To troll big baits and lures down at the depths where wahoo are lurking, fishermen resort to using big planers.
Heavy, metal planers can be cumbersome and dangerous when they are swinging around as the mate grabs the leader to control the fish for gaffing. Retrieving excess leader behind the planer also presents landing problems because the mate must essentially hand-line the fish without the leverage and control exerted by the angler’s rod.
To resolve the issue, many charter captains tie loops in their lines and clip the planer to the loops using a variety of methods.
Capt. Butch Foster of Southport rigs a No. 8 planer using a stainless-steel carabiner clip and a swiveling, brass dog leash quick-release snap on the front and a double-snap swivel with another dog leash quick release snap on the back. To create a planer bridle, two exposed loops are tied into a short piece of hollow, braided dacron line using needles, the quick-release snaps clipped to the loops.
As the planer comes to the surface, the mate frees it by releasing the two quick-release snaps. The line and leader can then be wound onto the reel, allowing the angler to control the fish with the rod right up to the final few feet of leader.
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