TOPIC:

I was on a Lake Erie site and the discussion topic was releases to use for with mast and planer (big boards). Opinions of which was best varied widely but a fair number said they just use a rubber band and shower curtain ring. Has anyone ever been with anyone who used these, especially for walleye fishing?  If so please enlighten me.  Here's why -- I've used rubber bands as downrigger releases for over 40 years (along with nearly every other brand or type) but I continue to use rubber bands because they work for me. 
Other than the occasional shaker (salmon) not all - its a rare coho or other trout or salmon that can't break the rubber band and release. I've tried using a rubber band for walleyes on Erie as downrigger release and while I cant say I've never had a walleye break the rubber band, 99% won't. This isn't about downriggers however, it's about big board releases. 
Early on I tried using rubber band/shower-rings for planer releases. Nearly useless - maybe 5% of the spring cohos could break the rubber band. I can't imagine a 30" walleye breaking a #16 rubber band (photo attached), much less an average or small size rubber bands. I've learned to use both offshore yellow releases as well as my homemade roach clip planer releases and set them just barely in the jaws of the pincher and I still end up dragging walleyes 25 to 50% of the time. If I'm trolling Bandit Deep Walleye lures, they pull harder than the walleyes. 
If I wanted to drag walleyes around, I'd use in-line planers. No sport in that.   
On the other forum the guy said he gets 90% of the fish to release when a walleye bites using rubber bands. I've thought about searching for tiny rubber bands but I was skeptical they'd stand up to the pull of a deep diver in a choppy conditions.  Anyone with actual experience of with why/how the Lake Erie guys have success with this set up?  
 

Mike I have been wondering the same thing. Have you tried any other size bands beside a #16? Checked band size and a #16 is 2 1/2 by 16th. there are smaller size bands meaning the length is less but the bandwidth is the same. Wonder if the smaller in length will break alittle easier? Were the guys out there talking also pulling amish boards?

BN, they are talking about having pinch pads on shower curtain rings holding the rubber band. They dont have to break them,  they can pull them free or if you notice one pulling you can snap it out with a flick of the rod

Totally agree! I used this set up years ago when I was used a mast and big planner boards. I bought bags of shower hooks and alligator clips and put small rubber tube on the ends of the clip and put the rubberband in the clip. A small fish might not break it but it stretched the rubberband out so you knew something was on it.

Thanks for posting!

I still do what Trent does when I'm using leadcore or copper line with the big boards - especially when I have braided line as the backing since the rubber tubing or the pads on pinch-pads won't grip it tight enough to hold against the strain. I still find it hard to believe a walleye can "self-trip" the rubber band in a pinch release. Even when I'm pulling a 10 color or similar long line and a coho hits, it only self releases about half the time. A good solid assist with the fairly stiff rod used with long lines pops the rubber band out of the pincher about 80% of the time, the band breaks only about 20% of the time, and that's with 50# braid.  I think this is a job for MYTH BUSTERS!