line from your reel, the water resistance will pull the board away from the side of the boat, taking your lure with it.
When a fish strikes, the tension pulls the line out of the orange clip, "releasing" the board so it slides down the line or stays tethered while you reel in the fish.
The comments above are by far not the only solution in how to set up a Planer Board. There are many different releases and methods adopted by fishermen of all skill levels. The best way to find out what works for you is to go out there and try. Go catch the Big One

02/03/2026

What is a Planer Board Release? Do I need one?
The simple answer is yes.
The orange device you see in the picture is a “Snap-Style” Planer Board Release.
What it's used for
These clips are designed to hold your fishing line securely while you're trolling, but then "release" the line when a fish strikes. This allows the fish to pull the line free from the board so you can fight the fish directly without the heavy planer board interfering.
Key Features
* Tension Spring: The metal coil you see inside the orange plastic body provides the tension to keep the "jaws" shut.
* Split Ring & Swivel: The metal ring and clip at the bottom are used to attach the release to the planer board or a downrigger cable.
* Adjustable Grip: Many versions of these allow you to tuck the fishing line deeper into the pads for a stronger hold or near the edge for a "light" release.

01/27/2026

01/27/2026

01/27/2026

Leadcore Planer Board, packed and ready for shipping in Spring of 2026

01/26/2026

Planer Board manufacture is well underway and on target for our Spring 2026 launch. Don't miss out on your opportunity to purchase. Contact us and leave us a message with your requirements. email [email protected]

01/22/2026

King Salmon. The King Salmon (Chinook) season on Lake Michigan spans much of the year, with the strongest fishing from late spring through fall. Summer (July–August) offers fast paced deep water action, while fall (September–October) brings the iconic river and river mouth spots more into play. Salmon begin moving into deeper waters from May through early June, but the action truly intensifies from July to September as the fish stage for their spawning run back to the rivers where they were hatched. Fishing remains productive into October before gradually slowing down in November.
Deep water trolling is the go-to method for most anglers. Downriggers are used to keep bait at the ideal depth—generally about half the depth of the water you’re fishing but experience will ultimately determine the best depth that works for the stretch of water you have chosen. The ideal way of experiencing the thrill of catching a King Salmon is to book a charter fishing excursion. Port Washington, WI is an ideal location in which to experience this type of fishing. There are numerous charter fishing companies located there easily using social media or the towns tourism website. Alewives, the invasive species salmon were originally introduced to control, make excellent natural bait. Those who prefer artificials often troll spoons with great success.
Shore anglers aren’t left out. During the peak of the run, salmon frequently cruise close to jetties, piers, and harbor mouths. Hooking a King Salmon on light spinning gear from shore is an unforgettable thrill.

01/19/2026

If you’re looking for good early season fishing in Lake Michigan, then you must consider Coho salmon. This extremely popular, non-native sport fish introduced to control alewives offers excellent sport early spring tapering off late summer/early fall as they make their way back to spawn, with the optimum times being early morning and evening. The Coho is especially known for its aggressive strikes, silver bodies, white gums, and spots on their upper tail fin, providing the sport or recreational fisherman with thrilling fights and good eating. The distinctive appearance of the fish offers a dark blue/green back, silver sides, white belly, black tongue, white mouth interior, spots on back and upper tail, distinctive white gums. The Coho is generally smaller than the Chinook or King salmon, averaging a good 4 to 6 pounds in size making them great fighters for this size of fish. The Coho is found throughout Lake Michigan with good fishing on the eastern side in locations such as Port Washington.

01/16/2026

When using Planer Boards, "How does the "Bite" really work?
Most salmon planer boards are described as "In-Line" meaning they clip directly to your fishing line via specially designed clips. Certain board styles have visual Indicator Flags: These style of boards work by having the flag indicator move when the salmon strikes the bait/lure, the tension created by the fish striking the bait/ lure pulls the flag downward, signaling to the fisherman a fish has taken the bait/lure before the rod tip even shows it. When a fish is hooked, the front clip usually releases or trips, causing the board to stop "planning" through the water and slide down the line (or stay fixed but lose its resistance). This allows you to fight the fish without the board diving or pulling it against you. As you play the fish closer to the back of the boat, the board is unclipped from the line allowing the fish to be netted with ease. While the flag style planer board is popular with the recreational fishing community, the non-flag style is the choice of charter fisherman as well as a growing community within the recreational crowd. These newer style boards offer the same planning travel through the water but with a different feel and action than the flag style. Both styles are a personal choice.

01/15/2026

Planer Boards on the Surface & Mid-Water.
While downriggers are an excellent method of getting your lures to deeper levels within the water column, planer boards are a great way of presenting your lures within the top 20–60 feet of water. The boards are sometimes paired with weighted lines such as lead core or copper wire but can just as easily be used with the more common styles as well. The planer board is designed and manufactured to provide the necessary outward pull to keep the heavier, sinking lines from crossing into your deep-water downrigger lines. As with all fishing techniques, practice makes perfect and the correct planer board set up will undoubtedly be determined by local conditions and personal choice. The most important thing is try them out.