A planer-board setup looks simple from the dock — a board out to each side, lines behind it. Up close it's a system of about eight separate pieces of gear, and the piece people forget is usually the cheap one that ends the day early.

This is the whole system as a checklist. What each piece does mechanically, what to look for, and what's genuinely required versus nice to have. No fishing advice — just the gear.

The short version

• Two different systems share one name. In-line boards clip directly to your fishing line. Large boards ride out on a tow line from a mast. The checklist splits where they split.
• Must-have: boards, releases/clips, and rod holders. On a mast system, add the mast, reels, and tow line.
• Cheap insurance: shockers (snubbers) on a mast system, spare releases, and a spare clutch kit if your reels use one.
• Nice-to-have: electric reels, tattle flags on in-line boards, and dedicated board storage — caddies, racks, or a pouch — so boards aren't loose in the boat.
• The shortcut exists: a bundled package covers the board end of a mast system in one box (details below). The mast and reels are still separate.

First decision: in-line boards or a mast system?

In-line boards are the small boards — roughly a foot long — that attach to the fishing line itself with a front release and a rear clip or pin. One board per line. There's no mast and no tow line; when you reel in, the board comes to the boat and comes off the line. Most are built for one side of the boat only (port or starboard); some models are reversible.

Large boards (also called mast or dual boards) are the big, hard-pulling boards that run on a separate heavy tow line paid out from a reel on a mast. Your fishing lines clip to the tow line with releases and slide out toward the board. The board stays in the water while lines come and go.

Everything below is tagged with which system it belongs to. Our full range for both lives in Planer Systems.

Must-have gear

1. The boards

In-line: one board per rod you plan to run, matched to the side of the boat. What to check before buying: the clip style (pinch-pad release up front, clip or pin at the rear), whether it's side-specific or reversible, and whether the clips are rated by the maker for the line types you run — mono, braid, and lead core grip very differently. Our in-line option is the Amish Outfitters Ugly Duckie at $34.95, with a larger Salmon Duckie version at $37.95.

Mast system: one pair of large boards. Our listing is the Amish Outfitters Plastic Planer Boards — $208.95 for the pair, collapsible, and they ship with a set of orange flags. Amish's own note on these is worth repeating: they're hard-pulling boards, and the maker recommends 500# test planer line and a set of snubbers with them (both below).

2. The mast (mast system only)

The mast is the post the tow lines run from, with a pulley at the top for each side. Cisco's Single Manual Planer Mast ($528.95) shows what a complete one includes: a solid 1-1/2″ mast, machined aluminum reels, line guides, variable clutches, aluminum-cased pulleys with sealed stainless bearings, and a removable base — with track-mount and 5″×6″ base-mount versions. A dual mast runs both sides from one post.

Two buying routes:

• Complete mast with reels included — Cisco single/dual in manual or electric, or Traxstech's dual-reel adjustable planer mast ($595.95).
• Mast only, reels separate — Cisco's Planer Mast with Pulley(s) ($179.95–$565.95 depending on size, base, and pulley options) is built for rigging your own combination with their manual or electric reels.

3. Reels and tow line (mast system only)

The reels hold the tow line and set its tension through a clutch — that's the drag that lets line pay out under load instead of shocking the mast. If you buy reels separately from the mast, Cisco's 6″ and 8″ aluminum planer reels are $108.95, and Traxstech's clamp-on aluminum planer reels start at $279.95.

Tow line is a consumable, not a lifetime part. Ratings matter more than brand: Traxstech's replacement planer reel line is 150′ of 200 lb test with a snap, at $39.95. Amish rates its own boards for heavier line — their planer board line is $26.95, and the package below spools 500# Spectra. Match the line rating to the boards you're pulling, not the other way around.

4. Releases and clips (both systems)

The release is the mechanical link between line and board:

• On a mast system, the fishing line clips into a release, and the release rides down the tow line. You want several per side, plus spares. Amish's Clipper Planer Board Releases ($19.95) are a different take on the design — compact plastic with a stainless adjusting screw, set once, in orange and lime green. Scotty's Power Grip Plus planer board release ($7.99) uses soft pads, with tension changed by moving the line in or out of the jaws.
• On in-line boards, the releases and clips are part of the board itself — a front release and a rear clip/pin — which is why clip design belongs on your board checklist, not just your accessory list.
• Snaps and swivels are the small hardware at every junction: tow line to board, release to line. Amish's Red Inline Weight Clips ($11.95 for a 2-pack) cover the related job of clipping weights to the line. These are pocket-size parts. Buy spares before you need them, not after.

5. Shockers / snubbers (mast system)

A short shock-absorbing link between the tow line and each board. Amish's Planer Board Shockers ($23.95, two-pack) are UV-resistant tubing with 200# Spectra inside and 250# swivels and clips — the maker's stated job is to keep hard-pulling boards from jumping in waves and to take abuse off the mast system. On a hard-pulling board, treat these as must-have, not optional.

6. Flags (both systems)

Every board needs a flag — it's how you see the board and read what it's doing at distance. Standard flags are fixed and bright: Amish's plastic boards include orange flags, and the package below includes a pair of 2′ flags.

The step up is a tattle flag on in-line boards: a spring-loaded flag that gets pulled down when something pulls on the line, so the flag itself signals a strike or a fouled, dragging bait instead of the board just sitting there. It's a kit added to the board, and it's the single most common in-line upgrade.

7. Rod holders or trees (both systems)

Boards move the lines out; something still has to hold the rods, one holder per line. That's either individual holders on a track or a tree that stacks several holders on one post. We compared the two track systems head-to-head in Traxstech vs. Cisco — the holder and tree sections there are the detailed version. The short version for this checklist: count holders against the number of lines you actually own boards and releases for, and browse all rod holders before you count on holders you already have fitting a new track.

8. Line on the rods (both systems)

Last piece of the system is the fishing line itself. Mono and braid behave differently in releases and clips — diameter, stretch, and how hard a pinch-pad can grip them — and that choice changes which clips make sense. The full gear math is its own post in this series (coming: braid vs. mono for trolling), so for the checklist it reduces to one line: pick your line type before you buy releases, and check our Lines & Leaders range for both.

Nice-to-have gear

• Electric reels (mast system). Cisco sells its masts and reels in electric versions with high-torque motors — retrieval under power instead of by hand. Convenience, not necessity, and priced like it.
• Spare clutch parts (mast system). The clutch is the wear point on a planer reel. Cisco's Clutch Kit ($31.95) is the full set — drive pin, pressure plate, washers, bronze pads, drag washer — and their own copy makes the point plainly: it's nice to have spares aboard instead of losing a trip to a dropped part. Same logic as Cisco recommending a spare revolving handle for manual reels.
• A line retriever (mast system). Cisco's Planer Board Line Retriever ($115.95) exists so you can pull the tow line in without reaching for it. Optional, and you'll know if your boat layout wants one.
• Board storage (both systems). Boards loose in a cockpit get stepped on and tangled. Three levels of fix: Traxstech's planer board caddies (from $81.95) slide into a mounting track or mount on a vertical tree and hold two to four boards — they're sized for common walleye and salmon boards, including TX-22- and TX-44-size boards. Amish's In-Line Board Rack ($51.95, eight-board version $60.95) mounts boards on a wall or in the boat. Cheapest is their Inline Planer Board Pouch ($18.95) for transport.

The shortcut: what a package actually covers

Amish's Planer Board Package ($271.95) is the honest way to see the mast-system checklist — it's literally the board end of this list in one box: a set of collapsible plastic boards, a set of 30″ snubbers/shockers, a pair of 2′ flags, and two spools of 200′ 500# Spectra planer line. Its listing says outright that it's built to pair with Cisco planer reels or a planer mast.

So a complete mast system at our October 2026 prices, one honest build:

Cisco Single Manual Planer Mast (reels, clutches, pulleys included)	$528.95
Amish Outfitters Planer Board Package (boards, shockers, flags, tow line)	$271.95
Amish Outfitters Clipper Releases	$19.95
Total	$820.85

Rod holders are the one line not in that total — they depend on the track and holder setup you already have, which is exactly what post #1 in this series covers.

The checklist, condensed

Must-have - ☐ Boards — in-line (one per rod, side-matched) or one pair of large boards - ☐ Releases/clips for every line, plus spares (built into in-line boards; separate on a mast system) - ☐ Snaps/swivels at the junctions - ☐ Mast + reels + rated tow line (mast system only) - ☐ Shockers/snubbers (mast system, hard-pulling boards) - ☐ A flag on every board - ☐ One rod holder per line — holder or tree - ☐ Line type chosen before releases (mono vs. braid changes the clips)

Nice-to-have - ☐ Tattle flags (in-line) - ☐ Electric reels (mast system) - ☐ Spare clutch kit and spare reel handle aboard (mast system) - ☐ Line retriever (mast system) - ☐ Board storage — caddy, rack, or pouch

Browse the full range: Planer Systems · Amish Outfitters · Cisco · Traxstech

A note on prices and specs: Prices in this post are our store prices as of the date above and can change without notice — the linked product page always shows the current price. We check specifications and compatibility against the manufacturer's information when we write each post, but manufacturers can change products without notice, so confirm the details on the product page before you order.