Best way to attach a cannon ball

[Doubletyee]

I have been ocean fishing for over 30 years but everything is self taught or something I have read up on. I was wondering what is the best and most economical way to attach a cannon ball to a downriver with wire on it. I am sure that there a lot of ways to do it but looking for the easiest, fastest and most economical. I just put on a rubber stopper and then two connectors and then crimp but I am sure there are much better ways. I have never used the rubber snubbers as they are expensive and don’t see the advantage if your careful and don’t drop the ball. Thanks for your tips.

 

[Corey_lax]

Am I reading this wrong? Do you always have a cannon ball connected to your downrigger line instead of having a connector at the end?

 

[Mako 22]

The heavy cord is easy on the hands and it has some stretch to cushion things.

 

[RiverBoy]

same as above but i attach the downrigger clip direct to the same piece of hardware that attaches to the cannon

 

[Doubletyee]

Am I reading this wrong? Do you always have a cannon ball connected to your downrigger line instead of having a connector at the end?

Sorry bad post. I attach a rubber bumper above a Scotty clip but I have not been using heavy cord

 

[Doubletyee]

The heavy cord is easy on the hands and it has some stretch to cushion things.

Thanks for the picture.

 

[Doubletyee]

Thanks for the picture.

Looks like a good set up will try. What kind of heavy cord do you use?

 

[Corey_lax]

Looks like a good set up will try. What kind of heavy cord do you use?

Scotty or most of the shops sell their own pre-tied versions. It’s usually ganglion cord. Like 300 pound test or so.

 

[Rain City]

I used paracord from Amazon. I made up two sets one for stacking and one for singles.

 

[casper5280]

This is my old set-up, the new one is similar but the single green cord is replaced with a long loop. Also hook and snubber have been replaced with the loop that just passes though the eye of cannonball and dropped back though. No stoppers to worry about, the knot on the loop becomes the stopper. No losing release clips and they are out of the water when netting fish.

 

[RiverBoy]

This is my old set-up, the new one is similar but the single green cord is replaced with a long loop. Also hook and snubber have been replaced with the loop that just passes though the eye of cannonball and dropped back though. No stoppers to worry about, the knot on the loop becomes the stopper. No losing release clips and they are out of the water when netting fish.

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i tried this recently as an experiment and moved back to my old way. i kept having the down rigger clip line wrapping around the main to the cannon and also the crimped knot was getting caught in the pulley. not sure what i was doing wrong. when it was working i really liked this system

 

[SpringVelocity]

I am lazy. I just make length chord, and make one small overhand loop one end, and big one for cannonball. Tie braid to small loop using polymer knot. Don't use swivels etc. Been running it this way for years.

 

[Rain City]

I am lazy. I just make length chord, and make one small overhand loop one end, and big one for cannonball. Tie braid to small loop using polymer knot. Don't use swivels etc. Been running it this way for years.

Do you use finned balls? I tried getting rid of the swivels but with round balls by clip would wrap around the chord like a spider monkey every time it came up.

 

[SpringVelocity]

yes fins

 

[nicnat]

too much crap will increase your blow back a fair bit, keep it simple, unless you bounce bottom a lot you don't need a snubber imho, I tie my downrigger line direct to a scotty swivel and clip it on the ball directly, I've lost maybe 2 cannon balls in the last 20 years or so.

 

[Squire]

I used paracord from Amazon. I made up two sets one for stacking and one for singles.

Reviving an old thread but I’d like to know what the ‘set’ you use for stacking looks like @Rain City

I want to try stacking lines on one downrigger when fishing alone so I can see both rods at once from the helm seat and have less gear to set up and take down. I thought I could just use the red stopper beads on my braided downrigger line but apparently they slip and the clamp on the release clip line slips on braid as well.

I thought of splicing in a piece of gangion 25’ up from the terminal piece but I only want one additional trip point. Or I could use a ~35’ piece of gangion with a second trip joint that would stop the downrigger retrieve with the cannon ball at the water line. Any one else have a solution for this?

 

[tubber]

I use a three twist figure 8 knots in black 30 seine twine to locate my dummies and terminal gear equidistantly for sockeye. The knots also stop the rigger. I also just loop the end of the twine and choke it to the ball. No rubber or swivels or clips. Expect more blowback if fishing faster or deep.

 

[Squire]

I use a three twist figure 8 knots in black 30 seine twine to locate my dummies and terminal gear equidistantly for sockeye. The knots also stop the rigger. I also just loop the end of the twine and choke it to the ball. No rubber or swivels or clips. Expect more blowback if fishing faster or deep.

I don’t suppose you have any pictures of your setup? I’m kind of a visual learner lol

 

[Paperslayer]

This is my old set-up, the new one is similar but the single green cord is replaced with a long loop. Also hook and snubber have been replaced with the loop that just passes though the eye of cannonball and dropped back though. No stoppers to worry about, the knot on the loop becomes the stopper. No losing release clips and they are out of the water when netting fish.

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I really like this.

 

[searun]

This 400 lb Marlin leader is amazing - super strong and takes a beating if you like dragging through the mud. I lose way less cannon balls with this as compared to using Tuna chord.