[joetrain]

Got my first fish of 2023 and it was my first fish on my planer boards. It was in the 10 lb range.

I saw a good amount of bait suspended @ 15 ft and some fish below them. I set a bait out at 17 feet and attached it to the board. Had another one on the same board but it came unbuttoned some how.

I spent about 1.5 hours trying to catch bait with a cast net. I’m a total noob at throwing the net. It is harder than it looks. I can get the net to open on the throw but my distance is lacking. I’m sure if I can get some fresh bait my catfish game will go up a notch.

The photo below shows both of my boards deployed. I can get them spread out further if I want to. They work great.

 

[Luckydawg13]

That's a nice channel cat were you fishing

 

[joetrain]

It’s a blue cat.
I’m fishing Buggs Island lake in Virginia.
~JOE~

 

[Luckydawg13]

Ok I see

 

[mike son]

Hey they floated! Lol. You trying to net shad or herring or something? You use them cut or alive for the blues?

 

[joetrain]

I’m hoping to net gizzard shad. Only non game fish can be taken by net. That includes bluegill and crappie or as they are called here “crappy.”

I would use them both live and cut.

~JOE~

 

[FishinMatt]

Nice blue Joe. Was curious to see how the dyi planers would work.

 

[CBatt2]

Well done! How fast are you trolling for the cats?

 

[joetrain]

I try to keep it between .3 and .5 mph. When the water warms up again I will bump it up a bit.
~JOE~