[gottaflylee]

Ok guys, here is a planer perspective form the right coast...err east coast guys. Downriggers and planer rods are a big part of our style of meat fishing. There is a planer rod out most all the time on the Predator boat that I run. Wahoos, Tunas, Dolphin, Kings and even the lonely Sailfish will eat it. Oh ya, Tunas aren't afraid of # 9 wire either.
When the Tunas want to eat...they eat, wire or no wire, planer or no planer.
Now this this being said, downrigger balls here are for slow trolling only, less than 3 Kts. If we want to troll faster, we go to planers and there is only 1 planer to use for this, made in the USA...an "Old Salty". Why, cause every on is perfectly balanced so if you have it on wire or braid you can trip it.

Here is a video that was shot on a boat I ran for an owner last year, East coast style, where we ran out of room in the boat about 11:30 am and called it a day. 2 Tunas came on the planer rod that was a bridle system where you can take the planer off and winding the fish to the back of the boat.
Fred, hope you don't mine me sticking my 2 cents in here...
East coast Style...I hope...

http://videos./action/viewvideo/2100...ef=Gottaflylee