Posted by patx on 2003 PM:
Cannonballing - Drop Shotting for the Power Fisherman
Guys, this is the article
that I was referencing in the "Drug Shad" thread. Enjoy!
“Cannonballing” – dropshotting for the power fisherman!
by Pat Xiques
One of the hardest things in writing this piece was naming it. Should this new
spin on an already proven technique be called “Vertical Carolina Rigging”, or
perhaps “Power Drop Shotting”, or even better, “How to throw out everything you
have learned about finesse drop shotting, and somehow still catch bass”! The
name was tough, but once I was convinced that the technique should be named
after the massive sinker that it used, it came to me quickly, “Cannon Balling, dropshotting
for the power fisherman”. After all, that is indeed how the technique came to
be. And so, it was named.
Earlier this year, I was convinced that I was catching more and more bass, both
Largemouth and Smallies since I started dropshotting as it was shown to me last
year by BASS Pro, and GYCB Pro Staffer Yuske Mizaki from Japan. It gave me the edge to fish the
heavily pressured waters of my home state in NY that this tournament bass
fisherman needed. It employed light line, focused on deeper, structured
oriented fish, and used finesse style baits in its presentation. The only
problem was that I couldn’t fish it my way, the “POWER” style that I have grown
accustomed to (you know the type – the guy that can burn through a 36 volt
trolling motor system in just 6 hours!). The other problem was that I was constantly
bothered by smaller fish (pan fish, perch, etc.) attacking my “Finesse”
offerings that standard dropshotting employed. That is when it hit me. Why not
use the principals associated with dropshotting with heavier line, bait casting
gear and the larger baits that I was accustomed to using. Viola! The birth of Cannonballing.
Cannonballing is basically dropshotting, but instead of using the light line,
smaller weights and spinning gear, as I was shown by Yuske, this technique uses
the heavier line and baitcasting gear that I felt comfortable with. I basically
start out using a 7’ or 7 ½’ medium heavy action baitcasting rod and reel,
loaded with 12lb fluorocarbon line. The weight of choice, a ½ oz sinker. That’s
right, a big, bulky, ugly ½ oz sinker. I prefer the traditional round style
like most dropshotters use, but I must admit, I have even used the no frills
“bass casting” sinker or bell sinker found at every X Mart found around the
country. I’ve even used lead bank sinkers that you could find at every tackle
shop regardless of where you live. I then tie a straight style hook to the
line, as one does with dropshotting, held by a Palomar knot. The hook of choice
you ask? A no frills Eagle Claw 186A. Although this is not the only hook that
could be used, it gave me the things that couldn’t be found in traditional dropshotting
hooks. For instance, the 186A is straight shanked and had barbs on the shank of
the hook (traditionally used to hold bait on the hook) which held my larger
offerings in place. No more “Nose Hooking” of baits or having a bait slide down
the shank of the hook as it was cast or pulled down by those pesky panfish that
lived in the off shore depths that I was fishing. This hook held the bait in
place, even when it was put under the rigorous task of being casted by a 7 or 7
½ ft rod.
Oh, did I mention that cannonballing does not use the finesse of vertical
fishing? No, no, Cannonballing allows the fisherman to set up on a piece of
structure and cast (and boy does that ½ oz sinker cast!) the offering to the
structure. The rig is then bounced off of the bottom and crawled back to the
boat. I typically bounce it a bit, and then shake it in place to entice
strikes. No need to highly tune your electronics to watch your offering fall
through the water column to the fish as so many West Coast bass fisherman do,
but instead, fish this technique much like you would a Carolina Rig. I’ve even
employed the use of a small egg sinker, a glass bead and then another small egg
sinker on top of that just to get the “Clicking” sound of the rig as it bounces
off of the bottom. Although the jury is still out on whether or not this
clicking noise really makes a difference, it does give me an added sense of
confidence, making me fish this technique even harder. I also admit that the
two sinker/glass bead technique is also a little less likely to hang in the
bottom which is a big plus when you are casting among rock.
As for plastics baits, I prefer a 5” Senko (9) threaded through the front ¼
inch of the bait, allowing the rest of the bait to hang off of the hook. I
sometimes use a 9s or 9j when I don’t seem to be getting the bites I hope to
get, but most of the time, that big 5” bait seems to do the trick. It also
allows me to use a bigger bait in the depths that I want it to be in. I’ve used
large plastic worms, tubes and even craws while Cannonballing. Most bass never
see this type of large offering in the water column that the Cannonballing
presentation offers. Another key bait, especially for smallmouth bass is a
grub. I typically use a 4” GYCB grub in baitfish colors (daiquiri, white,
pearl, etc.) and swim the bait through the water column, keeping contact with
the bottom the entire retrieve with the large sinker.
The key to this technique is to tie the hook much higher in the rig than
standard dropshotting allows. I prefer to tie my hook at least 36 inches up
from the sinker, sometimes going to as high as 48 inches above the cannonball
which allows me to work the water column and get strikes without the fish feeling
the heavy sinker that is at the bottom of the rig. That is one of the reasons
that you can get away with such a heavy sinker – the fish have such a long
leader to play with before they sense the unnatural feeling of a big sinker
holding their meal to the bottom. This is also where the 7’ plus rod comes into
play. The longer rod also allows you to cast such an awkward presentation
without much of a problem. I have played with shorter rods and trust me, it
just doesn’t work. To be honest with you, a light tip, 7 ½ foot flipping stick
works wonderfully if you can get used to casting with it. I use the new Team Diawa
L&T Flipping stick and love it for Cannonballing. The hooksets that a 7 or
7 ½ ft rod allows is awesome, even at the deepest depths
Also different from conventional dropshotting, Cannonballing allows you to fish
in heavily weeded areas. Instead of using the above described straight shanked
hook, you can use a conventional Texas Rig worm hook to rig your plastic
offerings, rigging your baits weedless. This is an incredible way to get those
buried fish out of laydowns and other forms of wooded cover. Imagine being able
to fish right “in” the heart of a laydown with a bait that dances through its
limbs (just be sure to beef up your line)! I’ve used this technique in heavily
matted Hydrilla beds when I am targeting bass that live under the mat. I’ve
also used this method as a pseudo “Flipping” technique – flipping the rig into
holes of the mat of grass when I am convinced that the fish are suspended in
the upper section of the water column. I assure you, this is an incredibly
deadly technique when it comes to targeting tidal bass like those found on the Potomac and Hudson Rivers in the North East. I can’t imagine it not being as
effective in waters like the California Delta in the West and the heavily weed
choked waters of the Southern
United States like Florida.
All in all, Cannonballing will allow you to use the same principals that you
have found to be effective with finesse dropshotting and will still allow you
to “Horse” those fish out of heavy cover once you shift gears to it’s baitcasting
cousin . I do recommend that you use fluorocarbon line with this presentation.
This incredibly strong and sensitive line will allow you to detect even the most
subtle of bites plus it allows you the strength to fish in even the “ugliest”
of stuff out there with the confidence that you will land any fish.
Give cannonballing a try. It’s not pretty, its not finesse, but it is a 100%
bass catching favorite of mine!
Go Get Um’ and let me know how you do!
Pat Xiques
Posted by Woody on 2003 PM:
Finally......
;)
Welcome back !!!!!!!!!!
This article is superb....
Thank You for sharing one of your techniques.
Look forward to you showing me in person.
Thanks Pat,
Woody
Posted by joe pido on 2003 PM:
Power fisherman
here!!...and what a technique!....thanks for sharing, Pat....gotta try it out
this year....
Joe
Posted by patx on 2003 PM:
Gang,
For those of you who enjoy Power Fishing, you will enjoy the piece that Im
working on right now. Im interviewing Mike Iaconelli and Jordan Paullo (BASS
Professional Anglers) for a piece that will focus on the art of Power Fishing.
I have fished with and against both of these guys (fished with Jordan in Foxwoods and with Mike in his
early days in the Federation) and know just how good they are. The article will
focus on baits, techniques, ideas on when to slow down-speed up, as well as a
section on the peripherals surrounding this method of fishing (trolling motors,
batteries, chargers, etc.). It should be a good one, and a good read if you
enjoyed the one above.
Pat Xiques
Posted by Dean on 2003 PM:
Have enjoyed the last couple of articles you have written Pat. Are you becoming more of a regular contributor to the Inside Line?
Posted by JPBass on 2003 PM:
Pat,
Nice article. 
I think your "salt" is showing again. Put a few more hooks on it and it
sounds like a Mackerel or Herring rig.
__________________
http://www.renegadebassmasters.com
Posted by patx on 2003 PM:
Actually, I have worked
with Yamamoto for the past 5 years. I began with them as the first member of
their Pro-Staff in the Northeast, then started writing for them shortly there
after. I brought Mike Delvisco with me after the first two years, knowing that
they needed adittional coverage in the area. I normally contribute about 4-6
articles a year to their magazine.
GYCB is comprised of some great people. I was very lucky to have recieved their
call before they were a house hold name here in the Northeast, as well as the
world now.
Pat Xiques
Posted by Scott E. on 2003 PM:
Now this
is more my style
Pat,
Just awesome!!! And more my style than the finesse version, now I just have to
dig some of those big ol' sinkers out of the saltwater box and give them a rinsin'
in the sweetwater!!!
Not to worry, I will be putting the finesse version to work too!!!
Don't make us wait long for the next one!!!..........please!!!
Again once ice out if in Philly and in need to get away for a dose of bassin,
just drop me an e-mail.
__________________
Nothing sets a person so far out of the devil's reach as humility.
Jonathan Edwards
---
Scott E.
scotte@pikeonline.net
Posted by joe pido on 2003 AM:
Pat, have you tried a
jig/pig instead of the regular sinker?. Ive read a couple of articles on these
technique. Gives the fish two different looks in one presentation....
Joe
Posted by patx on 2003 AM:
I have. This is something
that has been done in the past. It was called the Misouri rig. The jig came
with two line tie's, one to the main line and the other to a leader in which
you tied another bait. Really its not the same thing because the other bait
drags behind the jig, but it has been my experience that when you use a jig as
the sinker, it tends to wrap up with the dropshot offering on the cast. This
might work better if you were fishing vertically, but IMHO. verticle is more of
a finesse presentation - 1/8-1/4oz lead - 4-6lb line and a tiny drop shot bait.
There really isnt a place for a big bulky jig in this scenario, plus the light
line would probably break when you set the hook on a jig.
Good idea, but it didnt work when I tried it - perhaps you will have a
different experience.
Pat Xiques
Posted by bass 64 on 2003 PM:
Welcome back to the board
Pat. Great article although Mikey Del let the cat out of the bag a tad.
LOL I printed the article up as I have done with all Earthy's articles and sold
them on EBAY. JK
Its actually in a vault...... -Joe
__________________
When in doubt, Texas rig........or fish the outgoing
tide!
Posted by patx on 2003 PM:
He did? What did Mikey
say? At NY BASS U? I guess I cant be too mad about it - he and I worked on it
together, like most of the bass fishing we do. He was amazed with just how well
it worked.
Pat Xiwques
Posted by Bass Rat on 2003 PM:
Nice
piece Pat. Thanks.
quote:
I assure you, this is an incredibly deadly technique when it comes to targeting tidal bass like those found on the Potomac and Hudson Rivers in the North East.
-Hooked solid are you listening?
__________________
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