Planer board release OR-18

I would like to get someones opinion on the OR-18 board release. Anyone using them? Also, I would like to get an opinion on what others are using to prevent the board from releasing (ie. losing the board when tripped) but still have the board "release" upon a fish strike. I've changed out the black off shore release. I've been using 1 of the Red snap weight clips with the tab the past few years. It works, but sometimes with walleye bites I think i'm getting bit but the line doesn't pull through the Red release even on it's lightest setting. I'm looking for a new method let me know what works for you!

blueduck, don't feel bad as you didn't overpay for them that much, probably only about $1.00 a piece more than they are worth! LOL!

bought 2 'birds at a garage sale for $1.00 a piece. was that to much?....

Thanks Ditto. I'll set mine up with the OR18 in front and the red snap weight clips in back. I agree 100% with the OS board comments also. Spend the money one time. You'll never look back.

Get rid of the Yellow Birds! You made a mistake that a lot of people make IMHO, you bought cheap to see if you wanted to use boards and now you realize that the cheap boards are just that - cheap. SO now you will still have to buy the good boards and you've already spent the money on cheap boards. Buy once and cry once! You can put a snap swiwel on the back and the release on the front and "snap" it off like you said but then you are fighting the board the whole time you fight the fish. THere is not as much resistance when the board is just sliding on the line but it's enough that it's still a fight. I did it that way when I started using boards and will never go back to it again. My advice is to buy the OS boards and the releases that were recomended previously on this thread. Tattle flags are nice also but not necessary and can always be added later or made at home if you're a do it yoursefl kind of guy. Yes 6 OS boards and the releases will not be cheap, but you will not have to buy them again and you will have top of the line boards.

Sorry to hijack this thread but figured it might be a better idea than starting a new one. I recently started using planer boards and after buying 4 yellow birds I wish I bought the OS boards instead. After loosing one to a snag on the river to never be seen again right before dark, I bought 3 of the OR12 off shore boards to equal out 3 boards a side. I might just sell my other yellow birds and get 3 more of these because the work very well for a newbie like myself. I use these like most of you to troll flicker shads or other cranks for eyes. The off shore boards I bought came with the OR-19 releases front and back which hold the 10lb XL trilene like no bodies business. My question is can I leave the front release on the loose side so I can yank the line out of it when bringing in a fish? This way I'm not fighting the board on the way in. Plus I figure this will allow the board to just ride backwards on plane so to speak until its at the back of the boat. Replies here or pm welcome. What are your thoughts? TIA Vince EDIT- This is the board I bought with the two OR-19 releases. http://www.offshoretackle.com/OR12L.html

Smokercraft, drill a couple real small holes on the front of your board from top to bottom and put the springs in different holes for different reistance baits. I can keep my flags up with some pretty had pulling cranks if I run the spring tighter. I run an OR18 on the front and a snap weight release (the ones with the little tit in it so the line will not go through it regardless of the tension on it) on the back. I don't like fighing the fish with the board on and want it off ASAP so there is no way would set them up to release and slide back and then have to fight the board the whole time. I did that when I started and would never go back to it.

I was shopping prices for the OR-18 and found Fleet Farm with the best price at $12.99, but might have been a sale. Gander and Cabelas was $15.99. Look around, maybe get an even lower price. But would not pay $15.99.

I have the tattle flags on my off shore boards. Their great for crawler harness fishing. But for pulling cranks their pointless. The flag is always down or mostly down. Now I suppose I could "tighten" up the spring by moving the location....

First, I am no expert, but this works for me. I'm sure others have what works for them, and if sounds good try it. I don't if you're going to find a front clip that will release on a small fish. I have the yellow (lightest tension) on my outside boards, and even those will not release on small fish, but easily release when I sweep the rod away from the board. I have the red clips as the rear on all of my boards just to make sure they do not come off. Have you thought about adding the tattle flags to your boards? I know you don't need these for salmon, but they do come in handy for small fish, weeds, etc. You can buy the factory ones or I know there is someone on Walleye Central that makes and sells them.

Thank you guys for the responses. The pin system on the church boards is fantastic. But I don't care for the rubber pinch point on the front end. I don't believe they pull heavy lines as well as an off shore board either. I am old school my boards have a clip on the back that I use when pulling lead core / flasher flies or typical dodger / fly coho rigs. But I don't like using them when walleye fishing because I don't like the board sliding down to the fish's mouth. Right now I do have the Red clip on the back and the black on front. But this is what caused my initial question. I've had light biting small coho or small walleye that hit it and don't pull hard enough to "release" the board with the red clip in the back? If I'm not paying close attention and "reading" my boards constantly, I'll miss a light biter. Had that happen more than once on Green Bay recently. The board looked funny but never released. I picked it up, snapped the board loose and found once had a 18" eye and another time a 25" eye on the line. I hate dragging fish around because the board didn't release. Bottom line is...I need some schooling from some planer board trolling pro's

Try using CHURCH PLANER BOARDS Tey have a great pin system so this cant happen I like them I tried the snap swivel and in rough water this can be a pain and my eyes are not what they use to be they do ever thing the off shore does . CROW

You could go old school. Replace the back release with a snap swivel. Just put the line through the snap, that way you will not loose the board.

what kind of boards are you running.If your running Offshore,you can put the red clip on the back.So with the black clip in the front it will release but the back will stay clipped.