The Outdoor Line Forum

Happy Saturday everyone,

Looking to swap over to a cannon mag 5 on one side of the boat which is pretty small so the mag 5 looks like the best fit. I currently use a Scotty and like it, but I'm very curious about the Cannons.

Pros of the Cannon for me are:
-High weight capacity allows for scraping bottom in some deep water.
-The rod holders are on the inboard side of the downrigger, which is actually a pretty big factor with the low gunwales on my boat.
-Rod holders have dual angle settings.
-I like the design of the power plugs.
-Also, the whole line of Cannons just look so sexy.

Some concerns I have:
-No tilt up feature, which is how I'm used to retrieving the wight. Not an issue for snapping gear in to the clip, as I use a long enough release to bring in without the weight.
-When blackmouth fishing, I'm accustomed to slowing down the descent until the weight "ticks" the bottom. However, with the power down feature on Cannons, I'm concerned I might end up with some pretty severe backlash. Is backlash a valid concern, or can I use that clutch knob to slowly lower it down?
-What can I do for maintenance on the Cannons? The simplicity of the Scotties makes maintenance pretty straightforward, but I'm a bit intimidated by the Cannons.

Any thoughts/advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

Hey QC,

You've asked a mouthful there but I certainly respect your attention to detail and the fact that you've done some serious downrigging "homework"!

I agree with all the Cannon Downrigger advantages you've identified and let me address your concerns one by one:

"No tilt up feature, which is how I'm used to retrieving..."

I utilize a Cannon Weight Retriever https://www.sportco.com/store/pc/Cannon-Downrigger-Retro-Ease-Weight-Retriever-2250122-756p62032.htm


The Weight Retriever allows you to swing the ball to the base of the rigger and lock it there with one hand. It's also a great way to keep the ball out of the way when you have a fish on. The tilt-up feature is no help when you and your fishing partner are trying to net your fish!

"When blackmouth fishing, I'm accustomed to slowing down the descent until the weight "ticks" the bottom. However, with the power down feature on Cannons, I'm concerned I might end up with some pretty severe backlash...."

Cannon and Minn Kota are part of the Johnson Outdoors Company. As the undisputed leader in underwater electric motors, Minn Kota brought a lot to the Cannon "party", namely a variable-speed motor. Most downriggers have an "ON/OFF" motor but Cannons cycle through FIVE SPEEDS from crawling to SMOKIN'
In other words, when you hit "ON" the motor starts off slowly and then automatically advances to the fastest speed. when the auto-stop kicks in, the motor cycles down very smoothly so as to minimize jerking which could lead to the aforementioned and dreaded backlash.
Powering down is the best way to use a Cannon and they will tick bottom and allow you to bring in a bit of wire easily, consistently, confidently and smoothly.

"-What can I do for maintenance on the Cannons?"

In my opinion developed in nearly 15 years of using Cannons, they are lower maintenance than any other 'rigger that I've used and I've used 'em all.
I hit the power connections with Corrosion Block at least a couple times a year and WD-40 the boom roller. In addition, I replace the wire every year and I exclusively use Cannon Terminators https://www.sportco.com/store/pc/Cannon-Downrigger-Terminator-Kit-756p62033.htm


The Cannon Terminators last FAR LONGER than those wire-damaging crimps. In fact, I've had Terminators last an ENTIRE season which in my boat is well over 100 fishing days.

For the original purchaser's lifetime, Cannon's Warranty covers: The boom, motor, and reels, plus all plastic parts, including but not limited to frames and bases, will be free from defects in materials and workmanship, subject to normal wear and tear.

You'll not be disapointed with Cannon's and with their built in Positive Ion Control (PIC) voltage control, you can forget about a Black Box as well!

Holy smokes, thanks for all your time Nelly, I think I'm sold!